Sentosa Express to get S$30m upgrade, extra train set

HITACHI Asia, a subsidiary of Japanese tech giant Hitachi, has secured a S$30 million contract from the Sentosa Development Corporation (SDC) to upgrade the Sentosa Express light rail system that connects Sentosa island with Singapore.

Under the contract, Hitachi will install a new wireless signalling system known as CBTC (Communications-Based Train Control) and provide another train set (comprising two carriages).

A Hitachi spokesman said the upgrade will enable the Sentosa Express to cater to more passengers to better serve an increasing number of visitors entering the popular island resort.

The CBTC is a signalling system for urban transportation systems such as the monorail. It uses wireless to transmit information on trains' position and speed accurately. This allows the operator to decrease the distance between two trains without compromising on safety. This reduces the time intervals required between trains, shaving off waiting time for guests. The improvement in train efficiency will also allow for the addition of another two-carriage train in the rail network. The contract includes the supply of this new train.