Hitachi small-type monorail (Sentosa Express)

Hitachi small-type monorail (Sentosa Express)
In service	15 January 2007 – Present
Manufacturer	Hitachi Asia
Number built	14 cars (7 trainsets)
Operators	STRIDES
Line(s) served	Sentosa Express
Technical Data
Car body	Welded Aluminium
Doors	2 per car
Electrification	750 V DC third rail
Track gauge	Beam guideway

The Hitachi small-type monorail (Sentosa Express) is a straddle-type monorail operating on the Sentosa Express. Entering service in January 2007, these two-car trains are the sole rolling stock operating on the line, with a total of 7 trainsets currently in operation.

The Hitachi small-type Monorail system was adopted for the construction of the Sentosa Express, over the medium-type and large-type systems also offered by Hitachi. In the two-car configuration, the train has a maximum capacity of around 154 passengers, with an operator’s cab at both ends.

Background

The Small-type Monorail System was developed by Hitachi of Japan for compact and cost-effective urban monorail solutions, ideal for small and medium-sized cities, where passenger demand along transit corridors is similar to that designated for Light Rail Transit (LRT). The System can tackle steep gradients and tight curves, and its elevated beam guideways appear far less obtrusive than large viaducts required for other modes of transit.

Trains operate on dedicated grade-separated guideways and are rubber-tyred for minimized operating noise and vibration. Each trainset comprises 2 carriages permanently coupled together via an articulated joint.

History

The first trains entered service on 15 January 2007 with the opening of the Sentosa Express. Originally equipped with just 4 trainsets, 2 more were procured in 2009 to cope with increasing passenger demand.

Sometime in 2011, text displays were installed on trains to improve commuter wayfinding (specifically: SMRT STARiS Vacuum Fluorescent Displays). These were replaced by orange LED displays several years later.

On 19 November 2014, Hitachi was awarded a S$30 million contract with Sentosa Development Corporation (SDC) to enhance the capability of the Sentosa Express light rail system. This involved upgrading the line with new communications-based train control (CBTC) and the delivery of one additional trainset, for a total of 7 trains on the Sentosa Express. This was completed in 2017.

Current Design

The exterior of the seven Hitachi small-type monorails are each painted in a different color scheme: Red, Orange, Yellow, Green, Blue, Purple and Pink.

Train Interior

Train Formation

The Hitachi small-type monorail train comprises two end-cars permanently coupled with a gangway connection in between. All trains are based out of the Sentosa Express depot next to Beach station, which also stables maintenance vehicles.

Gallery:

External Links & References

• Hitachi Small-Type Monorail (Sentosa Express) – Wikipedia
• Hitachi Small-Type Monorail (Sentosa Express) – SGTrains
• New Solution for Urban Traffic: Small-type Monorail System (PDF)
• Monorail Systems – Hitachi
• Hitachi secures contract to upgrade the Sentosa Express with its internationally-certified Wireless Signaling System (CBTC)and an additional train – Hitachi
• Singapore Sentosa Express concludes monorail maintenance business with Daegu in Korea – International Internet Journal
• Making significant STRIDES in Sentosa – STRIDES

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