The first 16 of the 106 new trains[1] for the North-South and East-West Lines (NSEWL) will enter passenger service progressively from 4 June 2023.
2 These new trains, purchased from Alstom SA (formerly known as Bombardier Transportation) will replace the NSEWL’s earliest generations of six-car trains, with the oldest having served for over 30 years. As we complete our testing, approximately two trains will be put into passenger service every month and trains from the original fleets will be decommissioned accordingly.
Commuter-Centric Design & Improved Features
3 Commuters from all walks of life can look forward to more pleasant and convenient journeys, as the new train cabins have more open spaces to accommodate strollers and wheelchair users. Large, panoramic windows will provide commuters with an improved viewing experience while travelling along above-ground stations. The new trains are also designed with ergonomic perch seats, which can accommodate more commuters on the trains. Other features include an LCD display system above every door to show the route and station information.
4 To enhance train reliability and enable efficient maintenance, the new trains are equipped with a self-test system, which automatically checks that the trains are fit for operation before services commence each day. These trains will subsequently be equipped with condition-monitoring features to pre-emptively identify emerging faults, and enable early rectification.
More Trains For the North East Line (NEL) and Circle Line (CCL)
5 LTA has also purchased six new trains to serve the NEL and 23 new trains to serve the CCL from Alstom. The new NEL and CCL trains are intended to cater for additional capacity when the North East Line Extension (NELe) and the Circle Line 6 (CCL6) begin operations. LTA has completed tests for the six new NEL trains and will be handing the trains over to SBST for further operational testing. We have also received two of the 23 new CCL trains, which will be transported to the Integrated Train Testing Centre later this month for the commencement of testing and commissioning.
Giving Retired Trains a New Lease of Life
6 Upon the decommissioning of the first generation of NSEWL trains, as part of LTA’s sustainability efforts, LTA had issued a public call for community partners to support giving our decommissioned trains a new lease of life by adopting train cars or their individual parts. LTA has so far worked with educational institutions such as, Skool4Kidz, the Rainbow Centre and SUTD, as well as non-profit organisations such as SG Enable and the Action for Green Towns Taskforce (AGT) to upcycle various train parts. Recently, LTA also partnered with ITE College West to upcycle an entire train car for educational purposes. Parties interested in acquiring retired trains or upcycling train parts can email LTA at LTA_Train_Repurpose@lta.gov.sg for more information.
