The public transport operator SBS Transit Limited has started passenger service on the driverless Downtown Line 2 (DTL2) in Singapore. The commissioning of the Line, which has a total length of 42 kilometers and comprises 34 stations, will occur in three phases. The first phase, DTL1, has already commenced operation in December 2013, covering a distance of four kilometers, with 6 stations and 8 trains. DTL2, the second phase, has started revenue operation in December 2015 with 12 stations and an additional 37 trains. Siemens supplies the signaling system as well as the AC power supply and Traction power supply for all three sections of the Line. The double-track metro line is designed to transport up to 500,000 passengers per day when the Line is completed in 2017.
The Downtown Line connects the residential areas in the northwest and east to Singapore's city center. The first section of the line runs in the city center from the financial district to the Chinatown shopping district. The second section that is opened now, which comprises around 16 kilometers of track and 12 stations, will link the northwestern districts of Singapore to the central business district. The 21 kilometer connection of the eastern part is scheduled for completion in 2017.
Siemens supplied the automatic train control system Trainguard Sirius CBTC that uses Communication Based Train Control technology to permit driverless operation and Trackguard Westrace MK2 electronic interlockings of latest generation. The operations control system Controlguide Rail 9000 (ATS – Automatic Train Supervision) is used for automatic train monitoring. Siemens also installed the trackside and onboard equipment for fully automated train operation in unmanned mode.
For the electrification of the entire line, Siemens equipped the AC power supply and Traction power supply system for 750 VDC. Power is supplied from the 66 kV AC utility network and stepped down to 22kV AC to feed a medium-voltage ring that supplies to the traction substations, the stations and the depot using Siemens 8DA10 Switchgears. The traction substations convert the 22 kV AC into 750 VDC using Sitras REC and distributes the electrical energy to the third rail through Sitras DSG Switchgear. For energy savings, the electrical energy recovered during the braking of the trains is fed back into the medium-voltage power system via Sitras TCI Inverters and thus made available to all other electrical loads.
As part of Singapore’s Land Transport Masterplan 2013 theme of providing commuters with more connections to the places where they live, work and play, the Land Transport Authority (LTA) will be constructing two new rail lines, and extending three existing lines to improve the connectivity, accessibility and coverage of Singapore’s rail network. With a more extensive rail network, commuters will have more choices for travel via public transport.