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The Sengkang LRT line (SKLRT) is a elevated
automated guideway transit An automated guideway transit (AGT) or automated fixed-guideway transit or automatic guideway transit system is a type of fixed guideway transit infrastructure with a riding or suspension track that supports and physically guides one or more dri ...
line in
Sengkang Sengkang (, , ) is a Planning Areas of Singapore, planning area and New towns of Singapore, residential town located in the North-East Region, Singapore, North-East Region of Singapore. The town is the second most populous in the region, being ...
, Singapore. The driverless system consists of 14 stations on two loops, with Sengkang station serving as the interchange for both loops and linking the line to the
North East MRT line The North East Line (NEL) is a high-capacity Mass Rapid Transit (Singapore), Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) line in Singapore. Operated by SBS Transit, the line is the MRT's shortest. It runs from HarbourFront MRT station, HarbourFront station in ...
. It is the second
Light Rail Transit Light rail (or light rail transit, abbreviated to LRT) is a form of passenger urban rail transit that uses rolling stock derived from tram technology National Conference of the Transportation Research Board while also having some features from ...
(LRT) line in Singapore and the first LRT line operated by
SBS Transit SBS Transit Ltd (abbreviation: SBS or SBST) is a multi-modal public transport operator in Singapore operating bus and rail services. With a majority of its shares owned by Singaporean multinational transport conglomerate ComfortDelGro Corporati ...
. The SKLRT was planned in tandem with the development of the Sengkang estate. Construction of the LRT stations and viaducts was completed in 2001, and the
Land Transport Authority The Land Transport Authority (LTA) is a Statutory boards of the Singapore Government, statutory board under the Ministry of Transport (Singapore), Ministry of Transport of the Government of Singapore. History Incorporation The Land Transport Au ...
transferred operations to SBS Transit in September 2002. The east loop began operations on 18 January 2003, followed by the west loop on 29 January 2005, with Kupang station being the last to open on 27 June 2015. The line operates using the Kyosan Automated People Mover (APM) fixed block signalling system and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries's
Crystal Mover The Crystal Mover is a rubber-tired automated people mover (APM) system for airport and urban rail transit applications manufactured at Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) Mihara Machinery Works in Mihara, Hiroshima Prefecture, Japan. The Crystal ...
APM vehicles. Two-car operations were introduced in December 2015 to accommodate increased ridership. Between 2018 and 2022, the SKLRT underwent renewal works to improve reliability. A new fleet of 25 two-car APMs is expected to enter service in 2025, replacing 25 one-car trains and half of the 16 two-car trains in the existing fleet.


History


Planning and construction

At the groundbreaking ceremony of the
Bukit Panjang LRT line , color = , logo = BPLRT logo.svg , logo_width = 250px , logo_alt = Logo of Bukit Panjang LRT line , image = File:BP ...
on 27 September 1996, deputy prime minister
Tony Tan Tony Tan Keng Yam (; born 7 February 1940) is a Singaporean banker and politician who served as the seventh president of Singapore between 2011 and 2017. Prior to entering politics, Tan was a general manager at OCBC Bank. He made his polit ...
announced the government's decision to proceed with the Sengkang LRT (SKLRT) project. The line would be developed alongside the Sengkang estate and integrated with future developments, intended to improve accessibility and convenience for residents. An exhibition for the SKLRT opened on 7 December 1996. The SKLRT was planned to be completed in 2002. The contract for the design and construction of the Sengkang and
Punggol LRT The Punggol LRT line (PGLRT) is a elevated automated guideway transit line in Punggol, Singapore. The driverless system consists of 15 stations on two loops, with Punggol station serving as the interchange for both loops and linking the lin ...
lines was awarded to a joint venture on 4 July 1998 for S$656 million (US$ million). The joint venture comprised Singapore Technologies Industrial Corporation, Mitsubishi Heavy Industries and Mitsubishi Corporation. On 20 May 1999,
SBS Transit SBS Transit Ltd (abbreviation: SBS or SBST) is a multi-modal public transport operator in Singapore operating bus and rail services. With a majority of its shares owned by Singaporean multinational transport conglomerate ComfortDelGro Corporati ...
(then Singapore Bus Service) was appointed to operate the SKLRT along with the North East line and the Punggol LRT line. Construction of the LRT stations and viaducts was completed in 2001. In December that year, subcontractor BRR Holdings withdrew from the LRT project and handed over its responsibilities to SembCorp Engineers and Constructors. According to the
Land Transport Authority The Land Transport Authority (LTA) is a Statutory boards of the Singapore Government, statutory board under the Ministry of Transport (Singapore), Ministry of Transport of the Government of Singapore. History Incorporation The Land Transport Au ...
(LTA), the withdrawal had minimal impact on the construction schedule. On 1 September 2002, the LTA transferred operations of the SKLRT to SBS Transit, which conducted extensive test runs and trials on the line. This came in light of frequent delays and breakdowns experienced on the Bukit Panjang LRT. In December 2002, transport minister
Yeo Cheow Tong Yeo Cheow Tong (; born 22 June 1947) is a former Singaporean politician. A member of the governing People's Action Party (PAP), he served in the Cabinet from 1990 to 2006, and was a Member of Parliament (MP) of Hong Kah SMC from 12 December ...
said the opening of the SKLRT would be delayed due to modifications required for the communication and radio systems. Due to limited funding from the
1997 financial crisis The 1997 Asian financial crisis gripped much of East and Southeast Asia during the late 1990s. The crisis began in Thailand in July 1997 before spreading to several other countries with a ripple effect, raising fears of a worldwide economic meltd ...
and low projected ridership, the Sengkang LRT line was initially constructed for single-car operations, even though it had been designed for two. Nevertheless, provisions were made for future upgrades to two-car operations during the expected equipment replacement cycle within 15 to 20 years.


Stations opening

The east loop commenced operations on 18 January 2003, offering free rides during its first two days. At the time, 90% of Sengkang residents lived along the east loop, while the west remained largely undeveloped. Although the east loop was scheduled to open at 2pm that day, SBS Transit began operations 30 minutes earlier to accommodate the queue of the 100 waiting commuters. The initial fare on the SKLRT was S$0.64 per trip (US$). The system experienced its first breakdown on 5 September that year because of a computer failure. Free bus services were provided during the 30-minute disruption. In October 2004, ''
Today Today (archaically to-day) may refer to: * The current day and calendar date ** Today is between and , subject to the local time zone * Now, the time that is perceived directly, present * The current, present era Arts, entertainment and m ...
'' reported that the SKLRT was operating at a loss due to low ridership, as only 37,000 of the projected 95,000 public flats had been completed. With the exception of the Farmway, Cheng Lim and Kupang stations, the west loop commenced operations on 29 January 2005. To mark the commencement of the west loop, Wee Siew Kim, Adviser to Jalan Kayu Grassroots Organisations, officiated the opening of the bridge linking Thanggam Station to
Jalan Kayu Jalan Kayu is a road situated in Sengkang, Singapore. It is located in the northwestern part of Fernvale, near the Seletar–Sengkang boundary. Etymology and history Jalan Kayu was built in 1928 when the first Royal Air Force The Royal ...
via Lorong Samak. The west loop initially operated unidirectional services in the peak flow direction. Morning services from 5:20am to 3:00pm ran anti-clockwise from Thanggam to Renjong, while evening services from 3:00pm to 12:35am operated clockwise from Renjong to Thanggam. Farmway station opened on 15 November 2007 to serve the Anchorvale Community Club and the Sengkang Sports Complex. On 4 January 2010, the west loop commenced bidirectional services only on weekday peak hours from 6:45am to 9:00am and from 6:15pm to 8:30pm. Full-day bidirectional services on the west loop began on 1 January 2013 with the opening of Cheng Lim station. Kupang station opened on 27 June 2015 to cater to new residential developments in its vicinity. Daily ridership on the SKLRT at the time had reached 60,000. A power trip caused a two-hour disruption on the evening of 1 June 2016. On 16 February 2018, a dislodged power collector shoe caused a train to stall near Sengkang station. SBS Transit reported a "loud boom" was heard before the train stalled. Passengers were able to disembark from the faulty train, which was hauled away before services resumed. On 9 June 2024, the signalling system's power supply failed during upgrading works. As a result, no trains could be launched on that morning, with services only resuming at 10:12am.


Upgrades

On 31 October 2012, the LTA announced plans to increase passenger capacity of the Sengkang and
Punggol LRT The Punggol LRT line (PGLRT) is a elevated automated guideway transit line in Punggol, Singapore. The driverless system consists of 15 stations on two loops, with Punggol station serving as the interchange for both loops and linking the lin ...
lines (SPLRT) to cater to increased ridership on the SPLRT. ''
The Straits Times ''The Straits Times'' (also known informally by its abbreviation ''ST'') is a Singaporean daily English-language newspaper owned by the SPH Media Trust. Established on 15 July 1845, it is the most-widely circulated newspaper in the country and ...
'' reported in September that the LTA had completed engineering studies for upgrading the system from one-car to two-car operations, especially with a 19% increase in ridership on the SKLRT over the past year. The upgrading works involved retrofitting 16 of the 41 one-car trains for two-car operations while purchasing 16 additional cars. Two-car operations on the SKLRT began on 22 December 2015. The official inauguration of two-car operations on the SKLRT was held on 5 January 2016, with Senior Minister of State for Transport
Ng Chee Meng } (born 8 August 1968) is a Singaporean politician, union leader and former lieutenant-general who has been serving as Secretary-General of the National Trades Union Congress (NTUC) since 2018 and as a Member of Parliament (MP) for Jalan Kayu ...
and other Members of Parliament in attendance. However, in October 2024, Sengkang GRC Member of Parliament
Jamus Lim Jamus Jerome Lim Chee Wui (; born 1976) is a Singaporean politician, economist and associate professor. A member of the Workers' Party (Singapore), Workers' Party (WP), Lim has been the Member of Parliament (MP) representing the Anchorvale di ...
highlighted commuter concerns about inconsistent train frequencies and the irregular use of two-car trains during peak hours. On 15 December 2017, the LTA outlined a renewal programme to improve operational reliability on the SPLRT. These works included power rail and signalling maintenance, along with reinforcing viaduct crossheads and replacing bearings after cracks were found during inspections. The maintenance works took place on selected Sunday mornings from 14 January to 25 February 2018, during which the affected loops operated unidirectional services. Unidirectional services continued on Sunday mornings from 4 March to 29 April due to extended maintenance works involving power rail replacements and preventive maintenance on signalling cables. Rectification works on the concrete plinths and elevated slabs were conducted on Sunday evenings between May 27 and October 7. Maintenance works during service hours continued in 2020, 2021, and 2022. Plans to refurbish Sengkang station was announced in May 2018. The upgrades included expanding the LRT platform and installing new dual-speed escalators and a new lift to connect the platforms, concourse and mezzanine levels of the station. New signs and queue markings were introduced on the platform to indicate new stopping points for each of the four LRT routes plying the station. The refurbished LRT platforms began operations at the end of September 2024. On 5 February 2021, the LTA said they would purchase 17 two-car trains for the SPLRT, which were expected to be delivered from 2024 to 2027. The
Sengkang Depot Sengkang Depot is a train depot in Sengkang, Singapore Singapore, officially the Republic of Singapore, is an island country and city-state in Southeast Asia. The country's territory comprises one main island, 63 satellite islands ...
would also be expanded to to increase capacity and maintenance space for the new trains. The depot expansion also included two new reception tracks to reduce train launching time. In February 2022, the contract for the depot expansion was awarded to Sato Kogyo (S) Pte Ltd for S$157 million (US$ million), and the contract for the new fleet of trains was awarded to Mitsubishi Corporation for S$439 million (US$ million).


Network and operations


Route and service

The Sengkang LRT (SKLRT) is a fully elevated
automated guideway transit An automated guideway transit (AGT) or automated fixed-guideway transit or automatic guideway transit system is a type of fixed guideway transit infrastructure with a riding or suspension track that supports and physically guides one or more dri ...
line, with a route length of . It is coloured grey on official maps. On dynamic passenger information displays and static signs on the platforms, yellow indicates the east loop, and red indicates the west loop. The SKLRT has four routes operating on two bi-directional loops that converge at Sengkang station. The line generally runs along road medians, with an average viaduct height of . On the east loop, the line heads north after Sengkang station before curving eastward and running along the medians of Compassvale Street and Rivervale Drive. After passing Rumbia station, it turns south along Rivervale Drive, then west along Sengkang East Avenue, completing the loop by heading north back to Sengkang station. On the west loop, the line from Sengkang station diverges west toward Cheng Lim station. A
spur A spur is a metal tool designed to be worn in pairs on the heels of riding boots for the purpose of directing a horse or other animal to move forward or laterally while riding. It is usually used to refine the riding aids (commands) and to ba ...
connects the SKLRT to the
Punggol LRT line The Punggol LRT line (PGLRT) is a elevated automated guideway transit line in Punggol, Singapore. The Driverless train, driverless system consists of 15 stations on two loops, with Punggol MRT/LRT station, Punggol station serving as the inter ...
across the
Tampines Expressway The Tampines Expressway (TPE) is a highway in the north-eastern fringe of Singapore, joining the Pan Island Expressway (PIE) near Singapore Changi Airport in the east with the Central Expressway, Singapore, Central Expressway (CTE) and Seletar Ex ...
. The SKLRT continues along Anchorvale Street and Fernvale Street. Between the Farmway and Kupang stations, the line crosses Sungei Punggol. After Kupang station, the line turns south along Fernvale Road, and turns east along Sengkang West Avenue. It crosses Sungei Punggol again between Layar and Tongkang stations, with reception tracks connecting the line to
Sengkang Depot Sengkang Depot is a train depot in Sengkang, Singapore Singapore, officially the Republic of Singapore, is an island country and city-state in Southeast Asia. The country's territory comprises one main island, 63 satellite islands ...
. Following Renjong station, the line completes the loop by heading north back to Sengkang station. The line operates between 5:18am (5:38am on Sundays and public holidays) and 12:37am daily. The SKLRT is operated by
SBS Transit SBS Transit Ltd (abbreviation: SBS or SBST) is a multi-modal public transport operator in Singapore operating bus and rail services. With a majority of its shares owned by Singaporean multinational transport conglomerate ComfortDelGro Corporati ...
. Since 2018, the SKLRT has been part of the New Rail Financing Framework (NRFF). Previously, the operator (the owner of the rail assets) had to bear the cost of maintaining and upgrading trains and signalling. Under the NRFF, the LTA and SBS Transit share the profits and financial risks in operating the line and the LTA will take control of its operating assets on 1 April 2033. SBS Transit operates the line under a 15-year licence which will expire on 31 March 2033.


Stations

The east loop has five stations, while the west loop has eight stations. The average distance between stations are , with each station positioned to serve residents within a radius.


Infrastructure


Rolling stock

The Sengkang and Punggol LRT lines (SPLRT) utilise the
Crystal Mover The Crystal Mover is a rubber-tired automated people mover (APM) system for airport and urban rail transit applications manufactured at Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) Mihara Machinery Works in Mihara, Hiroshima Prefecture, Japan. The Crystal ...
Automated People Mover (APM) rolling stock manufactured by
Mitsubishi Heavy Industries is a Japanese Multinational corporation, multinational engineering, electrical equipment and electronics corporation headquartered in Tokyo, Japan. MHI is one of the core companies of the Mitsubishi Group and its automobile division is the prede ...
. The rubber-tyred trains are fully automatic and can accommodate up to 105 passengers per vehicle. The SPLRT has an initial fleet of 41 APMs, with 16 more APMs delivered under contract C810A. The APMs are configured for single car or two-car operations, with a maximum capacity of 36 trainsets on the network. In February 2022, the LTA ordered another fleet of 17 two-car APMs from Mitsubishi for S$439 million (US$ million) . This was followed by another order for eight more two-car trains in May 2023, costing S$87 million (US$ million). The new trains are set to replace the 25 one-car trains and half of the 16 two-car trains, bringing the overall SPLRT fleet to 33 two-car APMs. The first two trainsets were delivered to Singapore on 23 November 2024 and are expected to commence operations in 2025. The Crystal Mover APMs have a top speed of , with a maximum operational speed of . They are powered by 750V DC
third rail A third rail, also known as a live rail, electric rail or conductor rail, is a method of providing electric power to a railway locomotive or train, through a semi-continuous rigid conductor placed alongside or between the rails of a track (r ...
located on one side of the guideway. Each vehicle is long and wide. The exterior has a crystal-like design with a
polyhedral In geometry, a polyhedron (: polyhedra or polyhedrons; ) is a three-dimensional figure with flat polygonal faces, straight edges and sharp corners or vertices. The term "polyhedron" may refer either to a solid figure or to its boundary surfa ...
nose reflective of its namesake. Mitsubishi describes the curved sides of the Crystal Mover APM as a design choice to "soften" the sharpness of its polyhedral shape. The exterior is painted pearl white and indigo blue. As driverless vehicles, the APMs do not include a driver cabin. Instead, detrainment doors at both ends of the cabin allow emergency evacuation of passengers onto the track. The emergency stop button and emergency notice system are located at the right-side corner of the vehicle's front, while line maps and service information are displayed on the left. The interior features white side panels and ceiling, a grey floor, grayish-blue seats, and handrails and grip bars accented in a wine color. The cabins are air-conditioned. The SPLRT trains are maintained and stabled on the second floor of
Sengkang Depot Sengkang Depot is a train depot in Sengkang, Singapore Singapore, officially the Republic of Singapore, is an island country and city-state in Southeast Asia. The country's territory comprises one main island, 63 satellite islands ...
. Located between the Layar and Tongkang LRT stations, the depot also houses the trains of the North East line. Its facilitates include a two-story main building with an operation control center room, automatic vehicle washing facility, maintenance garage, departure inspection track, stabling yard, power receiving and transforming facilities, and a test track. The site is being expanded to , which will include two more reception tracks and three new traction power substations to expand the depot's stabling and maintenance capacity.


Train control and power system

The Sengkang LRT line is fully automatic and is equipped with a Kyosan APM fixed block signalling system. The line's
automatic train control Automatic train control (ATC) is a general class of train protection systems for railways that involves a speed control mechanism in response to external inputs. For example, a system could effect an emergency brake application if the driver do ...
(ATC) is composed of automatic train protection (ATP) which ensures safe operations, automatic train operation (ATO) which controls the automatic operations, and automatic train supervision (ATS) for overall command, monitoring and recording of the system. To reduce equipment mass on the train, the onboard ATP and ATO systems are integrated into one unit, although for safety reasons, the function and control logic of the ATP and ATO systems remain independent. These subsystems are connected via
LAN Lan or LAN may refer to: Science and technology * Local asymptotic normality, a fundamental property of regular models in statistics * Longitude of the ascending node, one of the orbital elements used to specify the orbit of an object in space * ...
and managed by a
computer-based interlocking Computer-based interlocking is railway signal interlocking implemented with computers, rather than using older technologies such as relays or mechanics Mechanics () is the area of physics concerned with the relationships between force, matt ...
(CBI) system that oversees traffic safety of the APM. In July 2024, the LTA reported that the SPLRT has a " mean kilometres between failures" (MKBF) of 814,000 train-km ( train-miles), which was a decrease from 1.22 million train-km ( train-miles) in 2023. The power system of the SKLRT includes a 22 kV AC power intake and distribution network, a 750V DC traction power system, and a 400V AC system for station services. Power is supplied via two 22kV AC feeders from the North East line to improve reliability and take advantage of the 66kV tariff. The AC supply is distributed through a closed ring network to prevent power disruptions during single outages. At each station, the AC supply is stepped down to 400V AC using service transformers for mechanical and electrical needs. Traction power substations (TPSS) further step down the 22kV AC to power rectifiers that convert it to 750V DC for train operations. Each TPSS is equipped with an inverter system to return excess energy from regenerative braking back to the 22kV distribution network. In 2004, the SKLRT had three TPSS, with one on standby to maintain operations during outages; it presently has five operational substations, which will increase to eight with the planned expansion of Sengkang Depot.


Station facilities

All Sengkang LRT stations are equipped with lifts connecting passengers from the ground level to the station concourse, and from the concourse to the platform level. Each station also has at least one wider faregate for wheelchair users and tactile flooring to guide the visually-impaired from the ground floor to the platforms. The stations are also equipped with fire extinguishers and fire phones. Emergency stop buttons on both sides of the station platform, when activated, cut off traction power supply and halt incoming trains. Fixed platform barriers installed by Chee Yam Contractor are intended to prevent commuters falling to the tracks. However, the barriers lack doors and instead have fixed openings for boarding, as the limited space on LRT platforms cannot accommodate the power, communications, and signal control systems required for platform screen doors. To enhance safety, SBS Transit has implemented the VAnGuard track intrusion detection system on the SPLRT. Using video analytics and artificial intelligence, the system monitors footage of tracks and platforms to identify individuals or objects on the tracks. When an intrusion is detected, operations control centre staff can press the emergency stop button to halt services on a specific loop. The system also triggers an alarm when intruders or foreign objects are detected. In addition to track intrusions, the system can spot unattended items on station platforms, allowing staff to provide assistance or undertake security precautions.


Notes and references


Notes


Citations


Sources

* *


External links

*
2016 official LTA website of the Sengkang LRT line


{{Authority control Light Rail Transit (Singapore) lines Sengkang Crystal Mover people movers Railway lines opened in 2003 Transport in North-East Region, Singapore 2003 establishments in Singapore Automated guideway transit