2-11-2023 (SINGAPORE) Singapore has completed the first phase of a new facility in Tuas that will allow testing of MRT trains at speeds of up to 100kmh away from the main rail lines. The 3km high-speed MRT testing track at the Singapore Rail Test Centre (SRTC) was unveiled by transport authorities on Thursday after more than two years of construction.
Currently, engineering work on MRT lines in Singapore is limited to the early morning hours when train services are not running. The completion of the SRTC will free up more maintenance time during these hours when it is fully completed in 2025, leading to improved rail reliability.
Acting Transport Minister Chee Hong Tat highlighted the importance of the SRTC in boosting rail maintenance. Currently, engineering hours are used for testing new trains and systems, which reduces the time available for track and rail system maintenance.
The SRTC, situated on a 50ha site that was previously Raffles Country Club, is the first of its kind in Southeast Asia. Its location far from residential areas allows for round-the-clock testing. Two new trains that will operate on the upcoming Stage 6 of the Circle Line (CCL) are already being tested on the high-speed track ahead of their deployment in 2026.
The construction of the SRTC, previously known as the Integrated Train Testing Centre, is about 85 percent complete. The second phase of construction will involve the building of two other test tracks, an operations control centre, an administration building, and maintenance and refurbishment workshops. These tracks will include a 3km looped endurance track and a 2.8km performance and integration track.
Once fully operational, the SRTC will allow Singapore to conduct rail testing under conditions that mirror those of its MRT lines. This is crucial as Singapore is experiencing unprecedented network expansion until the early 2030s, with the construction of new MRT lines and the upgrading of existing ones.
Having a local train testing facility will eliminate the need for Singapore to rely on overseas centres, which do not fully replicate local conditions. The SRTC aims to enhance the capabilities of Singapore’s rail workers and test new technologies and systems. It also has the potential to become a regional testing centre for neighboring countries with expanding rail systems.
The SRTC project, announced in 2019, was inspired by similar testing centres in Germany, South Korea, and Japan. South Korean company GS Engineering was awarded a $639.5 million contract in 2020 to design and build the centre, with civil construction work commencing in 2021.
#ICYMI Our high speed test track at the Singapore Rail Test Centre (#SRTC) is now ready for operation! ????????
Take a sneak peek at one of the tests we’ve been carrying out on our 2 new #CCL6 trains at the high speed test track below! ???? pic.twitter.com/Kxo89QLAfS
— LTA (@LTAsg) November 2, 2023
