Understanding the Rail Engineering Capabilities of SMRT Corp

1. Understanding the Rail Engineering Capabilities of SMRT Corp SMRT Trains Ltd. (SMRT Trains) is a subsidiary of SMRT Corporation that operates and maintains the Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) lines in Singapore since 1987. SMRT operates the North-South Line, East- West Line, Circle Line, Thomson-East Coast Line, and the Bukit Panjang LRT. Recently, SMRT Corp has formed a new business group called SMRT Engineering which is dedicated to the design, maintenance, and operation of the operator’s rail systems. The newly formed business group aims to leverage advanced technologies to build expertise and enhance its rail services. Here are the works carried out by SMRT and its engineering business that has helped to improve its rail engineering capability and meet the demand for expanding the domestic rail network. 1. The public operator launched SMRT Trains Engineering Programme to develop a sustainable pool of engineering professionals. The programme has been designed to raise standards, competencies and proficiencies of rail engineers and they can help SMRT to build a robust transportation system. 2. In 2019, SMRT and public transport service provider, SBS Transit signed a collaboration memorandum of understanding with defence and engineering group ST Engineering. The trio has started working together to improve the engineering capabilities for rail operations and maintenance. The three partners will enhance rail operations by eliminating the duplication of resources and addressing technology gaps. 3. SMRT’s Railway System Technical Committee designs and formulates standards to raise the reliability and productivity of railway systems. 4. SMRT, Land Transport Authority (LTA), SBS Transit, Institute of Engineers Singapore (IES) and Enterprise Singapore (ESG) worked together to design new Railway Standards. Commenting on the company’s collaboration with LTA and other partners, Mr. Seah Moon Ming, SMRT Chairman, stated, "Working closely with Ministry of Transportation& LTA, we will continue to renew our systems and also deepen our engineering capabilities to provide faster service recovery through more effective corrective maintenance.” 5. Digital advancements have allowed rail operators to rethink track and train maintenance. SMRT’s engineering arm has been successful in digitalising the maintenance process with Mobile Operation and Maintenance System (MOMS). The new system captures the maintenance data in the form of a digitised checklist where rail engineers can see work instructions, pictures and videos of work progress, and work orders. 6. SMRT Trains is currently using Predictive Decision Support System (PDSS)for capturing design, maintenance and condition data of rail assets. The PDSS system has been developed by the engineering business of SMRT. With data visualisation of rail infrastructure, its engineers are able to take smart maintenance decisions, create a better maintenance planning regime, prioritise maintenance tasks, and do much more. The innovative technology behind PDSS has helped SMRT to become one of the finalists for ‘Year in Infrastructure 2020 Awards’ for advancements in infrastructure as announced by Bentley Systems.

2. “SMRT Trains is committed to improving reliability and enhancing commuter experience. We are building indigenous rail engineering capabilities, particularly in predictive maintenance and electronic card repairs and upgrades to benefit the rail network. We are adopting Kaizen methodology company-wide for continuous improvement in all areas of our work,” said Seah Moon Ming, Chairman of SMRT Trains. 7. To improve the effectiveness of rail systems, increase rail safety, and provide better commuter experiences, rail operators need a competent workforce. The Engineering Group of SMRT is investing in workforce training and upskilling programmes with the help of the Singapore government, institutes, and other rail operators. The operator has started SMRT Train Engineer Professionalisation (STEP) programme, Chartered Engineer programme, a workplace learning rail sector training ecosystem, and Sustainable Infrastructure Engineering (Land) degree programme. Conclusion Rail transport being the top choice of Singaporeans, public transportation service providers constantly need to innovate and improve their services to ensure commuters are satisfied with their journeys. SMRT is one of the leading rail operators in Singapore so it has created a separate group - SMRT Engineering - that is responsible for bringing new innovations in rail engineering. Till now, SMRT has been able to deliver reliable systems, which is leading to enhanced commuter comfort and satisfaction.