Alstom Metropolis C751A

The Alstom Metropolis C751A trains are the first generation of communication-based train control (CBTC) rolling stock that has been in service in Singapore's Mass Rapid Transit on the North East Line since 2003. 25 trainsets were purchased for the line.

SBS Transit's C751A, debuted in 2003 along with the opening of NEL. This shows the interior.

Overview

Door of the Alstom MT

The six-car trains on the North East Line are powered by overhead catenary, a first in Singapore's MRT history. Rolling stock on all the other operating lines are powered by a third rail because authorities considered overhead wires to be unsightly and did not allow for trains to be powered using this method on elevated lines. Since this line is the first to be fully underground in Singapore, the authorities had a choice between powering the trains on this line by overhead catenary or third rail. This rolling stock is the first to have seats of the same colour in every compartment of the train.

Alstom was contracted in 1997 and 1998 (as Contract C751A) by the Land Transport Authority (LTA) in Singapore to supply for trains for the North East Line.^[1]

• Platform gap reducers have been added on all C751A trains and they are similar to those on the C830C and C751C.

Announcements

The announcements for the North East Line differ from those on MRT lines operated by SMRT, i.e. a different announcer. The "doors closing" announcements and chime are taken from old announcements introduced in 1994 for the North South and East West Lines. Upon arrival at train stations, a "Please Mind the Gap" announcement would be made in four languages. "Please do not Lean Against the Doors" and several safety announcements are occasionally broadcast to commuters.

Exterior Design

The exterior design is using two windows in front and behind and uses SBS Transit placing on the emergency door. Along the train they uses Red and Purple stripes to know that this is operated by SBS Transit. The fleet numbers was placed above at the door on the roof on 1st and 4th doors on each carriage and they placed the SBS Transit logo three per side per carriage. C751A trains do not have the window to see which was mostly used on latest driverless trains.

Interior Design

Inside the train, above the door and the seats the colour is Beige Colour. And the doors were in Blue, the communication for emergency uses in Beige colour with the SBS Transit logo. The seats were in Lavender and Beige seats across all carriages. And the wheelchairs was placed between 9th and 16th carriages and they have 24 LCD display each train but they were deactivated. The major difference from latest Driverless trains is that they uses two windows in front, however no end side have no windows at the emergency door which only introduced at C830 trains. However at each end they only have 1 area to look at the tunnel viewing, this is because this line uses Overhead lines, they have the gearbox to be used for Overhead Lines. However, when they view the driver will be applied to be used during peak hours, the passengers may have difficulty viewing the train in front and behind.

Driverless operation

The C751A is the first fully driverless heavy metro rolling stock in Singapore. Nonetheless, SBS hires employees trained to drive the trains manually if necessary.

Communications-based Train Control (CBTC), which maintains a "continuous two-way digital communication" between each controlled train and a wayside control center, which may control an area of a railroad line, a complete line or a group of lines help track the trains' positions. Recent studies consistently show that CBTC systems reduce life-cycle costs for the overall rail property and enhance operational flexibility and control.^[2]

Experimental Programmes

• 2 Visual Passenger Information System or VPIS installed in each train car. These displays show the name of the next station, current station, door closing messages and occasionally the date and time.
• 6 LCD are installed on the overhead panel in each train car. These screens formally showed rail travel information of the next station and terminating station, silent commercials and safety videos. The units have since been deactivated due to lack of demand.^[3]
• Some of C751A trains had been installed four rows for standing area to take away 28 seatings in between two doors in each carriage. This creates space for more commuters to board, especially during peak hours.

Train Formation

The configuration of a C751A in revenue service is DT-Mp-Mi-Mi-Mp-DT

The car numbers of the trains range from 7x001 to 7x050, where x depends on the carriage type. Individual cars are assigned a five-digit serial number by the rail operator SBS Transit. A complete six-car trainset consists of an identical twin set of one driving trailer(DT) and two motor cars(Mi & Mp) permanently coupled together. For example, set 7011/7012 consists of carriages 71011, 72011, 73011, 73012, 72012 and 71012.

• The first digit is always a 7.
• The second digit identifies the car number, where the first car has a 1, the second has a 2 & the third has a 3.
• The third digit is always a 0.
• The fourth digit and fifth digit are the train identification numbers. A full length train of 6 cars have 2 different identification numbers, one for the first 3 cars, and the same number plus 1, for the other three.
  • Alstom built sets 7001-7050.

See also

• Alstom Metropolis

References

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Mass Rapid Transit (Singapore)#Trains.

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