Kawasaki Heavy Industries & CSR Qingdao Sifang C151B

The Kawasaki Heavy Industries & CSR Qingdao Sifang C151B is the fifth generation electric multiple unit rolling stock in operation on the existing North–South (NSL) and East–West (EWL) lines of Singapore's Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) system, manufactured by Kawasaki Heavy Industries (KHI) & CRRC Qingdao Sifang under Contract 151B. 45 trains were purchased and all of them have been delivered to Singapore as of 12 April 2017.[3] SMRT took delivery of the first 2 train cars on 21 May 2015. These trains increased frequency for the two MRT lines, North–South and East–West lines.

Kawasaki Heavy Industries & CRRC Qingdao Sifang (KSF) C151B
A C151B train on the East–West Line
Interior of a C151B train
Stock typeElectric multiple unit
In service16 April 2017; 7 years ago (2017-04-16) – present
Manufacturer
Built atQingdao, Shandong, China
Constructed
  • 2015 – 2016 (Batch 1)
  • 2016 – 2017 (Batch 2)
Entered service16 April 2017; 7 years ago (2017-04-16)
Number built270 vehicles (45 sets)
Number in service264 vehicles (44 sets)
Formation6 per trainset
DT–M1–M2+M2–M1–DT
Fleet numbers
  • 601/602 – 669/670 (Batch 1)
  • 671/672 – 689/690 (Batch 2)
Capacity1920 passengers
OperatorsSMRT Trains Ltd (SMRT Corporation)
Depots
Lines served
Specifications
Car body constructionAluminium-alloy double-skinned construction
Train length138.86 m (455 ft 6+78 in)
Car length
  • 23.83 m (78 ft 2 in) (DT)
  • 22.8 m (74 ft 10 in) (M)
Width3.2 m (10 ft 6 in)
Height3.7 m (12 ft 1+58 in)
Doors1,450 mm (57+18 in), 8 per car, 4 per side
Maximum speed
  • 90 km/h (56 mph) (design)
  • 80 km/h (50 mph) (service)
Traction systemFuji Electric IGBTVVVF (output 415 kVA)
Traction motors16 × Fuji Electric MLR111 150 kW (201 hp) self-ventilated 3-phase AC induction motor
550V 204A 1765 r/min
Power output2.24 MW (3,004 hp)
Acceleration1 m/s2 (2.2 mph/s)
Deceleration
  • 1.2 m/s2 (2.7 mph/s) (service)
  • 1.3 m/s2 (2.9 mph/s) (emergency)
AuxiliariesFuji Electric auxiliary inverter with battery charger
80 kVA + 16 kW
Electric system(s)750 V DC third rail
Current collector(s)Collector shoe
UIC classification2′2′+Bo′Bo′+Bo′Bo′+Bo′Bo′+Bo′Bo′+2′2′
Safety system(s)Thales SelTrac® moving block CBTC ATC under ATO GoA 3 (DTO), with subsystems of ATP, NetTrac ATS and CBI[1][2]
Coupling systemScharfenberg
Track gauge1,435 mm (4 ft 8+12 in) standard gauge

These trains retain the same IGBT-VVVF traction equipment found on the earlier C751B and C151A sets, also featuring SMRT's "Pixels" livery introduced on the Bukit Panjang LRT C801A, and was going to be on the refurbished C651 trains, until the project was cancelled in 2018. These trains are the first to be fitted with STARiS 2.0,[4] which is embedded in the door's overhead panels, as factory stock and also the first amongst the rolling stock used on the North–South and East–West lines to have electric door actuators rather than the traditional pneumatic door actuators on previous generations of rolling stock, allowing smoother and more reliable door operations, reducing delays.[5] The first C151B train (Set 601/602) made its debut on the North–South Line on 16 April 2017.

Although there were some C151Bs housed in Tuas Depot since the inception of the Tuas West Extension, the C151Bs did not begin revenue service on the full-stretch of the East–West line only until 6 May 2018, when the line switched to the new signalling system. Before that, the C151Bs running on the EWL only ran on the Tuas West Extension between Gul Circle and Tuas Link as it was the only section that had the new signalling system installed. On 27 May 2018, with the complete transition to the new signalling system, all 45 C151B trains have entered service on the North–South and East–West lines.

Tender

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In the turnkey Contract C151B, 3 tenderers were shortlisted – Kawasaki Heavy Industries Ltd/Kawasaki Heavy Industries (Singapore) Pte Ltd Consortium, CRRC Zhuzhou/Siemens, and Construcciones y Auxiliar de Ferrocarriles.[6] On 23 August 2012, the Land Transport Authority (LTA) awarded the tender to Kawasaki Heavy Industries at a price of S$281,508,884.00. Subsequently, the tender results were released to the public on 27 August 2012.[7]

S/N Name of tenderer Amount ($S)[8]
1 CSR Zhuzhou Electric Locomotive Co., Ltd. / Siemens Pte Ltd, Singapore Consortium 272,906.709.00
2 Kawasaki Heavy Industries Ltd/Kawasaki Heavy Industries (Singapore) Pte Ltd Consortium CRRC Qingdao Sifang 281,508,884.00
3 Construcciones y Auxiliar de Ferrocarriles 282,089,106.58

Manufacturing process

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Kawasaki will be responsible for the overall project management, design, manufacturing of bogies and procurement of major components. CRRC Sifang will be in charge of manufacturing, final fitting and assembly of complete MRT trains and factory testing. Kawasaki (Singapore) will be responsible for the delivery of complete MRT trains to the depot, on-site testing and commissioning. The new MRT trains are scheduled to be delivered to Singapore from 2015 onwards.[9]

Equipment

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Main propulsion controller

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The C151B trains is the fourth commuter type Electric Multiple Unit (EMU) after the C751B and C151A trains which features electric systems fully manufactured by Fuji Electric. These electric systems are made in Japan. Propulsion is controlled by VVVF inverter with two-level IGBT semiconductor controller, rated at 415 kVA. Each inverter unit controls two motors on one bogie (1C2M), and one motor car features two of such units. Motors are three-phase AC induction type, model MLR109, with a maximum output of 140 kW (190 hp).

STARIS 2.0

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STARIS 2.0 showing Newton station

Instead of other trains which use the older STARIS system, the C151B is the first train type equipped with STARIS 2.0 which consists of two LCD screens displaying the travel information, such as the upcoming stations the train will arrive at, door closing warnings and attractions nearby the station.

Train formation

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The coupling configuration of a C151B in revenue service is DT–M1–M2+M2–M1–DT.

Cars of C151B
Car type Driver cab Motor Collector shoe Car length Wheelchair bay
m ft in
DT 23.83 78 ft 2.2 in
M1 22.8 74 ft 9.6 in
M2 22.8 74 ft 9.6 in

The car numbers of the trains range from x601 to x690, where x depends on the carriage type. Individual cars are assigned a 4 digit serial number. A complete six-car trainset consists of an identical twin set of one driving trailer (DT) and two motor (M) cars permanently coupled together. For example, set 617/618 consists of carriages 3617, 1617, 2617, 2618, 1618 and 3618.

  • The first digit identifies the car number, where the first car has a 3, the second has a 1, and the third has a 2.
  • The second digit is always a 6, part of the identification numbers
  • The third digit and fourth digit are the train identification numbers. A full-length train of six cars has two different identification numbers. For example, 629/630 (normal coupling) or 629/640 (cross coupling).

Exterior

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Currently, it is the second train with SMRT's new white pixelated livery with red, yellow and black stripes, which is similar to Bukit Panjang LRT's C801A, as compared to the older SMRT trains. The C151B trains are the first trains to have a full white front unlike the older batch of trains with a black front. The first eight trains received the new livery with the 1st Generation SMRT logos, the ninth train received the 2nd Generation SMRT logos while the subsequent 36 trains received the 3rd Generation SMRT logos. The front and rear of the train were albeit with different headlights, which is the same as the C151C trains.

References

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  1. ^ "THALES Urban Rail Signalling Singapore – North-South / East-West Lines" (PDF). Archived (PDF) from the original on 15 June 2020. Retrieved 16 June 2020.
  2. ^ Fang, Joy (2 February 2012). "Coming: $600m upgrade for MRT system/New train measures a 'catch-up'". My Paper. pp. A2, A6. Archived from the original on 18 May 2015. Retrieved 13 May 2015.
  3. ^ "New signalling system trials extended to full day every Sunday: SMRT, LTA". Channel NewsAsia. 12 April 2017. Archived from the original on 15 April 2017. Retrieved 12 April 2017.
  4. ^ "SMRT Boosts Service Excellence Efforts with first Customer Experience Innovation Conference". SMRT Corporation. 21 January 2016. Archived from the original on 19 September 2020. Retrieved 21 March 2017.
  5. ^ "FUJI Electric Powered Passenger Door System installed in C151B train". SMT Rolling Stock Ltd. Archived from the original on 13 October 2016. Retrieved 24 March 2017.
  6. ^ "Singapore LTA orders metro rolling stock". Railway Gazette. Archived from the original on 9 November 2013. Retrieved 9 November 2013.
  7. ^ "Trains for North-South/East-West Lines and Tuas West Extension". Land Transport Authority. 28 August 2012. Archived from the original on 8 February 2023. Retrieved 5 May 2018.
  8. ^ LTA. "Schedule of tenders received" (PDF). Archived (PDF) from the original on 20 August 2016. Retrieved 5 May 2018.
  9. ^ "LTA Singapore Orders 132 MRT Cars". Kawasaki. 29 August 2012. Archived from the original on 1 February 2014.
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