SMRT Trains

Not to be confused with Seoul Metropolitan Rapid Transit Corporation.

SMRT Trains Limited is a rail operator in Singapore and a wholly owned subsidiary of SMRT Corporation. After the privatisation of the MRT operations in 1995, it was originally named Singapore MRT Limited. On 31 December 2001, it was renamed SMRT Trains Limited, so as to avoid confusion with the then upcoming North East MRT line which would be under SBS Transit. SMRT Trains currently manages most of the MRT services in Singapore except the North East Line and Downtown Line.

SMRT Trains Limited

A R151 train operated by SMRT Trains.
Company type	Public
Industry	Public Transport Operator
Founded	Singapore (1987 (1987)) (as Mass Rapid Transit Corporation)
Headquarters	2 Tanjong Katong Road, #08-01, Paya Lebar Quarter (PLQ 3), Singapore 437161
Area served	Singapore
Key people	Seah Moon Ming (Chairman) Lee Fook Sun (Deputy Chairman, Trains) Ngien Hoon Ping (Group CEO) Lam Sheau Kai (President, Rail)
Services	Railways
Parent	SMRT Corporation
Website	smrttrains.com.sg

History

SMRT Trains Limited was incorporated as the rail subsidiary arm of the parent company SMRT Corporation, to oversee rail operations brought over from the previously state-owned Mass Rapid Transit Corporation (MRTC).

Mass Rapid Transit Corporation (MRTC)

Main article: SMRT Corporation § History

The Singapore MRT Limited was incorporated on 6 August 1987, and signed the licence and operating agreement (LOA) with MRTC, a government-run corporation till 1997. On 7 November 1987, MRTC started services on Singapore's first MRT section, consisting of five stations from Yio Chu Kang to Toa Payoh. When the MRTC merged to form LTA on 1 Sep 1995, operations of the MRTC were hived off into SMRT Corporation. On 1998, the light rail operation was formed and was called Singapore LRT Limited. On 31 December 2001, both Singapore MRT Limited and Singapore LRT Limited were merged into the present name, SMRT Trains.

Transition to New Rail Financing Framework (NRFF)

On 15 July 2016, SMRT Trains and its subsidiary SMRT Light Rail concluded discussions on the transition of the North–South and East–West lines (NSEWL), the Circle Line (CCL) and the Bukit Panjang LRT (BPLRT) to the New Rail Financing Framework (NRFF). The framework, announced by the Government in 2008 under the Land Transport Master-plan, was introduced as an enhancement to the 1996 Rail Financing Framework, and was first implemented for the Downtown Line (DTL) in 2011.^[1] SMRT transited to a 15-year contract under the new framework from 1 October 2016, with the transfer of ownership of all its rail assets at a net value of $1.06 billion to the government.^[2]

Mass Rapid Transit

SMRT Trains currently operates a fleet consisting of seven rolling stocks built on its two heavy rail lines (the North–South Line and the East–West Line) – namely C151, C651, C751B, C151A, C151B, C151C and R151, identified by the relevant build contracts. In addition, it operates the C830 and C830C rolling stocks, which operates on the Circle Line. SMRT Trains is also licensed to operate the T251 rolling stocks, which operates on the Thomson–East Coast Line. SMRT Light Rail operates the C801 and the C801A rolling stocks on the Bukit Panjang LRT. The C851E will be added to SMRT's fleet in tandem with the opening of the CCL6 line.^[3]

The main colour scheme for all trains are black with a red stripe and grey band at the bottom. C651 is the only train model with an exterior livery of white and red stripes. C801 is the only train model with an exterior livery of blue and red stripes. C151B and C801A are the only train models with an exterior livery of the new SMRT pixelated livery, which consist of white, red, black and yellow stripes and pixel livery. C151C and R151 will bear the new LTA livery, which is black with green and red stripes. T251 will also bear the new LTA livery, which is black with burnt sienna and yellow stripes.

Fleet

Name	Image	Maximum Speed (km/h)		Trains built	Cars built	Cars per set	Lines served	Built	Number In Service	Introduction into service	Decommissioned
		Design	Service
C151		90	80	66	396	6	North–South Line East–West Line	1986 – 1989 2006 – 2008[nb 1]	48	7 November 1987	22 June 2020 – December 2026
C651				19	114			1993 – 1994 2016 – 2018[nb 1] (cancelled)	0	2 May 1995	6 September 2020 – 30 September 2024
C751B				21	126			1999 – 2001	0	8 May 2000	14 March 2021 – 30 September 2024
C151A				35	210			2011 – 2014	35	27 May 2011	—
C151B				45	270			2015 – 2017	45	16 April 2017
C151C				12	72			2017 – 2018	12	30 September 2018
R151				106	636			2020 onwards	35	4 June 2023
C830			78	40	120	3	Circle Line	2006 – 2008	40	28 May 2009
C830C				24	72			2014 – 2015	24	26 June 2015
C851E	—			23	69			2019 onwards	0	From 2026 onwards
T251		100	90	91	364	4	Thomson–East Coast Line	2015 – 2020	91	31 January 2020

• The trains are classified as contracts unlike other countries which uses "class".

Light Rail Transit

SMRT Light Rail operates only one LRT line. The Bukit Panjang LRT line provides feeder connections at Bukit Panjang and Choa Chu Kang towns to the Downtown Line at Bukit Panjang and North–South Line and the upcoming Jurong Region Line at Choa Chu Kang.

Fleet

Name	Image	Maximum Speed (km/h)		Trains built	Cars per set	Lines served	Built	Numbers In Service	Introduction into service	Decommissioned
		Design	Service
C801		55	48	19	1	Bukit Panjang LRT	1997 – 1999	16	6 November 1999	26 November 2023 – December 2025
C801A				13			2014 – 2015	13	19 November 2014	—
C801B				19			2019 onwards	4	1 August 2024

• The trains are classified as contracts unlike other countries which uses "class".

Notable incidents

• Clementi rail accident: On 5 August 1993, before the start of service, a maintenance vehicle spilt oil on the tracks between Clementi and Jurong East. The first ten eastbound trains reported braking problems. Then, at 7.50 am, the eleventh east-bound train from Jurong stopped at the Clementi Station for two minutes longer than scheduled due to it using its emergency brakes to stop at the station, and was then hit by the twelfth east bound train when it failed to stop in time. 156 passengers were injured by the collision.^[4]
• Pasir Ris rail accident: On 22 March 2016, 2 SMRT staff were killed when a train hit them near Pasir Ris station along the EWL. Following an audit and investigation, the Ministry of Manpower reported that SMRT had failed to follow safety procedures to ensure worker safety for the past 14 years.^[5] Former assistant engineer Lim Say Heng pleaded guilty to one charge of causing the deaths of the trainees by failing to observe critical safety protocol and was sentenced to four weeks jail.^[6]
• Joo Koon rail accident: On 15 November 2017, two C151A trains collided at Joo Koon, injuring 28 people, making the second incident after 24 years on 5 August 1993 when two C151 trains collided at Clementi.
• Dover train derailment: On 25 September 2024, one C151 Train had its bogie on the third carriage separated from its running rail at Dover causing extensive damage to track and equipment between Dover and Jurong East stations, including 46 rail breaks over the 1.6km of track and three track switches, and tripping the power supply before stalling outside Ulu Pandan Depot.^[7][8][9] There was no service between Jurong East and Buona Vista from 25 September 2024 to 30 September 2024 to allow repairs to be made, which made this one of the longest unplanned MRT disruption in Singapore's history.^[9][10] Train services resumed on 1 October 2024 with trains travelling at lower speeds than normal. The train that was involved in the derailment has been transferred from Ulu Pandan Depot to Tuas Depot for Decommissioning and scrapped.

Notes

1. Refurbishment.

References

1. "SMRT Trains and SMRT Light Rail to Transit to New Rail Financing Framework | Press Room | Land Transport Authority". www.lta.gov.sg. Archived from the original on 2018-07-29. Retrieved 2018-07-29.
2. hermesauto (2016-07-15). "LTA to buy $1b of SMRT assets under new rail financing framework". The Straits Times. Archived from the original on 2018-07-29. Retrieved 2018-07-29.
3. "New trains for NEL & CCL". April 30, 2018. Archived from the original on July 26, 2018. Retrieved December 24, 2018.
4. "First MRT accident | Infopedia". eresources.nlb.gov.sg. Archived from the original on 2021-10-19. Retrieved 2017-11-15.
5. "SMRT failed to follow safety procedures for 14 years: MOM". TODAYonline. Archived from the original on 2018-12-15. Retrieved 2019-02-08.
6. "Ex-SMRT engineer jailed 4 weeks over accident which killed two trainees". sg.news.yahoo.com. 12 March 2018. Archived from the original on 2018-06-25. Retrieved 2019-02-08.
7. Ang, Hwee Min (26 September 2024). "Faulty train caused 'extensive damage' to track between Clementi and Dover, leading to power trip and disruption". CNA. Retrieved 26 September 2024.
8. Cheng, Kenneth (26 September 2024). "Train disruption on EWL to go into third day; LTA, SMRT aim to partially restore services on Sept 27". Straits Times. Retrieved 26 September 2024.
9. Ong, Justin (29 September 2024). "East-West Line disruption: No train services from Jurong East to Buona Vista on Sep 30, new cracks found along tracks". CNA. Retrieved 29 September 2024.
10. Iau, Jean (26 September 2024). "Singapore's MRT train disruption to continue over weekend". South China Morning Post. Retrieved 27 September 2024.