The Kawasaki Heavy Industries & CSR Qingdao Sifang C151A is a class of trains that are the fourth generation electric multiple unit rolling stock in operation on the existing North–South (NSL) and East–West (EWL) lines of Singapore's Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) system, manufactured by Kawasaki Heavy Industries (KHI) and CRRC Qingdao Sifang under Contract 151A. Their introduction to the network has increased the capacity of both lines by 15%.
They are the last batch of rolling stock on the two lines to be painted in the "Blackbird" livery. Developed from the Kawasaki Heavy Industries & Nippon Sharyo C751B trainsets, further developments of the type include the C151B and C151C trains featuring design updates and changes. The C151A was the first rolling stock on the MRT network to be manufactured in China. The initial contract of 22 trainsets of 6 cars each was awarded to KHI and Sifang by the Land Transport Authority.
In 2013, a further order of 13 trainsets was placed, with all 35 trainsets in revenue service as of 2014. In 2016, an investigative news report from Hong Kong's FactWire alleged that C151A trainsets were discreetly being shipped back to Qingdao for rectification due to multiple defects, including an exploding battery and cracks on trains. The Singapore government subsequently acknowledged the trains were returned for rectification works, and have since published official statements to address FactWire's specific allegations.
History C151A for the supply of 22 trainsets for the North South and East West lines were initiated for future expansion, which is to expand the fleet as 106 trains were insufficient for the Boon Lay extension and Jurong East Modification Project in December 2007. On 6 May 2009, the Land Transport Authority announced that KHI and Sifang had won over Hyundai Rotem, Bombardier Transportation and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries to secure the contract at a cost of S$369 million, despite Hyundai Rotem offering the lowest bid at S$323 million for the order of 22 trainsets under Batch 1. Sifang handled the manufacturing and testing of the rolling stock, while KHI oversaw the project and design. The C151A contract was the first successful joint venture between these two companies in the international market. Also, in December 2011, 13 additional trains were purchased by LTA under Variation Order bringing the total number of trains to 35.
With the delivery of C151A trainsets, trains were actually operated on the East–West Line until October 2013. C151As were temporarily suspended from the North–South Line during the MRT disruption in 2011, starting from 7 May 2012 all the way until 23 October 2013. SMRT engineers detected arcing problems on one of the C151As, but no evidence was shown that it was the root cause of the service suspension in 2015.
During the suspension of the C151A running on the North–South Line, SMRT had investigated and found impurities in aluminium bodywork caused the cracks found in structural components, including the sub-floor, which is a compartment located under passenger floor. Its role is to hold equipment box and electrical wires and bolster function parts connecting the car body to the bogie. Affected trainsets were sent back to China progressively between July 2014 and January 2020, before the COVID-19 pandemic.
Refurbishment All 92 trains from the KSF fleet, consisting of C151As, C151Bs and C151Cs will undergo refurbishment works from 2026 onwards, and is expected to be completed by the mid-2030s.
Tender The tender for trains under the contract turnkey 151A was closed in January 2009. The tender results were published in May 2009. S/NName of TendererAmount (S$)1Bombardier (Singapore) Pte Ltd and Bombardier Transportation GmbH Consortium373,327,788.002Kawasaki Heavy Industries / Kawasaki Heavy Industries (Singapore) / CSR Qingdao Sifang Locomotive and Rolling Stock368,997,888.003Mitsubishi Corporation393,301,698.524Hyundai Rotem322,729,548.00
Equipment
Main propulsion controller The C151A trains are the third commuter type Electric Multiple Unit (EMU) to feature electric systems fully manufactured by Fuji Electric. Propulsion is controlled by VVVF Inverter with 2-level IGBT semiconductor controller, rated at 415 kV. Each inverter unit controls two motors on one bogie (1C2M), and one motor car features two of such units. Motors are three-phrase AC induction type, model MLR111, with a maximum output of . However, the main difference is that the traction for the trains is higher pitched than the ones from C751B trains which are lower pitched.
Bogies The C151A trains use the monolink axlebox type bolsterless air spring bogie. There are no major technical differences between a trailer and motor car bogie other than additional electrical components for the latter; similar to the Kawasaki and Nippon Sharyo C751B trains. However, the Beijing Subway Rolling Stock trains were also equipped with bolsterless air-spring bogies manufactured in China.
Auxiliary systems A break from tradition, the C151A trains features auxiliary inverters for its electrical systems on all six cars of the train. Previously, auxiliary inverters were mounted only on motor cars. The VVVF Inverter is controlled by IGBT semiconductors and rated at 80 kV. A battery charger is built with the inverter and provides output.
Linear Variable Differential Transformer (LVDT) 3 trains (EMUs 501/502, 531/532, and 533/534) are equipped with LVDTs, which inspects the third rail.
Interior The interior of the C151A trains depending on each car, features the shades pink, blue and turquoise seats. Priority seats are in darker shades. The floor of the train is also grey and interior walls are white similar to that of Kawasaki Heavy Industries & Nippon Sharyo C751B trains (except floor colour).
Train formation The coupling configuration of a C151A in revenue service is DT–M1–M2+M2–M1–DT. +Cars of C151ACar TypeDriver CabMotorCollector ShoeCar LengthWheelchair Baymft inDT✓✗✓✗M1✗✓✓✗M2✗✓✓✓
The car numbers of the trains range from x501 to x570, where x depends on the carriage type. Individual cars are assigned a 4 digit serial number. A complete six-car trainset consists of an identical twin set of one driving trailer (DT) and two motor (M) cars permanently coupled together. For example, EMU 553/554 consists of carriages 3553, 1553, 2553, 2554, 1554 and 3554.
The first digit identifies the car number, where the first car has a 3, the second has a 1 & the third has a 2. The second digit is always a 5, part of the identification numbers The third digit and fourth digit are the train identification numbers. A full-length train of 6 cars have 2 different identification numbers. For example, 553/554 (normal coupling) or 530/553 (cross-coupling). Kawasaki and CSR Qingdao Sifang built sets 501 – 570.
Operational problems
On 5 July 2016, a Hong Kong-based non-profit news organization FactWire had broken the news of the C151A trains suffering from multiple defects relating to Chinese-made materials and posted the entire investigative works on YouTube.
Factwire allegations
These are the list of allegations mentioned in their YouTube video since C151A entered into revenue service in 2011 (27 May 2011).
This list compiles the initial response from the authorities are compiled from the first SMRT press release on 5 July 2016, 4:30pm (GMT+8) by SMRT Trains managing director Lee Ling Wee as well as the first Land Transport Authority press release at an hour after first SMRT's press release. and also the subsequent official position on Singapore government's online FAQ portal 'Factually' which quotes sources from the Facebook page of Land Transport Authority hours after the initial press release.
+ List of alleged flaws on C151A by Factwire and the response from authorities. No. Date of issue First appeared Alleged issues & consequences Alleged actions taken by the authorities Initial response from SMRT or Land Transport Authority Subsequent response by Singapore Government portal 'Factually' Additional Notes (Including any subsequent press release from the authorities) 1 2011 A C151A battery used for uninterruptible power supply exploded during a repair work but caused no injuries or deaths. All Chinese made batteries were replaced into German made instead. No comments Issue was caused by gases building up in the battery housing cover, causing the cover to fly open. The design for battery housing was since improved to rectify this issue immediately on all affected trains. The authorities eventually admitted some flaws in the battery housing design, but did not confirm whether the suppliers for the batteries were changed as well as if the batteries installed on other C151A trains were replaced or not. 2 15 & 17 December 2011 SMRT suspects that C151A trains are responsible for the twin MRT breakdowns on North–South Line during the evening peak hours. Worst disruptions in entire Singapore MRT history. Furthermore, according to a CRRC Sifang anonymous subcontractor, he claimed to FactWire that SMRT had reduced the deployment of C151A trains and requested payment delay for the extra C151A trains after the breakdowns. As a result, the cash-flow of the subcontractor is heavily impacted. No comments Not mentioned 3 2013 Impurities in aluminium bodywork caused the cracks found in structural components, including:
1) Sub-floor, which is a compartment located under passenger floor. Its role is to hold equipment box and electrical wires. 2) Bolster function parts connecting the car body to the bogie. FactWire alleged the shipment of defective trains is part of a cover-up by both Singapore (SMRT, Land Transport Authority) and the train manufacturers (Kawasaki & CRRC Qingdao Sifang) as the defective trains are wrapped in a green cover and transported during late night.
Moreover, an unnamed source from CRRC Qingdao Sifang claimed to FactWire that since 2015, 5 or more affected trains have already been replaced. This source claims that the entire process to rectify the issue will take 4 months to complete. This 4 months process begins with shipping the trains from Singapore to Qingdao, getting the defective train disassembled before parts are to reassembled into new aluminium train car body manufactured by Kawasaki as well as testing and ending it with the rectified trains returned to Singapore. Issue was acknowledged by SMRT Trains managing director Lee Ling Wee. The process to recall 26 of 35 C151A trains back to China for repair by the manufacturer CRRC Qingdao Sifang started after the cracks issue was discovered in 2013. As for the 9 remaining trains, they were rectified during the production before being shipped to Singapore. Lee said that the issue would be fixed by 2023 and ended with an assurance that all trains will need to pass a monthly safety assessment by both LTA and the train manufacturer before being deployed into revenue service. In a separate press release by Land Transport Authority (LTA), it confirms the defects but insisted that these are not safety-critical and do not affect the performance of the trains. LTA reiterates that the manufacturer will have to fix all defects found on the trains which are still under warranty.Further explained that the cracks are hair-line cracks which are NOT structural cracks, as opposed to what FactWire claimed. The entire repair works has also been brought forward to 2019 instead of 2023 as said by Lee Ling Wee originally, due to two factors: 1) LTA has managed to negotiate with CRRC Qingdao Sifang to rectify the issue faster 2) After the newer (C151B) trains and upgraded trains (Older trains being compatible with the new Thales SelTrac® Communications-based train control (CBTC) moving block signalling system) are ready for revenue service by late 2016, 2 affected trains can be sent for repair at a time. Before this (As of 2016 June), SMRT can only send 1 train to the manufacturer in Qingdao at a time.