A first look at the expanded Sengkang-Punggol LRT depot

The expanded depot will help deliver more reliable LRT services for commuters, said the Land Transport Authority.

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SINGAPORE: A track to test train performance, as well as an additional maintenance facility, are among the features of the expanded Sengkang-Punggol LRT (SPLRT) depot.

The media had a preview of the expanded depot on Friday (Apr 10), which began expansion works in 2022 and is set to be completed in 2027.

The Sengkang West LRT Inner Loop will be closed from Apr 19 to Oct 18 to connect new reception tracks from the expanded section of the depot to the main LRT line.

Expansion of the depot - which is located beside Tongkang station - was done in part to accommodate a new SPLRT fleet of 25 two-car trains.

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Seven of these trains have entered passenger service, with the remaining 18 to be deployed by end-2028.

To provide more space to “park” the new trains, the depot is being expanded from the existing 3.5 hectares to 11.1 hectares - or from the size of five football fields to 16 football fields.

Structural and architectural works within the depot have been completed, with internal works such as fittings of rail tracks ongoing.

The connection of the new reception tracks to the main line will involve four phases - the demolition of existing infrastructure, reinstatement of power lines, testing of systems such as power and signalling, followed by the testing of the trains on the new reception tracks.

“These enhancements will enable more efficient train deployment, improved maintenance productivity, provide greater operational redundancy and deliver more reliable LRT services for commuters,” said the Land Transport Authority (LTA) in a statement.

Affected commuters can take a dedicated shuttle bus service that will also operate from Sengkang Bus Interchange during weekday morning and evening peak periods.

ADDITIONAL DEPOT FACILITIES

Facilities in the expanded portion of the depot include:

• A second maintenance building, one that can maintain both the cars of the new trains at the same time. The older maintenance building can only maintain one car at a time. Maintenance capacity will also be increased by 1.5 times. 
• A new test track was constructed within the expanded depot, as the existing one will be converted into connecting tracks between the existing and expanded sections of the depot. The track will be used to test trains after maintenance works, before they are deployed for passenger service.
• Photovoltaic panels will also be installed at different parts of the depot to directly convert sunlight into clean electricity. Annually, the panels could help save electricity that can power about 350 households.

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