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FEBRUARY 2019 A ‘RAIL’ ON-DEMAND SMARTER LOVE PUBLIC BUS: JOURNEYS FOR TRAINS HAIL A RIDE WITH WITH DIGITAL YOUR MOBILE PHONE! SERVICES RAIL ENGINEERING’S FANTASTIC FOUR S T A N D A C H A N C E T O W I N P R I Z E S W O R T H $ 4 0 ! RAIL ENGINEERING’S FANTASTIC FOUR In 1999, four engineers from the Land Transport Authority (LTA) were featured in Chinese daily Lianhe Zaobao. They were lauded as key figures of Singapore’s rail engineering who joined the then Mass Rapid Transit Corporation (MRTC) in the 80s as young engineers and dedicated themselves to the development of Singapore’s rail system. Lianhe Zaobao © Singapore Press Holdings Limited. Reprinted with permission. Press Lianhe Zaobao © Singapore 1999 2019 Source: 10 years is too easy for these stalwarts #LTA20YearChallenge Twenty years on, after more than three decades on the job, they are the steady stalwarts who have steered Singapore’s rail system For the quartet, each career through all its significant milestones. They helped to shape the spans over three decades, a nation’s transport network, from breaking new ground with driverless trains on the North East Line (NEL) and ground freezing feat that shows commitment on the upcoming Thomson-East Coast Line (TEL), to extending to their job. the rail network with the Downtown Line (DTL), TEL and the upcoming Cross Island Line (CRL). Rail engineering’s Fantastic Four – Chua Chong Kheng, Sim Wee Meng, Ng Kee Nam, and Ow Chun Nam – share insights into the Today, they are still in service and tirelessly improving highs and lows of their careers, their most memorable projects, connectivity for commuters. They also walk alongside a new lessons learnt and how they have striven to provide the best transport batch of young engineers, imparting their wisdom to the experience for commuters. next generation who will eventually take over the helm of Singapore’s land transport system. CHUA CHONG KHENG DEPUTY CHIEF EXECUTIVE (INFRASTRUCTURE & DEVELOPMENT) BREAKING NEW GROUND Autonomous vehicles might be the hot topic in recent years, but few realise that Singapore already had one up and running years ago, in its rail system. The North East Line (NEL) boasts many firsts. Opened in 2003, it is the world’s first fully automated and driverless high- capacity rapid transit line, and the first MRT line to run entirely underground. One of the men behind the ground- breaking line is Chua Chong Kheng, who was then NEL’s senior project manager. “There were many ‘firsts’ with the NEL. It was the first line with an integrated control system and also the first to use an off-site facility “It was the first-ever planned MRT service Chong Kheng is always on the lookout for disruption. And the project involved a ideas to improve the commuting experience. with a customised few weekends where we had to work 52 Other noteworthy projects under his belt test track built for hours non-stop, starting on Friday night include installing giant fans at above-ground and re-opening service on Monday,” says train platforms, such as at Pioneer station, to us in France.” Chong Kheng. help commuters stay cool, and retrofitting platform screen doors to enhance commuters’ The NEL project, he adds, “provided a The team took two years to plan it and to safety and reduce track intrusions. ‘base’ for the subsequent implementation make sure work would be executed safely. of similar fully automated systems for the “There’s never a dull moment,” he Circle and Downtown lines. We broke a Furthermore, there were inclement weather observes about his work. lot of ground and it was a bold move at conditions to deal with. “On one Sunday, the time.” we had to stop work for 4 to 5 hours due to lightning. It was nerve wracking, and we “I always encourage DRIVEN TO SUCCEED worked until the last minute.” young engineers to Like the NEL, Chong Kheng is a man think out of the box. of many “firsts”. Another milestone Despite the Herculean task of the project that he led was the Jurong East upgrading work, the LTA team completed We should not always Modification Project (JEMP) in 2011, where it safely and on time. a train platform was added at Jurong think that what’s there East MRT station to ease crowding, and The success of JEMP, he says, gave them cannot be changed, or additional tracks added to separate the a blueprint for similar future projects, North-South and East-West line operations. such as a new platform planned for that it’s good enough. It was the first time train service had to be Tanah Merah station in 2024. There is always a better disrupted for upgrading work. way of doing things.” Upon returning home in 1978, however, his Many contractors were based overseas SIM WEE MENG first job was with the Public Utilities Board and had to call in to the discussions,” he SENIOR GROUP DIRECTOR (RAIL) where he worked on laying cables that explains. “If software patches were required, supplied power to new towns. He later joined the offshore contractors were required to a consulting firm, designing power systems. examine the logs and provide software FULFILLING HIS PASSION patches the following day.” For Sim Wee Meng, being a rail engineer But building a rail system remained a was written in the stars. As a child, he dream. And the chance to fulfill it came His hard-nosed approach and perseverance enjoyed dismantling moving parts and was in 1982, when he answered a recruitment paid off. With close cooperation, intense curious to find out how things worked. advertisement in the newspapers for effort and great teamwork, Singapore’s – electrical engineers to build Singapore’s and the world’s – first fully automatic steel “I liked to tinker with mechanical objects, MRT system. wheel and steel rail MRT system was ready and was always intrigued by moving for its trial run in May 2003, to Mr Sim’s parts, such as those of a bicycle or clock,” He got the job, and worked on constructing great relief. he recalls, adding with a laugh, “I would the North-South and East-West lines, dismantle a clock to see how it worked, Singapore’s first and second MRT lines. “You must be passionate about your and get a scolding when I could not put it work, get your hands dirty and be back together.” “I told my former employer, ‘I am resigning. prepared to work long hours to learn the I want to fulfil something that I’ve been trade. You can’t get far if you only work Mr Sim, as he is known to everyone in LTA, telling myself to.’ They were surprised from 9 to 5.” attended a technical school before heading because I had to take a pay cut. But I said I To young engineers, his advice is: to the University of Glasgow to study had made up my mind.” electrical and electronic engineering. This steely resolve is evident in Mr Sim’s “It will be rewarding As a student, he rode the London Tube approach to tough jobs. Mr Sim recalls at the end of the day. and was impressed with the system. facing many complex issues getting core systems to work together during the final You will see a product testing stage for the NEL, which he says is that can serve the “I told myself that his biggest challenge to date. if Singapore had a community for a long “Every night, after completion of planned time. Your work will metro system, I would testing at around midnight, the project team want to be part of the and contractors would huddle together on the touch the lives of top floor of Sengkang Depot to go through many.” team to build it.” the list of failed tests and work out solutions. The project remains etched in his mind “New stations will be sited near NG KEE NAM today. There were some technical residential areas and businesses. GROUP DIRECTOR, THOMSON-EAST challenges but it was extremely rewarding This means we have to either under- COAST & CROSS ISLAND LINES (CIVIL) for Kee Nam to see the benefits the station cross or over-cross these structures, and brought to whole communities. look for innovative solutions to lessen the impact on the surroundings while TRANSFORMING THE LANDSCAPE “The viaduct between Sembawang protecting the environment.” Today’s Sembawang is a bustling and Admiralty stations traversed thick residential town in northern Singapore. vegetation and farmlands,” he recalls. “Conventional ways may not work But Kee Nam still remembers the rural “There were many wild dogs, and we anymore. So we must look into backwater of the past. could only reach the area using four- innovative solutions and be bold to try wheel drive vehicles.” new ways of doing things. An example Once dotted with farms, it was also would be our use of ground freezing home to a British naval base. Even up technology,” Kee Nam adds, referring till the 1970s, there were hardly any “It is a thriving to the method of using ice walls to amenities there. town now, and I stabilise the earth in the tunnelling of the Thomson-East Coast Line. Sembawang was a blank canvas, and Kee am glad to have Nam was one of the artists who would been involved in Training, he believes, cannot be just breathe new life into the area. He was about theory. “Besides spending time part of the project team that built the this transformation with younger engineers, I invite them to Sembawang MRT station in 1992, which of the Singapore ask questions, test them and let them take altered the landscape for good.

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