SINGAPORE - Almost half of the major disruptions on the North-South and East-West MRT lines were caused by train faults, Transport Minister Khaw Boon Wan said in his latest blog post on Wednesday (Dec 2).
Other factors such as track and power faults caused the rest.
He noted: "As with all machines, as trains age, we must work harder to keep them in good condition.
"Like those in London and New York, trains can last us 20 years or longer, if they are maintained properly and refurbished at the right time.
"Eventually, we must decide when to replace them with new trains."
He said Singapore will be adding 99 new trains from now till 2019. Fifty-seven are for the North-South and East-West lines, 18 for the North-East Line, and 24 for the Circle Line.
"These new trains will have improved propulsion systems, and more reliable and durable AC synchronous motors which require less maintenance," he said, adding that those for the North-South and East-West lines will also have electric doors, which require less maintenance than the pneumatic ones today.
He said the 99 trains, which cost $1.1 billion, are a worthy investment.
Read the full blog post here.
