Upgrading the North-South and East-West Lines (NSEWL)

The North-South and East-West Lines (NSEWL) are the oldest and most heavily utilised rail lines in the MRT network, having served commuters for over three decades now.

To improve and bolster reliability for current and future demands, LTA has embarked on the renewal of six core systems on the NSEWL. This includes replacements of sleepers and third rail in 2016 and 2017 respectively, and the switch to the new signalling system in 2018.

As part of the renewal, LTA has progressively rolled out a new fleet of 66 trains to replace the first-generation trains. These trains will feature a range of technologies for preventive maintenance and detecting faults proactively to increase reliability. An additional batch of 40 new trains were also purchased in 2020 to replace the second and third-generation NSEWL trains. Seven of these trains are in passenger service, while the remaining 19 are undergoing testing and commissioning. The remaining trains will arrive in Singapore and be put progressively into service from now until 2026.

With these efforts, the NSEWL has recorded a Mean Kilometres Between Failure (MKBF) performance of over 1,000,000 train-km since 2019, compared to 70,000 train-km and 60,000 train-km on the NSL and EWL respectively in 2012!

Watch this video to hear from the people behind the systems, on how the improvements will benefit commuters.

Benefits of renewing the 6 Core Systems

New signalling system for shorter train intervals
  1. New signalling system for shorter waiting times
    The new system allows trains to run more closely to each other. The upgrading of NSL’s signalling system has completed, while the system on the EWL has also since stabilised. The control station communicates with the trains to let them know when to move or stop.
Replacement of sleepers and a smoother ride
  1. Replacement of sleepers and a smoother ride
    Timber sleepers were replaced with hardier concrete ones, that last twice as long for 50 years. A total of 188,000 sleepers were upgraded over a four-year period from 2013 to 2016.
More reliability with a new third rail
  1. More reliability with a new third rail
    The third-rail – which supplies electricity to the trains – is exposed to constant wear and tear. It has been replaced with a new power rail, improving the reliability of the power supply. A total of 180km of rail were replaced over a two-year period from 2015 to 2017.
New power supply system with better fault detection
  1. New power supply system with better fault detection
    The power supply upgrade has enhanced features for real-time monitoring, to improve fault detection and prediction. This monitors the health condition of our power supply equipment, minimise disruptions and fix issues early. The system can also automatically switch to an alternative source of supply during a power outage to improve the overall resilience of the power supply network.
New track circuit system for faster fault recovery
  1. New track circuit system for faster fault recovery
    The new system will automatically detect broken rails that require repairs. It also has a built-in condition monitoring system to pre-emptively spot, alert and address possible track circuit related failures. This allows the system to recover more quickly from any signalling system failures.

    Did you know? Over 1,100 track circuits have been replaced for faster fault recovery and response.
New generation trains with fault detection capability
  1. New generation trains with fault detection capability
    The new trains will have built-in condition monitoring capabilities and diagnostic systems to detect faults early and track in real time the performance of various systems on the train. The interiors of the trains have also been designed to make boarding easier and increase passenger capacity with bigger open spaces, while maintaining the number of seats. All commuters will be catered for, including parents with strollers, wheelchair users, and commuters with personal mobility devices or foldable bicycles.

    Commuters can enjoy wider windows for a more panoramic view, colourful LCD displays and ergonomic perch seats.
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