The East West line (EWL) is a high-capacity
Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) line operated by
SMRT in
Singapore
Singapore (), officially the Republic of Singapore, is a sovereign island country and city-state in maritime Southeast Asia. It lies about one degree of latitude () north of the equator, off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, bor ...
, running from
Pasir Ris station in the
east
East or Orient is one of the four cardinal directions or points of the compass. It is the opposite direction from west and is the direction from which the Sun rises on the Earth.
Etymology
As in other languages, the word is formed from the fac ...
to
Tuas Link station in the
west
West or Occident is one of the four cardinal directions or points of the compass. It is the opposite direction from east and is the direction in which the Sun sets on the Earth.
Etymology
The word "west" is a Germanic word passed into some ...
, with an additional
branch
A branch, sometimes called a ramus in botany, is a woody structural member connected to the central trunk of a tree (or sometimes a shrub). Large branches are known as boughs and small branches are known as twigs. The term '' twig'' usuall ...
between
Changi Airport
Singapore Changi Airport, commonly known as Changi Airport , is a major civilian international airport that serves Singapore, and is one of the largest transportation hubs in Asia. As one of the world's busiest airports by international passe ...
and
Tanah Merah stations. It is the second Mass Rapid Transit line to be built in
Singapore
Singapore (), officially the Republic of Singapore, is a sovereign island country and city-state in maritime Southeast Asia. It lies about one degree of latitude () north of the equator, off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, bor ...
. The line is the longest on the MRT network (this title will be given to the
Cross Island line upon its complete opening by the 2040s), with 35 stations, 8 of which (from
Lavender
''Lavandula'' (common name lavender) is a genus of 47 known species of flowering plants in the mint family, Lamiaceae. It is native to the Old World and is found in Cape Verde and the Canary Islands, and from Europe across to northern and easte ...
to
Tiong Bahru and
Changi Airport
Singapore Changi Airport, commonly known as Changi Airport , is a major civilian international airport that serves Singapore, and is one of the largest transportation hubs in Asia. As one of the world's busiest airports by international passe ...
stations) are underground.
The line is coloured green on the rail map.
Constructed and opened as part of the
North South line (NSL) in the early stages of development, the East West line was formed after the opening of the eastern extension to
Tanah Merah in 1989. Nevertheless, both lines used identical
signalling equipment and
rolling stock
The term rolling stock in the rail transport industry refers to railway vehicles, including both powered and unpowered vehicles: for example, locomotives, freight and passenger cars (or coaches), and non-revenue cars. Passenger vehicles ca ...
. The East West Line signalling systems have been upgraded along with the North South Line and is the second line to have its signalling upgraded completely, converting it from semi-automatic to fully automated operations.
History
The first segment of what would become the East West line, between
City Hall
In local government, a city hall, town hall, civic centre (in the UK or Australia), guildhall, or a municipal building (in the Philippines), is the chief administrative building of a city, town, or other municipality. It usually houses ...
to
Outram Park
Outram is a planning area located within the Central Area of the Central Region of Singapore. The area is bordered by these planning areas: Singapore River to the north, the Downtown Core to the east and south, and Bukit Merah to the west.
O ...
stations, was opened on 12 December 1987 as part of the North South line. It was extended westwards to
Clementi station on 12 March 1988. During the construction of the extension to Clementi station, Commonwealth Avenue West was realigned to accommodate the viaduct. The line was later extended to
Lakeside on 5 November 1988. The eastern extension to
Tanah Merah station opened on 4 November 1989, and the opening ceremony was attended by then First Deputy Prime Minister
Goh Chok Tong
Goh Chok Tong (; born 20 May 1941) is a Singaporean former politician who served as Prime Minister of Singapore between 1990 and 2004, and Secretary-General of the People's Action Party between 1992 and 2004. He was the Member of Parliament (M ...
.
At that point, the East West line was formed, reflecting the operational split from the
North South line which has at the same time extended to
Marina Bay station, and uses a green coloured theme.
The line extension to
Pasir Ris station was opened ahead of schedule on 16 December 1989
with a sneak preview beforehand.
Boon Lay station opened on 6 July 1990, marking the completion of the initial MRT system.
Subsequent developments
Dover station
Construction on a new infill station
Dover station between
Buona Vista station and
Clementi station began in June 1998. The building of the station was met with reservations by some members of the public over the small area it serviced and there were criticisms over the spending of "
taxpayers' money" chiefly for use only by students of one educational institution. Despite some opposition, the
Land Transport Authority
The Land Transport Authority (LTA) is a statutory board under the Ministry of Transport of the Government of Singapore.
History Incorporation of Land Transport Authority
Land Transport Authority (LTA) was established on 1 September 1995, f ...
proceeded with the construction to serve commuters along Singapore Polytechnic with Dover housing estate. On 18 October 2001,
Dover
Dover () is a town and major ferry port in Kent, South East England. It faces France across the Strait of Dover, the narrowest part of the English Channel at from Cap Gris Nez in France. It lies south-east of Canterbury and east of Maids ...
was opened. Prior to opening, test runs were conducted from 13 to 17 October 2001 when the trains stopped at this station but did not open their doors. Dover is the first station in the MRT network to be built as an
infill station.
Tanah Merah to Airport extension line
The idea of extending the Mass Rapid Transit system to
Changi Airport
Singapore Changi Airport, commonly known as Changi Airport , is a major civilian international airport that serves Singapore, and is one of the largest transportation hubs in Asia. As one of the world's busiest airports by international passe ...
was reconsidered when Terminal 3 of the airport was being built. Earlier plans had long been made for a new line branching off from the existing East West line at
Tanah Merah, with some conceptual plans showing a tentative route alignment up to the airport along Airport Boulevard, continuing beyond the airport to Changi Point, before turning southwest back towards the city along the eastern coasts. The plans were finally announced by then
Deputy Prime Minister
A deputy prime minister or vice prime minister is, in some countries, a government minister who can take the position of acting prime minister when the prime minister is temporarily absent. The position is often likened to that of a vice president, ...
Lee Hsien Loong
Lee Hsien Loong (; born 10 February 1952) is a Singaporean politician and former brigadier-general who has been serving as Prime Minister of Singapore and Secretary-General of the People's Action Party since 2004. He has been the Member of Par ...
on 15 November 1996. However, the new route alignment showed a deviation from previous plans, where the final plan involved in building only the first two stations of
Expo
An expo is a trade exposition. It may also refer to:
Events and venues
* World's fair, a large international public exposition
* Singapore Expo, convention and exposition venue
** Expo Axis, one of the world's largest membrane roofs, construct ...
, and Changi Airport, the latter being the underground station built between Terminal 2 and
Terminal 3. The alignment of the station at the airport also switched perpendicularly to an east–west direction, such that the station leads to two of the terminals directly from either end of the station. The station's designs were unveiled on 10 February 1998 with construction starting on 29 January 1999. Expo and Changi Airport were opened on 10 January 2001 and 8 February 2002 respectively and operates under a shuttle service. Prior to 22 July 2003, train services from Boon Lay commences after the opening, but were later reverted to shuttle services due to low patronage. On 25 May 2019, it was announced that the Changi Airport Extension will be converted to become part of Thomson-East Coast line Extension (TELe) by 2040.
Boon Lay and Tuas extension
The Boon Lay extension was first announced by the LTA on 29 December 2004, set to serve residents from the Jurong West Town area and those working in the Jurong Industrial Estate. The two stations,
Pioneer and
Joo Koon stations, officially opened on 28 February 2009.
On 11 January 2011, the Tuas West extension, an extension of the East West line from
Joo Koon to
Tuas Link was announced. The extension has a span of , which spans a twin-tracked MRT viaduct, four above-ground stations and a 26-hectare depot to provide stabling and maintenance facilities for the additional trains that will be bought for the extension and to cater for future expansion of the line. The viaduct is integrated with part of a road viaduct along Pioneer Road, which will increase the road capacity to cope with anticipated increase in traffic. The stations are
Gul Circle,
Tuas Crescent,
Tuas West Road, and
Tuas Link. On 4 May 2012, the
Land Transport Authority
The Land Transport Authority (LTA) is a statutory board under the Ministry of Transport of the Government of Singapore.
History Incorporation of Land Transport Authority
Land Transport Authority (LTA) was established on 1 September 1995, f ...
marked the start of construction of the Tuas West extension with a groundbreaking ceremony at the site of the future Tuas Link station.
The extension began service on 18 June 2017. During initial stages after opening, the westbound trains will alternate their terminus between
Joo Koon and
Tuas Link, where for every two trains, one train will terminate at the former, while the other train will terminate at the latter.
Additional platform at Tanah Merah station
On 25 August 2014, the
Land Transport Authority
The Land Transport Authority (LTA) is a statutory board under the Ministry of Transport of the Government of Singapore.
History Incorporation of Land Transport Authority
Land Transport Authority (LTA) was established on 1 September 1995, f ...
announced that a new platform will be constructed at Tanah Merah, enabling faster travel and shorter waiting times for commuters heading towards
Expo
An expo is a trade exposition. It may also refer to:
Events and venues
* World's fair, a large international public exposition
* Singapore Expo, convention and exposition venue
** Expo Axis, one of the world's largest membrane roofs, construct ...
and Changi Airport on the Changi Airport branch line of the East West line.
On 26 October 2016, the
Land Transport Authority
The Land Transport Authority (LTA) is a statutory board under the Ministry of Transport of the Government of Singapore.
History Incorporation of Land Transport Authority
Land Transport Authority (LTA) was established on 1 September 1995, f ...
awarded the civil contract to Lum Chang Building Contractors Pte. Ltd. to build a new platform at Tanah Merah and viaducts for a contract sum of S$325 million. In addition to the new platforms, the existing East West line tracks will be extended to connect the line to the new four-in-one
East Coast Integrated Depot at Changi. When completed in 2024, it will be the second station to have triple island platforms after
Jurong East
Jurong East is a planning area and residential town situated in the West Region of Singapore. It borders Jurong West and Boon Lay to the west, Clementi to the east, Tengah and Bukit Batok to the north and Selat Jurong to the south.
First ...
.
Half-height platform screen door installations
There were calls for platform screen doors (PSDs) to be installed at above-ground stations after several incidents in which passengers were killed or seriously injured by oncoming trains when they fell onto the railway tracks at above-ground stations. Underground stations already featured the doors since 1987. The authorities initially rejected the proposal by casting doubts over functionality and concerns about the high installation costs,
but made an about-turn later with the government announcing plans to install
half-height platform screen doors on the elevated stations on 25 January 2008, citing lower costs due to its becoming a more common feature worldwide. They were first installed at
Jurong East
Jurong East is a planning area and residential town situated in the West Region of Singapore. It borders Jurong West and Boon Lay to the west, Clementi to the east, Tengah and Bukit Batok to the north and Selat Jurong to the south.
First ...
,
Pasir Ris
Pasir Ris is a planning area and residential town located in the East Region of Singapore. It is bordered by Tampines and Paya Lebar to the south, Sengkang to the southwest and Changi to the east. The planning area also shares riverine boun ...
, and
Yishun
Yishun, formerly known as Nee Soon, is a residential town located in the northeastern corner of the North Region of Singapore, bordering Simpang and Sembawang to the north, Mandai to the west, the Central Water Catchment to its southwest, ...
stations in 2009 as
trial runs.
On 31 August 2011, the LTA announced completion of the installation of PSDs along the East West line, with
Expo
An expo is a trade exposition. It may also refer to:
Events and venues
* World's fair, a large international public exposition
* Singapore Expo, convention and exposition venue
** Expo Axis, one of the world's largest membrane roofs, construct ...
being the last station on the line to receive the PSDs. Installation of PSDs across both the
North South and East West lines (NSEWL) were completed on 14 March 2012, 3 months ahead of schedule.
Improvement works
Timber to concrete sleeper replacement works
The timber
sleepers on the East West line was required to be replaced as they were near the end of their 25-year lifespan. The replacement sleepers, made of concrete, have a significantly longer lifespan. To speed up works, train services on the East West line was adjusted to end earlier. The work was divided into three phases: Phase 1 (Bugis - Tanah Merah), Phase 2 (Joo Koon - Jurong East, Tanah Merah - Pasir Ris) and Phase 3 (Jurong East - Outram Park). The sleepers were fully replaced on 18 February 2017.
Re-signalling works
A new moving-block signalling system, supplied by Thales, replaced the former ageing fixed-block signalling system on the East West line. The new signalling system, costing $195 million, reduces waiting times for trains during peak periods from 120 seconds then to 100 seconds now. The new system became operational between Pioneer and Tuas Link stations on 18 June 2017. Newer rolling stocks, such as the
C151B and
C151C, are equipped for use solely on the new signalling system. Since 27 May 2018, the new signalling system has been operating full-day on the entire East West line.
Third-rail replacement
Replacement works on the third rail, which provides electricity to the trains, were carried out between September 2015 and August 2017. The new third rail replaced its 30-year-old predecessor and is expected to increase reliability of the East West line's electrical system.
Pasir Ris turnback extension
Work to extend the turnback at the eastern terminus of the line, Pasir Ris, commenced in 2019. The work will allow an increase in service frequency at peak times from 30 to 36 trains per hour.
Incidents
1993 Clementi train collision
On 5 August 1993, before opening, a maintenance vehicle spilt oil on the tracks between
Clementi and
Jurong East
Jurong East is a planning area and residential town situated in the West Region of Singapore. It borders Jurong West and Boon Lay to the west, Clementi to the east, Tengah and Bukit Batok to the north and Selat Jurong to the south.
First ...
. The first ten eastbound trains reported braking problems, then the eleventh 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 at 7.50 am, before being hit by another eastbound train when it failed to stop in time. 156 passengers were injured by the collision.
7 July 2015 power trip
During the evening peak hours on 7 July 2015, train services on the East West and North South lines were temporarily disrupted due to massive power trips detected along both lines. The cause of the disruption was due to damaged insulators which had resulted in the failure of the power supply. For this disruption that brought inconvenience to 413,000 commuters, LTA imposed a 'record' fine of S$5.4 million on SMRT.
22 March 2016 staff fatalities
At about 11.08 am on 22 March 2016, two
SMRT track-maintenance trainee staff were killed after a
C151 train approaching
Pasir Ris
Pasir Ris is a planning area and residential town located in the East Region of Singapore. It is bordered by Tampines and Paya Lebar to the south, Sengkang to the southwest and Changi to the east. The planning area also shares riverine boun ...
station ran over them, resulting in a temporarily service delay between
Tanah Merah and
Pasir Ris
Pasir Ris is a planning area and residential town located in the East Region of Singapore. It is bordered by Tampines and Paya Lebar to the south, Sengkang to the southwest and Changi to the east. The planning area also shares riverine boun ...
for about 2.5 hours and affected at least 10,000 commuters.
In a report, the two trainee staff joined SMRT in January 2016 and worked as technicians under a technical team of 15 staff led by a supervisor and were tasked to go down to the tracks to investigate an alarm triggered by a possible signalling equipment fault close by the station. An operator cited that they were granted access to the tracks, but did not coordinate with a Signal Unit in the station to ensure trains could not travel in the area where the team was.
Patrick Nathan, SMRT vice-president, promised that "SMRT will review all safety protocols particularly those involving track access". SMRT chief executive Desmond Kuek apologised for the incident and said SMRT will investigate how "the
wo mengot hit by the train". SMRT fired both an engineer responsible for leading with the team and the train driver who was involved at the scene of the accident.
On 2 December 2016, SMRT was formally accused of failing to ensure that its employees complied with approved operating procedures when accessing the track; SMRT was then pleaded guilty to its charges on 28 February 2017 and incurred a S$400,000 fine. Investigations are still ongoing against the two men, Teo Wee Kiat (SMRT's director of control operations) and Lim Say Heng, both charged for the incident.
15 November 2017 train collision and delays
A second
train
In rail transport, a train (from Old French , from Latin , "to pull, to draw") is a series of connected vehicles that run along a railway track and transport people or freight. Trains are typically pulled or pushed by locomotives (often ...
collision occurred on 15 November 2017 at approximately 8.18am, where two
C151A trains collided at Joo Koon MRT station. A train fault caused the first train heading in the direction of Tuas Link to stall at the station. A minute later, a second train stopped behind the first and then "moved forward unexpectedly" to cause the collision. 38 people, which include two SMRT staff were hospitalized.
Train services between
Tuas Link and
Joo Koon stations were temporally suspended on both directions for two hours on the day itself and the entire day on 16 November 2017, resulting that the westbound trains would temporarily terminate at
Joo Koon.
An update by the
Land Transport Authority
The Land Transport Authority (LTA) is a statutory board under the Ministry of Transport of the Government of Singapore.
History Incorporation of Land Transport Authority
Land Transport Authority (LTA) was established on 1 September 1995, f ...
(LTA) &
SMRT on 16 November 2017 stated that LTA and SMRT have decided to isolate for up to one month the operations of the Tuas West extension, which runs on the new signalling system, from the rest of the East West line, which runs on the old signalling system, enabling LTA engineers to carry out further assurance checks together with Thales. The train was switching systems when the collision took place.
Train service on the line resumed on 20 November, with the Tuas West extension between
Gul Circle and
Tuas Link using the new signalling system and the section between Pasir Ris and Joo Koon, together with the Changi Airport Branch continuing to run on the old signalling system. Train services between Joo Koon and Gul Circle were temporarily suspended until its resumption on 28 May 2018; between the suspension a free bridging bus service is available between the two stations. Continuous service between Pasir Ris and Gul Circle resumed on 28 May 2018, with the permanent activation of the new CBTC system; since the incident, selected portions of either North South or East West line were closed to conduct track renewal works with early weekend closures and later station openings.
Network and operations
Route
As its name implies, the East West line connects central Singapore to both eastern and western parts of the island, with an additional branch between
Changi Airport
Singapore Changi Airport, commonly known as Changi Airport , is a major civilian international airport that serves Singapore, and is one of the largest transportation hubs in Asia. As one of the world's busiest airports by international passe ...
and
Tanah Merah, which operates as a separate shuttle service. Some stations are commonly placed at the middle of the roads such as
Tanah Merah,
Bedok
Bedok () is a planning area and matured residential town located in the geographical region of Tanah Merah along the south-eastern coast of the East Region of Singapore. Bedok is bounded by five other planning areas: Paya Lebar to the north, ...
,
Queenstown,
Commonwealth
A commonwealth is a traditional English term for a political community founded for the common good. Historically, it has been synonymous with "republic". The noun "commonwealth", meaning "public welfare, general good or advantage", dates from the ...
,
Dover
Dover () is a town and major ferry port in Kent, South East England. It faces France across the Strait of Dover, the narrowest part of the English Channel at from Cap Gris Nez in France. It lies south-east of Canterbury and east of Maids ...
,
Clementi,
Pioneer,
Joo Koon,
Gul Circle,
Tuas Crescent and
Tuas West Road. The line runs mostly on overhead viaducts but goes underground in the city area between
Kallang
Kallang is a planning area and residential town located in the Central Region of Singapore.
Development of the town is centered around the Kallang River, the longest river in Singapore. Kallang Planning Area is bounded by Toa Payoh in the ...
and
Redhill,
Bedok
Bedok () is a planning area and matured residential town located in the geographical region of Tanah Merah along the south-eastern coast of the East Region of Singapore. Bedok is bounded by five other planning areas: Paya Lebar to the north, ...
and
Kembangan, and between
Expo
An expo is a trade exposition. It may also refer to:
Events and venues
* World's fair, a large international public exposition
* Singapore Expo, convention and exposition venue
** Expo Axis, one of the world's largest membrane roofs, construct ...
and
Changi Airport
Singapore Changi Airport, commonly known as Changi Airport , is a major civilian international airport that serves Singapore, and is one of the largest transportation hubs in Asia. As one of the world's busiest airports by international passe ...
. Travelling from one end of the line to the other takes about 85 minutes.
It is 57.2 kilometers (35.5 miles) long and it is double-tracked, but certain short sections at Tanah Merah, Outram Park and Joo Koon widens to three tracks, four tracks nearby Jurong East station and a section between Jurong East and Clementi station and five tracks nearby Changi Depot and Tanah Merah station.
The East West line was constructed along the
North South line. As such, both lines used identical
signalling equipment and
rolling stock
The term rolling stock in the rail transport industry refers to railway vehicles, including both powered and unpowered vehicles: for example, locomotives, freight and passenger cars (or coaches), and non-revenue cars. Passenger vehicles ca ...
.
Stations
The line serves 35 stations across of track, and station codes for the line are green, corresponding to the line's colour on the system map.
8 stations, including
Changi Airport
Singapore Changi Airport, commonly known as Changi Airport , is a major civilian international airport that serves Singapore, and is one of the largest transportation hubs in Asia. As one of the world's busiest airports by international passe ...
, and 7 other stations on the stretch from
Lavender
''Lavandula'' (common name lavender) is a genus of 47 known species of flowering plants in the mint family, Lamiaceae. It is native to the Old World and is found in Cape Verde and the Canary Islands, and from Europe across to northern and easte ...
to
Tiong Bahru are underground, with the rest being elevated. With the exception of Dover, all stations have island platforms.
Legend
List
SMRT used to operate the branch sector of
Tanah Merah to
Changi Airport
Singapore Changi Airport, commonly known as Changi Airport , is a major civilian international airport that serves Singapore, and is one of the largest transportation hubs in Asia. As one of the world's busiest airports by international passe ...
as a through service from Boon Lay from 18 November 2001 until 22 July 2003, when it was replaced with a shuttle service. By 2040, the Changi Airport line (CAL) will be converted to the Thomson-East Coast line.
Depots
Infrastructure
Rolling stock
Five batches of rolling stock operate on the East West Line, namely the
C151,
C651,
C751B
The Kawasaki Heavy Industries & Nippon Sharyo C751B is the third generation electric multiple unit rolling stock in operation on the North South and East West lines of Singapore's Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) system since early 2000, manufactur ...
,
C151A and
C151B from oldest to newest, which are also operated on the
North South Line. Trains are maintained at
Ulu Pandan Depot,
Changi Depot and
Tuas Depot, which provides train maintenance, inspection and overhaul facilities.
These models of rolling stock were introduced to boost the capacity on both the North South and the East West lines in order to cope with increasing ridership.
Both the North South and the East West lines utilized identical rolling stock up until the recent years, when the C151A trains was temporary suspended from operating on the North South Line from January 2012 until November 2013 following the 2011 Train Disruptions.
The C151B trains, which was introduced in April 2017, did not begin revenue service on the full-stretch of the East West Line until the line's trial of the CBTC signalling system in May 2018.
The
C151C trains, despite its introduction on 30 September 2018, is not operating on the East West Line.
Another generation of rolling stock, the
R151 trains, will be delivered from 2022 to 2026, to replace all 66 first-generation
C151, all 19 second-generation
C651 and all 21 third-generation
C751B
The Kawasaki Heavy Industries & Nippon Sharyo C751B is the third generation electric multiple unit rolling stock in operation on the North South and East West lines of Singapore's Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) system since early 2000, manufactur ...
trains which will be retired. The R151 trains will be the first rolling stock on the East West Line to be manufactured by
Bombardier (Bought by Alstom in 2021), which has also supplied trains for the
Downtown Line
zh, 滨海市区地铁线 ta, டவுன்டவுன் எம்ஆர்டி வழி
, color =
, logo = Downtown Line logo.svg
, logo_width = 250px
, image = DT17 Downtown Platform B 1.jpg
, i ...
.
Train control
The East West line is equipped with
Thales
Thales of Miletus ( ; grc-gre, Θαλῆς; ) was a Greek mathematician, astronomer, statesman, and pre-Socratic philosopher from Miletus in Ionia, Asia Minor. He was one of the Seven Sages of Greece. Many, most notably Aristotle, regarded ...
SelTrac
SelTrac is a digital railway signalling technology used to automatically control the movements of rail vehicles. It was the first fully automatic moving-block signalling system to be commercially implemented.
What is now branded as SelTrac was ...
communications-based train control
Communications-based train control (CBTC) is a railway signaling system that uses telecommunications between the train and track equipment for traffic management and infrastructure control. CBTC allows a train's position to be known more accurat ...
(CBTC)
moving block
In railway signalling, a moving block is a signalling block system where the blocks are defined in real time by computers as safe zones around each train. This requires both knowledge of the exact location and speed of all trains at any given ti ...
signalling system with
automatic train control
Automatic train control (ATC) is a general class of train protection systems for railways that involves a speed control mechanism in response to external inputs. For example, a system could effect an emergency brake application if the driver d ...
(ATC) under
automatic train operation (ATO) GoA 3 (DTO). The subsystems consist of
automatic train protection
Automatic train protection (ATP) is a type of train protection system which continually checks that the speed of a train is compatible with the permitted speed allowed by signalling, including automatic stop at certain signal aspects. If it i ...
(ATP) to govern train speed, NetTrac MT Automatic Train Supervision (ATS) to track and schedule trains and a
computer-based interlocking Computer-based interlocking is railway signal interlocking implemented with computers, rather than using older technologies such as relays or mechanics.
General
CBIs are mostly implemented in two parts; a section that implements the safety and ...
(CBI) system that prevents incorrect signal and track points to be set.
The old signalling system has undergone decommissioning work from August 2018 and was completed on 23 November 2018. It consists of
Westinghouse fixed block signalling system with
Automatic train control
Automatic train control (ATC) is a general class of train protection systems for railways that involves a speed control mechanism in response to external inputs. For example, a system could effect an emergency brake application if the driver d ...
(ATC) under
Automatic train operation (ATO) GoA 2 (STO).
The subsystems consist of
Automatic train protection
Automatic train protection (ATP) is a type of train protection system which continually checks that the speed of a train is compatible with the permitted speed allowed by signalling, including automatic stop at certain signal aspects. If it i ...
(ATP) to govern train speed, Automatic Train Supervision (ATS) to track and schedule trains and a
Relay interlocking
In railway signalling, an interlocking is an arrangement of signal apparatus that prevents conflicting movements through an arrangement of tracks such as junctions or crossings. The signalling appliances and tracks are sometimes collectively re ...
system that prevents incorrect signal and track points to be set.
The stretch of track between Pioneer and Tuas Link stations was equipped with the new signalling system which came into use in June 2017. As the section of track between Pioneer and Joo Koon support 'mixed-mode' of both signalling systems, trains terminating at either Joo Koon or Tuas Link would have to change signalling modes at
Pioneer MRT station
Pioneer MRT station is an above-ground Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) station on the East West line in Jurong West, Singapore.
Despite its name, Pioneer station is not physically located within the Pioneer planning area. Rather, its name was derived ...
as trains terminating at Joo Koon would proceed to a turn back siding which was built as part of the TWE which only supports the new signalling system. Eastbound trains towards Pasir Ris would have to change back to the old signalling system at Pioneer MRT station. This procedure was removed after the
train collision at Joo Koon as trains terminated at Joo Koon. The new signalling system became fully operational on 28 May 2018.
Automatic full-height
platform screen doors
Platform screen doors (PSDs), also known as platform edge doors (PEDs), are used at some train, rapid transit and people mover stations to separate the platform from train tracks, as well as on some bus rapid transit, tram and light rail sys ...
by Westinghouse were originally installed in all underground stations since opening, and half-height
platform screen doors
Platform screen doors (PSDs), also known as platform edge doors (PEDs), are used at some train, rapid transit and people mover stations to separate the platform from train tracks, as well as on some bus rapid transit, tram and light rail sys ...
by ST Engineering's Electronics sector were installed by August 2011 on elevated stations. Tuas West extension stations have half-height
platform screen doors
Platform screen doors (PSDs), also known as platform edge doors (PEDs), are used at some train, rapid transit and people mover stations to separate the platform from train tracks, as well as on some bus rapid transit, tram and light rail sys ...
, manufactured by Fangda.
In popular culture
The line's Changi Branch is featured in
tvN series
Little Women
''Little Women'' is a coming-of-age novel written by American novelist Louisa May Alcott (1832–1888).
Alcott wrote the book, originally published in two volumes in 1868 and 1869, at the request of her publisher. The story follows the live ...
.
References
External links
East West Line
{{Urban Rail Transit in ASEAN
Mass Rapid Transit (Singapore) lines
Railway lines opened in 1987
1987 establishments in Singapore