The Land Transport Authority (LTA) in Singapore has awarded US $450m contract to South Korea-based construction firm GS Engineering and Construction (GS Engineering) for the design and construction of an Integrated Train Testing Centre (ITTC) at the former 50ha Raffles Country Club site.
The new ITTC which will be commissioned in phases will be equipped to undertake advanced integrated systems testing for new and existing MRT lines. It will also comprise of an Operations Control Centre and testing equipment.
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The centre’s features
The facility will feature around 11km of test tracks to support endurance, performance integration, and high-speed testing for new trains and supporting systems, a rolling stock workshop, stabling tracks and maintenance tracks to support the refurbishment of existing trains in the country.
According to a statement from LTA said, when completed, the ITTC will be the cornerstone of Singapore’s strategy to sustain rail reliability and deepen core rail engineering capabilities. “Over time, the ITTC will also serve as a hub for LTA and the local rail industry to deepen our competencies in systems integration and operations and in maintenance, and to achieve engineering excellence,” the statement read.
The ITTC is scheduled to be fully operational by end 2024 but the first phase will commence operations by the end of 2022. The operations will include receiving new trains and systems for Circle Line 6.
In addition to helping in accelerating diagnoses and rectification of faults, the LTA expects the new centre to serve as the cornerstone of the country’s aim to sustain rail reliability while intensifying core rail engineering capabilities.
