RAPID Rail Sdn Bhd has introduced its first “married” four-car train fleet, which is assembled from its older two-car train, to improve service.
Rapid Rail chief executive officer Datuk Zohari Sulaiman said this would increase passenger load, and reduce waiting time.
“We cut off the front ends of two two-car sets and put them together to transform them into a four-car set and added new features.
“These two-car sets have been in operations since 1998 and were due for mid-life refurbishment,” he said in a statement.
Rapid Rail is a subsidiary of Prasarana Malaysia Bhd (Prasarana).
Zohari said the four-car train fleet, which could ferry up to 976 passengers at one time, would be delivered in stages between next year and 2020.
He said a pre-operation test involved 2,000km of travel before the new four-car train was fully offered for the public.
“It is an historic day for Rapid Rail, the key members of the project team Prasarana Integrated Management and Engineering Services (Prime) and Prasarana.”
Zohari said the four-car trains would ensure more comfort.
“Passengers will have a more pleasant journey with the enhanced features.”
These features include a dynamic route map to indicate the direction of the passenger’s destination, apart from having vibrant signages.
Other highlights are a rail lubricator system to reduce noise between rail and wheel interface, new LED lighting including a Passenger Information System for infotainment, four units of close-circuit camera and designated wheelchair area for the disabled in each car.
He said the project involved rectification, upgrading work, coupling 34 sets of two-car train fleets to form 17 sets of four-car train and improving the wayside systems.
By 2020, he said, the Rapid KL LRT Kelana Jaya Line would be fully serviced by all four-car trains: 17 sets of “married” four-car trains sets, 35 of existing four-car sets, and 14 sets of new KLAV four-car trains.
“There will be no more travelling on two-car trains,” he said, adding that, with the changes, Rapid KL could meet the requirement of providing services with a two-minute frequency.
The mid-life refurbishment project is contracted to Bombadier Hartasuma Consortium (BHC) and managed by Prime. The testing and commissioning were carried out by BHC with participation from Prime, Rapid Rail and Consulting Engineer, with close supervision by the Land Public Transport Commission.