SINGAPORE - The first two of 19 new train cars for the Bukit Panjang LRT (BPLRT) entered passenger service on Aug 1.

       Another two of these third-generation vehicles arrived in Singapore in July and are undergoing testing.

       The remaining 15 new light-rail vehicles will reach Singapore by the end of 2025, in time for the renewal of the entire BPLRT fleet by 2026, said the Land Transport Authority (LTA) on Aug 1.

       Equipped with new LCD monitors, the new train cars will have dynamic coloured map displays – an upgrade from the older static maps with blinking dots to signal where the trains are – allowing passengers to better track the route of the vehicles.

       LTA said passengers can expect an upgraded air-conditioning system with improved cooling abilities and an even distribution of air throughout the new vehicles.

       The new train cars also feature energy-efficient LED lighting, an upgrade from the dimmer fluorescent lights on the older trains, and they are the first LRT vehicles with pre-installed closed-circuit television cameras.

       Other upgrades include a condition-monitoring feature to track key systems, and sensors to provide real-time monitoring of the rails along the tracks that supply power to the trains.

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       These will enable the early detection and repair of defects, added LTA, and also allow operator SMRT to carry out pre-emptive maintenance when needed.

       To mark the roll-out of the first two train cars, Deputy Prime Minister Gan Kim Yong rode on them with Transport Minister Chee Hong Tat, Minister of State for Transport Murali Pillai and Foreign Minister Vivian Balakrishnan from the Ten Mile Junction Depot in Bukit Panjang to the Choa Chu Kang LRT station. DPM Gan is an MP for Choa Chu Kang GRC, while Dr Balakrishnan is an MP for Holland-Bukit Timah GRC.

       Asked about the reliability of the BPLRT, Mr Chee said it improved in the second quarter of 2024 when it managed 204,000 car-km between delays of more than five minutes. This is up from 173,000 car-km in the 12 months ending in March, but is still lower than the 248,000 car-km recorded in 2023.

       The drop in its reliability in the first quarter of 2024, Mr Chee said, is “exactly” why the trains and systems need to be upgraded.

       “With the new trains coming in, we are confident that the reliability will get better.

       “We hope that this number can continue to go up as we bring in more and more new trains progressively,” he added.

       The new vehicles will gradually replace the BPLRT’s first-generation trains, some of which have been in operation for more than 20 years, added LTA.

       The completion of the BPLRT renewal has been delayed by two years from 2024 to 2026, due to a manpower shortage and supply chain disruptions arising from the Covid-19 pandemic.

       In the meantime, 13 second-generation BPLRT trains are also being upgraded, with half of the fleet set to complete renewal works by mid-2025.

       Four of these vehicles have already been fitted with a new signalling system similar to those on the MRT lines, with backup systems for better reliability, said LTA.

       The BPLRT’s signalling systems have also been upgraded in phases since 2022, and the line’s operations control centre is being refurbished.

       Its power supply system has also been upgraded with increased capacity, while the power rail system is undergoing renewal.

       Mr Chee said that because the BPLRT was a running system, the upgrades were challenging as they could be done only during the night, after the day’s services stop.

       Passengers who spoke to ST were pleased with the look and feel of the new train cars.

       Ms Fitri Yanti, 18, said it was nice to feel the upgraded air-conditioning system the moment she boarded one of the new train cars, since the older trains were “very stuffy”.

       The Institute of Technical Education student added that the new trains were much cleaner and brighter.

       Mr Wilkin Goh, 80, agreed that the new trains felt like an “entirely different concept” with brighter lights and stronger air-conditioning. He noted that the new map display was “very informative”, as it illustrated the entire BPLRT network.

       Similarly, Madam Lim Tok Hiang said the new LED screen displays were helpful and provided her with a clearer idea of the direction of travel, as well as how many more stops before she had to alight.

       As she cannot read English, the 73-year-old airport counter worker said in Mandarin that the map could be improved by having the station names displayed in other languages.

       Retired dishwasher Ang Siew Ying, 69, said that the new train cars felt more spacious, with more standing room near the doors.

       According to LTA, each new LRT train car can accommodate 125 people, which is similar to the capacity of older LRT trains.