Singapore's automatic metro line, NEL, begins
service

On June 20, SBS Transit in Singapore began commercial service
on the world's first fully automatic heavy-rail metro, the
North-East Line. The operator announced that passengers made
220,000 trips on the first day.


Under contracts signed with Land Transport Authority of
Singapore in 1997 and 1998, ALSTOM designed, built, tested and
delivered the 25 six-car METROPOLIS trains as well as the URBALIS
300 solution for signaling and automatic train control. ALSTOM
was also responsible for the full integration of all systems.


ALSTOM's URBALIS 300 controls train movement, ensures train
safety and directs train operations on the North-East Line. The
solution optimizes use of the network's resources, offering the
capacity to run more trains in greater safety.


The train-control solution is communications-based (CBTC)
and uses moving-block configuration. Extra trains can be injected
as required, with headway of only 90 seconds.


An additional benefit is the precision stopping of the
trains that accurately aligns the platform screen doors at
station stops.


Able to carry more 1,900 passengers per train, the
North-East Line is the world's largest-capacity fully automatic
metro. Top speed is 100 kph.


Singaporeans turned out in great numbers on the opening
day, and local newspapers devoted much coverage to the event.
Following are a few examples of the reactions found in the
Straits Times.

***

'
[commuters] applauded when the shutters were lifted
and then surged through the corridor linking the North-South Line
to the North-East Line.

Crowds formed at Sengkang, Harbour Front and other stations
too, with 14,000 people boarding the trains in the first 30
minutes'


'
when the decision to go ahead with NEL was made in
1996, the rail industry was at a crossroads in signaling
technology (which controls movement of trains along the track),
moving from decades-old mechanical systems to computer-controlled
ones.


At that time, there was no fully automated heavy rail
system in operation anywhere. Now, newer rail projects in Spain,
France and Hong Kong are said to be considering going fully
automated, partly because of the NEL experience'


'
daily ridership ranged from 172,000 on Tuesday to
280,000 on Saturday'


'
Some performance targets drawn up by LTA
include:

• No more than one incident a day that results in a delay
  of over 15 minutes.
• No more than nine system failures a day that will
  result in delays of two to 15 minutes.
• Cover 95 per cent of the planned traveling distance
  over a five-day period.
• Customer relations officers should need to intervene no
  more than four times a day on board a
  train '

'
commuters were impressed, describing their ride as
comfortable and fast'


'
the North-East Line was rated '8 upon 10' on its fifth
day of operation by Acting Minister for Transport Khaw Boon Wan
'