Trains /

Siemens C651 (SIE)

The Siemens C651 trains are the second generation of electric multiple unit (EMU) rolling stock model for the North-South and East-West MRT lines (NSEWL).

Nineteen trains of six cars were purchased and have been in passenger service since 2 May 1995. The trains are currently housed at the Bishan, Ulu Pandan, Changi and Tuas train depots.

The C651 trains are also renowned for their propulsion system, which produces melodious sounds on acceleration and braking and was highly efficient when it entered service in 1995.

These trains are the first Singapore MRT trains to be pre-installed with a sensor-equipped public address (PA) system that automatically adjusts its volume in a crowded train with high noise levels.

An event recorder, similar to an aircraft's black box, is also pre-installed to record the C651 train's speed and brake control to quickly help detect causes of breakdowns and other incidents.

The C651 trains had entered passenger service with the legacy Westinghouse FS2000 fixed-block signalling system, capable of semi-automated operations with operational input from train captains.

Utilising the Thales SelTrac Communications-Based Train Control (CBTC) signalling system, the C651 trains are now capable of fully automated operations with a train captain manning on board.

The C651 trains receive power through its current collector shoes, electrified by the third-rail electrification system alongside the running rails.

These trains are being decommissioned since 2020 and to be replaced by the Alstom Movia R151.

History
Lines
Design
Features
Modifications
Gallery
Technical Specs
Related Links

At a Glance

Siemens C651

North-South Line

East-West Line

Built 1994 - 1995
Decommissioning from 2020

19 trains of 6 cars each, numbered 201/202 to 237/238

History

Contract 651 for the design and building of 19 new trains for the North-South and East-West MRT lines was awarded by the Mass Rapid Transit Corporation (MRTC) to German train manufacturer Siemens Aktiengesellschaft (AG) in August 1992 at a value of S$259 million.

These trains were procured to supplement the six-station Woodlands extension of the North-South Line (NSL), which opened on 10 February 1996. The increase in rail length meant that more trains were needed to maintain train frequencies.

Siemens AG manufactured the C651 trains at the Siemens Simmering-Graz-Pauker (SGP) Verkehrstechnik GmbH manufacturing plant in Vienna, Austria.

The first of 19 C651 trains arrived in Singapore on 20 September 1994 and underwent testing and commissioning works. The first C651 trains entered passenger service on 2 May 1995 and were touted by the media to be an improved train compared to the first generation Kawasaki Heavy Industries C151, with new features such as scratch and stain-resistant exterior paint, energy-saving propulsion system, improved air-conditioning system, shock-absorbent wheels, and couplers that can better withstand impacts.

Refurbishment and Upgrading

Voice Synthesisers

In early 1996, the C651 trains were fitted with Voice Synthesisers developed in-house by SMRT Trains, replacing manual announcements of stations made by train captains. The system emits clear and precise announcements, such as station calls and directions on changing trains at MRT interchanges. This comes after prototypes and early iterations of an automatic train-borne message announcement system were unveiled by SMRT Trains between 1990 and 1992.

SMRT Active Route Map Information System

In mid-2010, the C651 trains were installed with the SMRT Active Route Map Information System (STARiS), first announced in November 2008 and developed in-house by SMRT Trains, which includes a light-emitting diode (LED) dynamic route map above each train door and textual vacuum florescent displays (VFD).

Thales Re-Signalling Project

Between September and December 2016, all C651 trains were upgraded to be equipped with the Thales SelTrac Communications-Based Train Control moving-block signalling system under the Re-Signalling Project of Contracts 1652A and 1652B, awarded by SMRT Trains and Land Transport Authority on 1 February 2012.

Following the upgrade, two seats at both ends of the C651 train are replaced with a signalling box to house the new signalling equipment ‐ the Vehicle On-Board Controller (VOBC) ‐ configured in hot standby. The Vehicle On-Board Controller at the front is usually the active one, with the rear one in a passive state, providing redundancy should one end fail by seamlessly switching to the other available Vehicle On-Board Controller.

Mid-Life Refurbishment Programme

The C651 trains were scheduled to undergo the Mid-Life Refurbishment Programme from 2016 to 2018. Together with new interior fittings and an exterior makeover, the refurbished C651 trains would have new or refurbished train sub-systems: air conditioning, electric doors, brakes, auxiliary power system, and propulsion system.

Together with the refurbishment programme, the C651 trains would have been installed with the energy-efficient Permanent Magnet Synchronous Motors (PMSM) supplied by Toshiba, replacing the original gate turn-off thyristor with variable voltage variable frequency (GTO-VVVF) propulsion motors from Siemens.

With the new motors, power consumption was expected to be cut by 30 per cent, operating noise levels to be reduced by up to 12 decibels, and the operating efficiency of the trains will be increased. The first refurbished C651 train was expected to be completed in early 2017, and all 19 trains were expected to be completed by mid-2018.

SMRT announced on 16 September 2018 that the mid-life refurbishment programme of the Siemens C651 trains was halted and discontinued.

Replacement and Decommissioning of C651 trains

The Land Transport Authority (LTA) announced the replacement of the C651 and third generation Kawasaki Heavy Industries & Nippon Sharyo C751B trains with the Alstom Movia R151 trains on 28 September 2020, on top of the initial announcement to only replace the first generation C151 trains on 25 July 2018.

The first C651 train decommissioned from its approximately 25-year service in late 2020. As of September 2024, only three of the 19 C651 trains remain in passenger service.

Exterior

The C651 trains carry a bright exterior livery: a white background, with a red band down the middle. It is coated with a scratch-resistant acrylic finish.

The train numbers are displayed on an electronic green flip-dot display at the top of the right windscreen.

There are three colour schemes in the train cars, with each colour applied to two cars of the train.

From the train ends to the middle cars, they are coloured mandarin orange, porcelain blue and emerald green.

Emergency Communication Button

Emergency Communication Buttons are located at the side of the train doors to contact the train staff in an emergency.

Emergency Exits

Emergency exits are located at both ends of the train.

The emergency exit ramp will be deployed in an emergency.

High-Friction Flooring

High-friction flooring is installed at every doorway to prevent passengers from slipping when entering or exiting the train.

Overhead Hand Grips

A single row of hand grips is positioned along the aisles of the train cabins to provide standing passengers with increased support.

STARiS

SMRT Active Route Map Information System (STARiS) is installed in all C651 trains.

It provides commuters with their route information throughout their journey, and indicates which side the doors will open.

Additional Grab Poles

Two additional single vertical poles were placed in the centre to encourage passengers to utilise the space in the centre of the car.

This programme is experimented in train car 2238.

Modification of Handrails

Two variations of special non-slip flooring is experimented in train cars 2237 and 1237.

Modified Flooring

Two variations of special non-slip flooring is experimented in train cars 2237 and 1237.

Padded Bum Rests

Seats in the middle of the car were removed and were replaced by green bum rests with a soft finish to provide more standing space.

These bum rests were eventually removed.

Stand-Back Area

Three seats per row in the second and fifth cars were removed to provide more standing area beside the doors.

This programme is experimented in the blue cars of selected C651 trains.

Triplicated Grab Poles

Regular grab poles in the centre were replaced by triplicated grab poles.

Three variations of triplicated grab poles were experimented in selected C651 trains, but only one design remains.

Gallery

C651 train exterior

Siemens C651 (SIE) train: Interior (Mandarin Orange).

C651 train interior (Mandarin Orange)

Siemens C651 (SIE) train: Interior (Porcelain Blue).

C651 train interior (Porcelain Blue)

Siemens C651 (SIE) train: (Emerald Green).

C651 train interior (Emerald Green)

C651 train doorway

Siemens C651 (SIE) train: Gangway Connector.

C651 train gangway connector

Siemens C651 (SIE) train: Ends of the train prior to the re-signalling programme.

C651 train prior to the re-signalling programme; the ends of the train do not have a signalling box

Technical Specifications

DT: Driving Trailer (unpowered); M1/M2: Motor car

Manufacturer: Siemens SGP Verkehrstechnik GmbH
Number Built: 114 cars (19 trains)
Train Numbers: 201/202 - 237/238
Car Body Construction: Aluminium-alloy double-skinned construction
Traction Control: GTO-VVVF (Siemens)
Line Voltage: 750 V DC (nominal) from third rail
Gauge: Standard gauge (1,435 mm)
Maximum Speed: 90 km/h (design)
80 km/h (service)

Train Length: 138.5 m (6 cars)
Car Length: 23.65 m (DT)
22.8 m (M1/M2)
Width: 3.2 m
Height: 3.69 m
Train Weight: 214 t (tare condition/unladen)
323 t (fully laden)
Doors: 1.45 m wide, 8 per car
Seating Capacity: 372 seats (unmodified)

The following is a list to other resources with additional information on this topic.

Running Status of NSEWL Trains SGTrains
$290 million contracts for Woodlands MRT line The Straits Times, 16 August 1992, Page 17
Clearer messages, smoother rides on Woodlands trains The Straits Times, 14 December 1992, Page 26
Quick News - Catch of the Day: Better Service The New Paper, 14 December 1992, Page 4
'Next stop, Bishan station' — now by voice synthesizers The Straits Times, 16 September 1994, Page 2
Improved MRT train for a better ride arrives The Straits Times, 21 September 1994, Page 3
New MRT trains The New Paper, 21 September 1994, Page 4
MRTC buys 19 underground trains The Straits Times, 22 December 1994, Page 39
明年农历新年前通车兀兰地铁列车有‘黑箱’ (Woodlands MRT line will open before next year's Chinese New Year, trains have 'black boxes') Xin Ming Ri Bao, 5 July 1995, Page 3
供兀兰地铁延线使用新列车具有更多优点 (New MRT trains used on Woodlands line are more beneficial) Lianhe Zaobao, 7 July 1995, Page 9
Test runs on Woodlands line The Straits Times, 15 August 1995, Page 2
New wheels to cut the squeals on MRT trains The Straits Times, 4 October 1995, Page 3
Electrical Equipment for Mass Transit Rolling Stock Siemens AG, 1995, Page 82
SGP Verkehrstechnik GmbH Jane's Urban Transport Systems 1995-96, Page 430
Siemens Aktiengesellschaft Jane's Urban Transport Systems 1995-96, Page 431
Experimental features for new-generation MRT trains: Lean rests, more hand grips, bench-seats for new trains? The Straits Times, 10 February 1996, Page 3
More bum rests and grab poles in five more trains The Straits Times, 8 November 1997, Page 51
MRT trains to get active map system The Straits Times, 8 November 2008, Page 41
SMRT unveils $12m train information system The Business Times, 8 November 2008, Page 16
Metro System, MRTC, Six-Car Units, Singapore Siemens AG via Internet Archive
Siemens SGP: Production Die Eisenbahnen in Österreich via Internet Archive
Toshiba to Supply Energy Efficient Propulsion System to Railise Pte. Ltd. Toshiba Infrastructure Systems & Solutions Corporation via Internet Archive
SMRT Upgrades Older Trains on the North-South and East-West Lines SMRT Blog via Internet Archive
SMRT's 20-year-old trains to be upgraded to boost reliability The Straits Times via Internet Archive
20-year-old SMRT trains get upgrades The Straits Times via Internet Archive
Bombardier to Supply 66 New Trains for North-South and East-West Lines Land Transport Authority via Internet Archive
SMRT决定停止第二代地铁列车中期翻新工程 (SMRT halts mid-life refurbishment of second generation trains) Lianhe Zaobao via Internet Archive
LTA Buys 40 New Trains for the North-South and East-West Lines Land Transport Authority via Internet Archive