Things You Didn’t Know About Singapore’s MRT System

Ever got stuck in a delay and need more concrete proof to your boss or teacher the reason you were late? There is a thing called Travel Chit, which is an official slip of paper that can be obtained from the passenger service centre at any affected MRT station, to certify that your travel had been delayed by a train service disruption. Passengers may also request for an electronic copy of a travel chit online to excuse themselves from their latecoming.

There might have been a frustrating time when you experienced train delay due to a signalling fault. With the construction of new MRT lines and rising expectations of commuters to get to their destinations on time, the MRT system has adopted a newer SelTrac communications-based train control (CBTC) signalling system to facilitate more efficient train services across all its existing lines, including the older North-South and East-West routes. This system is supplied by the French company Thales and customised with specific software to tailor to the train infrastructural and environmental conditions. Hopefully, we can expect shorter waiting times and smoother rides on every line from now on.

A sleeper is simply a wooden or concrete beam placed transversely under railway tracks to support them. The MRT system in Singapore used to have timber sleepers that were designed to last up to 25 years. With numerous incidents of “Track Fault”, the sleepers that have shown signs of wear and tear have been replaced with concrete ones, which are made to last double the lifespan of timber sleepers. So far, 96,000 sleepers have been changed along the North-South line in the bid to ensure a smoother ride for commuters.