For Alstom, a vision for green, smart and healthy regional transportation

Mindy Tan

Published Tue, Dec 27, 2022 · 05:50 AM

IT was 20 years ago when the North East Line (NEL) became operational in Singapore’s MRT system, making waves in the industry with the world’s first fully automated underground driverless heavy metro system.

French rolling stock manufacturer Alstom installed the original signalling system on the NEL then. Today, the company is exploring ways to introduce similar systems on mainlines – rail tracks that link large towns and cities – as part of their agenda of providing sustainable and fast mobility to the world.

While driverless trains are common for urban metros these days, they are not as easily implemented elsewhere, said Alstom’s Asia-Pacific president Ling Fang.

She noted that the main challenge is that while metros largely run in a protected environment, the mainlines are exposed to everything from unpredictable weather conditions to stray animals and pedestrians tha…