Bukit Panjang LRT Line

 BPLRT 
Bukit Panjang LRT Line
Laluan LRT Bukit Panjang
武吉班让轻轨线
பக்கிட் பஞ்சாங் வரி
Overview
Type Light rail
System Light Rail Transit (Singapore)
Status Operational
Termini Choa Chu Kang
Ten Mile Junction
Stations 14
Services 3
Daily ridership 62,700
Operation
Opened 6 November 1999
Owner Land Transport Authority
Operator(s) SMRT Light Rail (SMRT Corporation)
Rolling stock Bombardier Innovia APM 100 C801
Bombardier Innovia APM 100 C801A
Technical
Line length 7.8 km (4.8 mi)
Electrification 600V AC Third rail
Route map
 
Legend
Southbound
to Marina South Pier
 NSL 
North South Line NS4
BP1 Choa Chu Kang
Northbound
to Jurong East
 NSL 
BP2 South View
BP3 Keat Hong
BP4 Teck Whye
BP5 Phoenix
Ten Mile Junction Depot
BP14 Ten Mile Junction
Choa Chu Kang Rd
Upper Bukit Timah Rd
Bukit Panjang DT1
Gali Batu Depot
Downtown Line  DTL 
BP6 Bukit Panjang
Petir BP7
Bukit Panjang Rd
Pending BP8
BP13 Senja
Bukit Panjang Rd
BP12 Jelapang
Bangkit BP9
BP11 Segar
BP10 Fajar
A view of Senja LRT station.
LRT platform of Choa Chu Kang MRT/LRT station.

The Bukit Panjang LRT Line is a 7.8 kilometres (4.8 mi) light rail line opened on 6 November 1999 as part of Singapore's LRT system. It is fully automated, and the project was contracted to Adtranz, Keppel Corporation and Gammon Construction. The line uses Innovia APM 100 rolling stock supplied by Adtranz (now Bombardier). A complete loop journey on the line (excluding Ten Mile Junction LRT station) takes 28 minutes.

Services

There are three services on the line: A and B terminate at Choa Chu Kang, and C ends at Ten Mile Junction.

Service Terminal via Notes
A Choa Chu Kang Senja Senja to Petir
Clockwise direction
B Choa Chu Kang Petir Petir to Senja
Anti-clockwise direction
C Ten Mile Junction Senja Operates every 20 Minutes. Loops clockwise via Senja to Petir

Stations

All stations, except Choa Chu Kang and Ten Mile Junction, have two facing side platforms. Choa Chu Kang has an island platform, similar to most Singapore MRT stations, while Ten Mile Junction has only a single platform and is the only station with platform screen doors (supplied by Horton Automatics). Bukit Panjang and Choa Chu Kang have half-height platform barriers. Choa Chu Kang station will have two additional platforms and a new set of fare gates to ease crowding during peak hours. Between 2016 and 2017, they will install Half-Height Platform Barriers to the remaining 11 LRT stations.

Number Name Interchange/Notes
 BP1  NS4 Choa Chu KangChange for the North South Line
Terminus for Services A & B
 BP2  South View
 BP3  Keat Hong
 BP4  Teck Whye
 BP5  Phoenix
 BP6  DT1  Bukit PanjangChange for the Downtown Line
Service A & B bound for Choa Chu Kang
Service C bound for Ten Mile Junction
 BP7  Petir
 BP8  Pending
 BP9  Bangkit
 BP10  Fajar
 BP11  Segar
 BP12  Jelapang
 BP13  Senja
 BP14  Ten Mile JunctionService C terminus

Rolling Stock

The line uses Bombardier Innovia APM 100 "people-movers", similar to the ones used by the Changi Airport Skytrain until 2006, coded C801 and C801A. C801s have been in operation ever since the start of service on the line in 1999, while C801As were delivered and started operations in late 2014. Each unit is 12,800 millimetres (41 ft 11.9 in) long.

Train Formation

As of 2015, the majority of trains are in two-car (M-M) formations. Two-car formations are no longer limited to peak hours only and are now used at all times. This is due to the increase in ridership and the large number of apartments around Bukit Panjang. The units are limited to a two-car train formation because of station length.

Coupling is usually done in Ten Mile Junction Depot and the trains are coupled with the same car type: C801+C801 or C801A+C801A. Occasionally units are mixed for reasons such as breakdowns or testing.

Train Control

The line is equipped with Bombardier’s CITYFLO 550 fixed block signalling system for Automatic train control (ATC) under Automatic train operation (ATO) GoA 4 (UTO).[1] 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

These are major incidents that have captured the media and public attention when it happened. There have been incidents that were untold or minor.

Future Plans

SMRT and LTA announced for plans to completely overhaul the BPLRT system as the system is reaching its lifespan of 20 years. A few reasons for the overhaul of the system was due to the fact that the system has been plagued with problems since its first operation in 1999 and it is one of the two systems in the world that still uses the CX-100 train cars (the other being Miami MetroMover). SMRT is still deciding on four of this options to either replace or upgrade the existing system:[7]

Options Brief Idea Pros Cons
1 The first option is to replace the current trains with self-powered autonomous guided vehicles on the existing viaducts. The BPLRT trains currently draw on external power, and in April this year, four trains on the BPLRT system stalled when the line was hit by a power trip. Does not require an external power source which means it is not affected by power faults. Newer guided vehicles can incur more cost for maintenance and the newer LRT train cars will be deemed "wasted" as they have only operated for 1 year.
2 The second option the firm is considering is replacing the current system with a new conventional LRT system with "significant" design enhancements in key infrastructure like power supply, signalling, rolling stock and track and station assets. Enhanced system can ensure smoother rides and lesser faults re-occurring in the long run. Upgraded trains ensures lesser faults occurring on the train itself. Not cost effective as the system may be suspended for upgrading works to start due to the replacement of the power supply and also causes inconvenience for daily commuters. If work is done during service, trains will slow down between journeys and either services might be suspended for upgrade works.
3 The third option SMRT is considering is renewing the existing system, keeping the AC power design but with a more updated signalling system that will allow more accurate control of trains as well as more trains moving at faster speeds and closer headways on the network. Better train frequency and faster rides to each stations while having more control over each individual trains. Less likely to impact daily commuters as work can be done after train service ended. If work is done during service, trains will slow down between journeys and either services might be suspended for upgrade works.
4 The last option is to completely scrap the system and be replaced by bus services. More options to transform the existing infrastructures into other things. More buses on the road may lead to an even more congested road and bus frequency can be unstable due to road conditions. Newer LRT train cars, new equipment installed in every stations and the new platforms being constructed at Choa Chu Kang Station will be wasted as well.

References

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Bukit Panjang Light Rail Transit Line.
This article is issued from Wikipedia - version of the 11/27/2016. The text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share Alike but additional terms may apply for the media files.