MassRailTransits:HUGE plans!

[sabaisabai]

Thanks for the information mrtfreak. I took the photo, from the upper deck of bus 196, at the nearest stop to Golden Mile travelling towards Suntec City. I found it by looking out the window

Is that hole still there and operational? I remember once seeing an enormous crane there, before the works and highway collapsed. The crane was most likely lowering heavy equipment down to the 9th level, as you said. I think the hole was right near the collapse site.

(and on a side-issue, where I used to sit and drink Whiskey with Thai workers on the odd Sunday before commencement of construction)

I've found one place where you can see the tracks in the tunnel. Whether the tracks are only for the construction phase, or permanent, I'm not sure. The place I saw them was at Millenia station, from walking up Benjamin Shears bridge a short way from the contstruction site.

[mrtfreak]

i see, interesting stuff this. i don't think they would lay the tracks at such an early stage. from what i can see, the hole is still operational. only the cut-an-cover section would have been affected by the collapse. regarding the tracks again, i think these are only temporary and may be used for the track-laying machine in future.

[jpatokal]

Went for a spin on the Sengkang West Loop today (with the obligatory roti prata detour). The Mitsubishi Crystal trains are quite nice, smooth rubber-wheeled automated guideway transit much in the style of Tokyo's Yurikamome line, and the little cars were packed today with sightseers doing the loop (if you're already on the MRT, it costs nothing to board the LRT, do the circuit, and come back!). There was even some signposting and a nice direct walkway/bridge across the little hill to Jalan Kayu, where Thasevi was busily serving up its stuff even on a lazy Sunday afternoon. I think it'll be quite a few years until the remaining three stations open though, one was in the middle of complete jungle and the other two were just starting to have brush cleared for what will eventually be HDBs.

More later perhaps, now gotta run catch my flight back to the Big Mango...

[mrtfreak]

hey, i was there too! today as well. went on both Sk LRT and PG LRTs. er, there seemed to be a lot of confusion on the commuter's part at sengkang station. and i think on weekends they should operate both route A and B in addition to C and D. if not, have one platform for the western loop and one for the eastern loop. it is rather confusing as the western loop operates in a single direction at different times. before 3 pm, use the inner loop (anti-clockwise way). after 3pm, use the outer loop (clockwise direction). i did see the little brifge at thanggam station. why didn't they just cover it all the way?

did you go for the punggol ride? there's supposed to be a future LRT line in the middle of punggol station. currently, the single island platform covers the track. however, when you approach from either end of the punggol station, you'll see that the station can accomodate the future track which i believe will be used for the northern spur line in future.

[mrtfreak]

Originally Posted by jpatokal

The Mitsubishi Crystal trains are quite nice, smooth rubber-wheeled automated guideway transit much in the style of Tokyo's Yurikamome line.

do you happen to know what kind of technology this line runs on? is it a VAL type system?

and the little cars were packed today with sightseers doing the loop (if you're already on the MRT, it costs nothing to board the LRT, do the circuit, and come back!).

i would discourage anyone from taking a free ride. SBS Transit is already a loss making company, and by taking free rides, we won't be helping them to come out from their loss-making any sooner.

I think it'll be quite a few years until the remaining three stations open though, one was in the middle of complete jungle and the other two were just starting to have brush cleared for what will eventually be HDBs.

i think the station in the jungle you're refering to is kupang, right? there are slopes on one side of the station at least (the car was packed, and i was at the side of the door at fernvale station). i'm not sure what the land use for the areas around farmway and cheng lim stations are, but they may be for private housing. anyway, it was nice to cross the sungei punggol. and it looks very scenic from the LRT vehicles.

[mrtfreak]

i'll have to go for punggol in this one. very nice, space-age design that serves its purpose as an interchange for the MRT and LRT. the LRT platform at this station is also wider than that at Sengkang. another contender maybe the expo station. but i don't like this station's design as it comes across to me as rather blatant, strong. like its meant to stand out. punggol's architecture blends into it surroundings better to me.

[jpatokal]

Originally Posted by mrtfreak

do you happen to know what kind of technology this line runs on? is it a VAL type system?

See here (summary) or here (full PDF) for all you ever wanted to know about the Yurikamome (which is, incidentally, pretty high up on my list of favorite transit systems!). So yes, it's "VAL-type", except that Japan's 'new transit' (shinkoutsuu) systems are older than France's VAL, with Kobe's fully automated Port Liner opening in 1981. A little digging revealed that both Yurikamome & the Sengkang LRT were built by Mitsubishi (I thought the track looked awfully familiar!), here's some Mitsu propaganda in PDF form.

[mrtfreak]

thanks. what did that place with the prata sell? other than prata that is...

[jpatokal]

Originally Posted by mrtfreak

thanks. what did that place with the prata sell? other than prata that is...

Huh? It's Singapore's most famous prata joint, so they sell... prata (although possible toppings include things like bananas and chocolate ice cream). Plus obvious derivatives like murtabak and a wide range of curries to dip into.

[sabaisabai]

I'm with you on Punggol. It looks both modern and classic at the same time. I think it looks almost like an old aircraft body, if that makes any sense. I'll have to get some good pics before the area gets built up.

As for underground stations, I was pretty impressed with the new Dhoby Gaut, the open section with the murals and escalators.

Originally Posted by mrtfreak

i'll have to go for punggol in this one. very nice, space-age design that serves its purpose as an interchange for the MRT and LRT. the LRT platform at this station is also wider than that at Sengkang. another contender maybe the expo station. but i don't like this station's design as it comes across to me as rather blatant, strong. like its meant to stand out. punggol's architecture blends into it surroundings better to me.

[mrtfreak]

Originally Posted by sabaisabai

I'm with you on Punggol. It looks both modern and classic at the same time. I think it looks almost like an old aircraft body, if that makes any sense. I'll have to get some good pics before the area gets built up.

As for underground stations, I was pretty impressed with the new Dhoby Gaut, the open section with the murals and escalators.

the aircraft body thing, definitely makes sense. dhoby ghaut, i'm witing to see how it ties in with the circle line. generally, for underground stations, i like the types that have high ceilings (eg, toa payoh, NEL outram park).

[mrtfreak]

Originally Posted by sabaisabai

I'll have to get some good pics before the area gets built up.

hey, btw, could you get some pics of that middle track as well?

[mrtfreak]

i was just wondering, since bukit panjang station will be the future "own centre station" for the housing estate, why not make another loop linking Ten Mile Junction (TMJ) station to Choa Chu Kang (CCK) station? that way, commuters could chose to get on which ever train arrives at CCK station first to get to BP station and then to BP town. besides, SMRt could get more fares, etc.

your views and suggestions, pls.

[mrtfreak]

the Bukit Timah line will connect bukit timah road, upper bukit timah road and bukit panjang areas. anyone want to predict the station sites? most likely the entire line will be underground (ala NEL). and finally bukit panjang gets her MRT.

[jpatokal]

This thread, which I'd stumbled on earlier but managed to find again (thanks Google!), claims the following:

it will start at NEWTON MRT STATION, and basically follow Bukit Timah Road, passing by adam rd, bukit timah plaza, hillview and ends at Ten Mile Junction.

The guy claims insider knowledge, but your guess is probably as good as his. To me, the routing seems a little strange: Newton seems an odd place to start the line (Orchard is far busier), and if the line ends at Ten Mile then there's no interchange to the North-South line in CCK.