All-day trials of the new signalling system on the North-South Line will be carried out on Sundays, starting from 16th April. The tests are expected to last two months, said the Land Transport Authority and train operator SMRT on Wednesday (12th April). Trains should run normally under the new signalling system.
SMRT has been testing the new signalling system in the last hour of service on weekdays - at 11:00pm Monday to Thursday - which requires a 10-minute pause during service for the signalling switchover.
The weekday testing will end this Thursday (13th April). SMRT and the LTA said that the progressive roll-out will allow for issues to be addressed as soon as they are discovered, minimising inconvenience to commuters.
"During the trials, engineers will monitor the system's response to different situations, and trains services' adherence to their schedules, as the number of trains running on the new system is gradually increased," they said. The results of the trial will help determine when the new signalling system will be fully implemented.
The upgrading signalling will allow for the introduction of 57 additional new trains, the first of which will begin operations on Sunday (16th April), as part of plans to increase capacity on the ageing North-South and East-West Lines.
In addition to being fitted with the new signalling system, the new trains will feature LED display boards showing the upcoming stops on the line, the locations of exits at the next station, nearby attractions, as well as safety messages. There will be clearer markings for wheelchair areas located in the two middle cars. The new trains will also use energy-saving LED lights, instead of the current fluorescent ones.
