Riders who frequent the East-West and North-South lines will soon have something to celebrate (when the trains aren’t breaking down, of course).
A new fleet of high tech trains is scheduled to replace 66 first-generation models to bring your commute into the 21st century, according to Land Transit Authority (LTA)’s announcement yesterday.
The new machines, scheduled to arrive in batches from 2021 onwards, will be equipped with computerized communication mechanisms that monitor and transmit data about train and rail conditions. The information will then be collected on a central server, where it can be analyzed by SMRT staff to flag potential trouble before it even occurs.
Officials are hoping this system will result in fewer breakdowns and thus fewer delays for riders. Yeap, we hope so too.
These trains promise to be more comfortable as well, featuring more interior space to accommodate strollers, wheelchairs, and other personal mobility devices (PMDs), giving everyone more room to breathe. And thanks to flip-up chairs, they will be able to do all this without reducing the number of seats in each car.
The new six-car trains are set to be manufactured by Bombardier, the same company that previously supplied the driverless trains on the Downtown Line.
The contract with Bombardier, which includes not only the 66 state of the art trains but the option for long-term maintenance support, is worth approximately $S1.2 billion.
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