Sengkang LRT line

This article is about the LRT line. For the MRT/LRT station on the line, see Sengkang MRT/LRT station.

The Sengkang LRT is a 10.7-kilometre (6.6 mi) automated guideway transit line in Singapore. The line, which initially opened on 18 January 2003, connects the residential districts and suburbs of Sengkang to Sengkang Town Centre, where it connects with the North East MRT line, Sengkang Bus Interchange, Compass One and Compassvale Bus Interchange. It is the second line of the LRT system in Singapore and like all other LRT lines, it is fully elevated and uses automated trains. It is the first LRT line to be operated by SBS Transit.

Sengkang LRT
A C810 on the Sengkang LRT
Overview
Native name	Laluan LRT Sengkang 盛港轻轨线 செங்காங் லைட் ரெயில் வரி
Status	Operational
Owner	Land Transport Authority
Locale	Singapore
Termini	Sengkang
Stations	14
Service
Type	Automated guideway transit/People mover
System	Light Rail Transit (Singapore)
Services	4
Operator(s)	SBS Transit Ltd (ComfortDelGro Corporation)
Depot(s)	Sengkang
Rolling stock	Mitsubishi Crystal Mover (C810) Mitsubishi Crystal Mover (C810A) Mitsubishi Crystal Mover (C810D) (Future)
Daily ridership	27,541 (July 2020)[1]
History
Opened	18 January 2003; 21 years ago (2003-01-18) (East Loop) 29 January 2005; 19 years ago (2005-01-29) (West Loop)
Technical
Line length	10.7 km (6.6 mi)
Character	Fully elevated
Track gauge	1,850 mm (6 ft 27⁄32 in) Guideway span: 3.2 m (10 ft 6 in)
Electrification	750 V DC Third rail
Signalling	Kyosan APM fixed block ATC under ATO GoA 4 (UTO), with subsystems of ATP, ATS and CBI[2]
Route map Legend West loop  SW5  Fernvale  SW6  Layar Thanggam  SW4  Kupang  SW3  Sengkang Depot Sungei Punggol  SW7  Tongkang Farmway  SW2   SW8  Renjong Cheng Lim  SW1  Sengkang East Road  STC   NE16  Sengkang non-revenue track to Punggol LRT North East Line to HarbourFront ■ ■ North East Line to Punggol  SE5  Ranggung Compassvale  SE1  Punggol Road  SE4  Kangkar Rumbia  SE2  Bakau  SE3  East loop This diagram: view talk edit

History

Planning for the Sengkang LRT line was underway when the Bukit Panjang LRT was opened by then-Prime Minister Goh Chok Tong on 6 November 1999.^[3] Construction began in January 2000 for both the East Loop and West Loop. Meanwhile, the Sengkang LRT line was awarded to Singapore Bus Service (present-day SBS Transit) on 20 May 1999.^[4][5]

On 18 January 2003, the East Loop was opened, the first section of the line to do so.^[6] The West Loop, with the exception of Farmway, Cheng Lim and Kupang stations, commenced operations on 29 January 2005. These three stations then opened on 15 November 2007, 1 January 2013 and 27 June 2015 respectively.^[7][8]

Improvements

On 31 October 2012, the Land Transport Authority announced that starting from first quarter of 2016, both the Sengkang and Punggol LRT systems would be upgraded to two-car trains, doubling the passenger capacity. An additional 16 more cars were to be ordered, bringing the total fleet size to 57. The longer trains also required modifications to the signalling and communication system.^[9]

On 22 December 2015, the line began operating two-car trains, five years after plans to raise the capacity of the increasingly packed light-rail system were announced.^[10]

Around the end of 2016, two-car trains started being deployed on both directions of the West Loop during the weekday peak hours, due to the increasing number of commuters living in new HDB flats located near Thanggam, Kupang and Farmway stations. Before this, two-car trains were only deployed towards the direction of Cheng Lim during morning peak hours, and towards the direction of Renjong during evening peak hours.^{[citation needed]}

On 15 December 2017, the Land Transport Authority said there will be limited services on parts of the Sengkang-Punggol LRT (SPLRT) on most Sundays from 14 January 2018 to 25 February that year, to facilitate renewal and improvement works (except 18 February as it is a Chinese New Year holiday). Only one platform will open for service at 5.30am on Sundays. The other platform will open from 7am.^[11][12][13] On 22nd of that month, SBS Transit said the arrangement is expected to continue until end April that year.^[14][15]

From 27 May to 7 October that year, limited services on Sundays will continue on the Sengkang-Punggol LRT (SPLRT). One platform will open at 5.30am and the other platform will open at 5.30pm.^[16][17]

On 5 February 2021, the Land Transport Authority announced that it has purchased 17 two-car trains for the Sengkang and Punggol LRT systems. The new trains will be delivered progressively from 2024 to 2027. In addition to new trains, the Sengkang Depot will also be expanded to 11.1 ha (27.4 acres) from the existing 3.5 ha (8.6 acres) to ensure there is capacity and maintenance space for the new trains. The expansion of the depot will also see two new reception tracks being built to shorten the train launching time. To ensure there is enough electricity to support the larger fleet of trains, 3 new power stations will be built, increasing the total number of power stations supporting the system to 8 once completed.^[18]

Stations

Sengkang LRT line stations timeline

Date	Project	Description
18 January 2003	East Loop	East Loop completely opened in both directions throughout the day.
29 January 2005	West Loop	West Loop (except for Cheng Lim, Farmway and Kupang) opened in uni-directional manner.[19][20]
15 November 2007		Farmway opened for passenger service.[21]
4 January 2010		West Loop operated in both directions during the morning and evening peak hours on weekdays.[22]
1 January 2013		West Loop operated in both directions throughout the day and Cheng Lim was opened for passenger service.[23]
27 June 2015		Kupang opened for passenger service.[24]

Stations on the line.

List

Station code	Station name	Images	Interchange; Adjacent transportation	Opening	Location(s)
STC  NE16	Sengkang		North East Line   ―  Sengkang	18 January 2003; 21 years ago	Sengkang
East Loop
SE1	Compassvale		—	18 January 2003; 21 years ago	Sengkang
SE2	Rumbia
SE3	Bakau
SE4	Kangkar
SE5	Ranggung
West Loop
SW1	Cheng Lim		—	1 January 2013; 11 years ago	Sengkang
SW2	Farmway			15 November 2007; 17 years ago
SW3	Kupang			27 June 2015; 9 years ago
SW4	Thanggam			29 January 2005; 19 years ago
SW5	Fernvale
SW6	Layar
SW7	Tongkang
SW8	Renjong

Services

There are four services in total, with two on each loop. However, on the Electronic Display, they will not show the service letters.

Service	Terminal	via	Loop	Direction
A	Sengkang	Renjong	West Loop	Renjong to Cheng Lim Clockwise direction
B	Sengkang	Cheng Lim	West Loop	Cheng Lim to Renjong Anti-clockwise direction
C	Sengkang	Compassvale	East Loop	Compassvale to Ranggung Clockwise direction
D	Sengkang	Ranggung	East Loop	Ranggung to Compassvale Anti-clockwise direction

Rolling stock

A Mitsubishi Crystal Mover C810 train on the Sengkang LRT East Loop.

The Sengkang LRT operates on the Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Crystal Mover rolling stock shared with the Punggol LRT. An initial 41 trainsets entered service in 2003 under C810, with an additional 16 trainsets were delivered in 2016 under C810A, bearing only minor exterior differences from its predecessor. They are maintained and stabled at Sengkang Depot, with a service track between the Punggol and Sengkang LRT systems for the Punggol LRT trains to head to and from the depot.

The procurement of a further 34 vehicles (17 two-car trains) to boost the capacity of the Sengkang-Punggol LRT was announced by the Land Transport Authority in February 2021.

These trains, also known as automated people movers, are rubber-tyred for minimised operating noise within built-up areas and are guided by two side rails and a power rail on either side. They operate in both single-car and double-car arrangements.

Train control

The line is equipped with Kyosan APM fixed block signalling system for Automatic train control (ATC) under Automatic train operation (ATO) GoA 4 (UTO).^[25] The subsystems consist of Automatic train protection (ATP) to govern train speed, Automatic Train Supervision (ATS) to track and schedule trains, and a computer-based interlocking (CBI) system that prevents incorrect signal and track points settings.

Incidents

• On 20 April 2015, the East Loop suffered a brief service disruption due to a power fault.^[26]
• On 8 May 2015, more than two weeks after the April 2015 disruption, another service disruption occurred on the West Loop, stranding a number of trains for three hours at 5.00 pm.^[27]
• On 16 February 2018, the first day of Chinese New Year, a train broke down near Sengkang station from the West Loop due to a dislodged power collector shoe at 11.09 am. A rescue train managed to haul the faulty train away and services were resumed approximately two hours later.^[28]
• On 9 June 2024, a signalling fault on the Sengkang LRT and Punggol LRT lines caused services to be suspended from the first trains around 5.45 am until 10.12 am.^[29]

Gallery

Tongkang LRT station is in the centre, with Sengkang Depot behind it. In the distant background lies the HDB blocks of the Fernvale neighbourhood.

Panoramic view showing the Sengkang LRT line (SKLRT). Renjong LRT station lies to the left, and the Sengkang Depot for North East line and SKLRT to the right. In the distant background lie Buangkok and Hougang.

References

1. "Land Transport DataMall". mytransport.sg. Archived from the original on 21 August 2020. Retrieved 20 August 2020.
2. "Kyosan Corporate Report 2018". 2018. p. 19 to 20. Archived from the original on 16 June 2020. Retrieved 16 June 2020.
3. "Speech By Mr Mah Bow Tan Minister For Communications At The Sengkang LRT Exhibition At Ngee Ann City" (PDF). NAS. Archived (PDF) from the original on 1 October 2020.
4. "Appointment of operator for the North East MRT line". NAS. 20 May 1999. Archived from the original on 23 November 2019. Retrieved 22 November 2019.
5. "SBS to run North-East line Tibs to merge with SMRT". The Straits Times (retrieved from NLB). 21 May 1999. Archived from the original on 6 October 2019. Retrieved 6 October 2019.
6. "Free LRT service in Sengkang". Today (retrieved from NLB). 17 January 2003. Archived from the original on 8 July 2019. Retrieved 13 October 2019.
7. "Cheng Lim LRT station To Open And Sengkang West LRT to Run in Both Directions". SBS Transit. 21 December 2012. Archived from the original on 24 December 2012. Retrieved 21 December 2012.
8. "Kupang LRT station to open on Saturday, 27 June 2015" (PDF). SBS Transit. 15 June 2015. Archived (PDF) from the original on 24 November 2015. Retrieved 15 June 2015.
9. "2-car System for Sengkang Punggol LRT by 2016; Improvements to Choa Chu Kang LRT station". Land Transport Authority. 31 October 2012. Archived from the original on 22 October 2013. Retrieved 12 October 2013.
10. Tan, Christopher (24 December 2015). "2-car trains roll out on Sengkang LRT". The Straits Times. Archived from the original on 28 October 2017. Retrieved 28 October 2017.
11. "Limited service along Sengkang-Punggol LRT on Sundays in Jan, Feb to facilitate rail works". Archived from the original on 16 December 2017. Retrieved 17 December 2017.
12. "Limited Sengkang-Punggol LRT services on Sunday mornings from 14 Jan". Archived from the original on 21 December 2017. Retrieved 17 December 2017.
13. "Limited service on Sundays for Sengkang-Punggol LRT". 16 December 2017. Archived from the original on 18 December 2017. Retrieved 17 December 2017.
14. "Maintenance work to resume on Sengkang and Punggol LRT systems on 4 Mar". Archived from the original on 23 February 2018. Retrieved 23 February 2018.
15. Hussain, Amir (22 February 2018). "Maintenance works to resume on Sengkang and Punggol LRT systems". The Straits Times. Archived from the original on 23 February 2018. Retrieved 23 February 2018.
16. Lam, Lydia (11 May 2018). "SBS Transit extends limited service on Sundays for Sengkang, Punggol LRT to October". The Straits Times. Archived from the original on 14 May 2018. Retrieved 14 May 2018.
17. "Limited service hours on Sundays for Sengkang-Punggol LRT to be extended". Archived from the original on 15 May 2018. Retrieved 14 May 2018.
18. "Sengkang-Punggol LRT to get 17 new two-car trains to boost capacity". CNA. 5 February 2021. Retrieved 6 February 2021.
19. "Punggol LRT and Sengkang LRT West Loop to Commence Revenue Service on 29 January 2005". SBS Transit. 10 January 2005. Archived from the original on 30 August 2019. Retrieved 30 August 2019.
20. "Punggol LRT (East Loop) And Sengkang LRT (West Loop) Commence Revenue Service Today". SBS Transit. 29 January 2005. Archived from the original on 11 February 2013. Retrieved 29 June 2014.
21. "Farmway LRT Station to open on 15 November 2007". SBS Transit. 14 November 2007. Archived from the original on 7 September 2017. Retrieved 7 September 2017.
22. "SK West Loop Peak Hours" (PDF). SBS Transit. 16 December 2009. Archived (PDF) from the original on 19 February 2016. Retrieved 30 August 2019.
23. "Cheng Lim LRT Station To Open And Sengkang West LRT to Run in Both Directions". SBS Transit. 21 December 2012. Archived from the original on 24 December 2012. Retrieved 21 December 2012.
24. "Kupang LRT Station to open on Saturday, 27 June 2015" (PDF). SBS Transit. 15 June 2015. Archived (PDF) from the original on 24 November 2015. Retrieved 15 June 2015.
25. "Products and Services | Kyosan Electric Mfg. Co., Ltd". www.kyosan.co.jp. Archived from the original on 16 July 2017. Retrieved 13 June 2017.
26. migration (20 April 2015). "Sengkang LRT East Loop train service stopped briefly". The Straits Times. Archived from the original on 25 August 2019. Retrieved 25 August 2019.
27. "Sengkang LRT trains stuck on tracks due to power fault". The Online Citizen. 9 May 2015. Archived from the original on 25 August 2019. Retrieved 25 August 2019.
28. hermesauto (16 February 2018). "Sengkang LRT train breaks down on first day of CNY, passengers get down and walk on tracks". The Straits Times. Archived from the original on 25 August 2019. Retrieved 25 August 2019.
29. "Punggol-Sengkang LRT service resumes after 4-hour disruption on Sunday morning". The Straits Times. 9 June 2024. Retrieved 9 June 2024.

External links

• Sengkang LRT line