Siemens, Alstom to set up signalling simulation centres here: Transport Minister Khaw Boon Wan

Transport Minister Khaw Boon Wan was speaking at the 8th Joint Forum on Infrastructure Maintenance on Oct 14. The moves by Siemens and Alstom come in the wake of Thales setting up a facility at the Bishan MRT depot. ST PHOTO: JASON QUAH

SINGAPORE - Engineering groups Siemens and Alstom will be setting up signalling simulation centres for the Downtown and Thomson-East Coast lines in Singapore.

Transport Minister Khaw Boon Wan revealed this at the 8th Joint Forum on Infrastructure Maintenance on Monday (Oct 14).

The moves by the German conglomerate Siemens and French multinational company Alstom come in the wake of French engineering group Thales setting up such a facility in the Bishan MRT depot, following a collision which happened during its resignalling project here two years ago.

Mr Khaw said the Thales facility has been "invaluable" to the operation of the North-South and East-West lines.

"I am happy to see Thales using the facility for training their regional clients," he said at the event held at the Land Transport Authority's headquarters in Hampshire Road.

The Land Transport Authority said the DTL's facility is located at Gali Batu Depot, while the TEL's is housed in Mandai Depot.

Signalling simulation facilities are installed with hardware and software equipment which are digital mirrors of the actual signalling systems on the DTL and TEL. This will allow LTA and the rail operators to test software patches rigorously under local conditions before they are deployed on the mainline, the LTA noted.

These new facilities are expected to start operating in phases from end of this year.

Join ST's WhatsApp Channel and get the latest news and must-reads.