Siemens C651 cars

Infobox EMU
name = Siemens C651 Cars


imagesize = 300px
caption = A C651 train approaching Jurong East MRT Station.
Manufacturer = Siemens AG, Vienna, Austria
Operator = SMRT Corporation
Formation = 6 per trainset
Built = 114 cars
LinesServed = North South Line and East West Line
InService = 1994 - Current
Refurbishment =
CarLength = 23 m
CarWidth = 3.2 m
CarHeight = 3.7 m
Weight = 35 t (unladen)
53.8 t (laden)
Capacity = 1920 passengers (320 per car)
MaxSpeed = 90 km/h
Gauge = 1,435 mm
Traction = Gate turn-off thyristor-VVVF
Voltage = 750 V DC 3rd rail

Siemens C651 Cars form a type of rolling stock that can be found on the North South Line, East West Line of the Mass Rapid Transit system in Singapore, operated by SMRT Trains. A total of 114 cars were purchased and introduced from 1994 onwards.

Overview

Operating on the North South Line and the East West Line since the mid 1990s, the Siemens C651 trains are the second generation of the three types of train cars used on the SMRT network. They were bought mainly to complement the existing Kawasaki C151 trains due to the opening of the Woodlands extension. Unlike its older counterparts, the C651s are painted with a scratch-resistant acrylic finish due to dirt trapping on the aluminum skin of the C151s that were difficult to remove.

These cars come with green-blue tinted glass windows. They look almost identical to the first generation train cars except that its traction produces a louder, lower-pitched noise when accelerating/braking. The run number display on the front of each train is made up of electronic green flip-dot display, as opposed to the manual plastic rollers of the Kawasaki C151 trains, while the rubber strips between the doors are thicker. The trains have similar colour layout as their C151 counterparts, though of a slightly different shade. 19 trainsets of 6 cars each were purchased, the first rolling out of the SGP plant on 17 July 1994 with much fanfare and delivered to SMRT on 20 September 1994. The car numbers of the trains x209 and x210 where x depends on the carriage type. Similar to the Kawasaki Heavy Industries C151 trains, the Siemens C651 trains have no visual passenger information systems, but have a built-in audio announcement system.

Experimental programmes

Many experimental programmes have been run on the C651 cars.

Some trains of this type were reconfigured to have more standing space in the late 1990s as part of an experimental programme. In particular, the second and fifth cars (the blue cars) were reconfigured to have more standing room at the door sides, after it was found that standing passengers liked to stand at the sides of the doors. The reconfigured layout allowed two passengers to stand in the same space, although this space was "shrunk" to one passenger only in the layout of later trains.

The third and fourth cars, coloured in green were even more radical in the reconfiguration, with all but eight seats, four at each ends of the car removed completely. In its place was standing room with upholstered cushion, in an attempt to provide a degree of comfort to passengers standing in that space. This design proved to be unpopular with the commuters, and it was eventually dropped. Only carriages 2209 and 2210 are seen to feature these upholstered cushions at the centre of these two cars. The original seats between the 1st and 2nd door, and the 3rd and 4th door on these cars have been replaced. The remaining upholstered seats were replaced in May 2006.

More grabpoles were also added. Regular grabpoles in the centre of each car were replaced by grabpoles that branch out into three in the centre, similar in purpose to those on the C751B cars. This was partly to solve the problem of inconsiderate passengers leaning on the grabpoles. SMRT has also tested special non slip floorings by replacing the regular flooring in some of these cars.

In 2006, SMRT began installing CCTVs into some of the C651 cars, which would enable the Central Control Room to monitor activities in the train, when the need arises. These are part of measures to beef up security on Singapore's public transport network, and to deter vandalism and terrorism.

Refurbishment

After all of the Kawasaki Heavy Industries C151 cars have been refurbished by 2008, SMRT has announced that the Siemens C651 cars are due for refurbishment by 2010."Upgraded trains can take in 100 more commuters", T. Rajan, The Straits Times, 5 November 2006]

Serial numbers

The car numbers of the trains range from x201 to x238, where x depends on the carriage type. Individual cars are assigned a 4 digit serial number by the rail operator SMRT.
* The first digit depends upon whether the car is the first, second or third car from either end of the train, where the first car equals 3, the second equals 1 & the third equals 2.
* The other 3 digits is the train identification number. A full length train of 6 cars have 2 different identification number, one for the first 3 cars, and the same number plus 1, for the other three. The smaller number is always an odd number. For example, a train would consist of 6 cars with serial number 3209, 1209, 2209, 2210, 1210, 3210 respectively.

Technical specifications

*Length of train : 138 m (23 m per car)
*Width of car : 3.2 m
*Height of car : 3.7 m
*Weight of car : 35,000 kg
*Car body: Stainless steel construction
*Number of passengers seated per train: 492 per train
*Number of passengers standing : 1,428 per train
*Maximum passenger load : 1,920 or 320 per car
*Average speed : 45 km/h
*Maximum speed : 90 km/h
*Track gauge : 1435 mm
*Track Voltage : 750 volts DC third rail
*Train formation : Two sets of three-car Electric Multiple Units (EMUs) which are permanently coupled, providing for driving cabs at either end of trains and four motorised cars in the middle.
*Type of vehicle: Bi-directional six-car train consisting of 4 motor cars and two non-powered trailer car
*Maximum formation: 2 x 3-car units
*Wheel arrangement: 2'2' + Bo'Bo' + Bo'Bo' + Bo'Bo' + Bo'Bo' + 2'2'
*Track gauge: 1,435 mm
*Weight empty: 214 t
*Weight loaded: 323 t:*maximum capacity with 320 persons per car: 109 t
*Traction system: 750 V/-30%+20% DC via third rail
*Traction motors: 16 x 140 kW dd enclosed-ventilated lateral drive
*Gear ratio: 5.94 : 1
*Wheel diameter new/worn: 850 mm/775 mm
*Traction motor converter: GTO-VVVF
*Auxiliary voltage: 110 V DC
*1st service brake: Self-excited, mixed service and resistor brake
*2nd service brake: Pneumatic compressed air wheel tyre block brake
*Parking brake: Compressed air pressure spring-loaded brake

References

External links

* [http://references.transportation.siemens.com/refdb/showReference.do?r=455&div=5&l=en Manufacturer's Information for C651, Siemens AG]
* Mass Rapid Transit (Singapore)