What Happens To Retired MRT Trains? How Singapore Gives Them New Life

In 2023, the Land Transport Authority (LTA) of Singapore decommissioned about twelve 1st- to 3rd-generation fleets of North-South and East-West Lines trains to make way for newer train models.

About 2,600 tonnes of train parts were disposed of - but LTA has been finding ways to reuse these parts to cut waste and keep the trains’ history alive.

00:00 Introduction
00:30 Why do trains get decommissioned?
00:42 Taking apart a 138m-long train
00:59 How trains get transported by road at night
01:22 Train enthusiasts bid goodbye
01:44 When do trains get a mid-life upgrade?
02:55 Setting up a ‘train cabin’ in a nursing home
04:55 Community projects that upcycle old train parts
05:51 How to get hold of old train parts

#Trainenthusiasts #Retiredtrains #Decommissionedtrains #Refurbishedtrains #Singapore #Trains

Also watch:
SMRT Rail Sleeper Replacement: A Race Against Time
5-year-old Kid Takes The MRT Alone

For more, SUBSCRIBE to CNA INSIDER!

Follow CNA INSIDER on:

[_snaps]

didn’t expect CNA to make a documentary about this. it’s super well made and I’m incredibly happy that they actually made a video about this seemingly unknown process. good job CNA!

[axantransportproductions]

Yes please make arrangements to donate/sell decommissioned train parts to members of the public. We transport enthusiasts are more than willing to snag these and like mentioned in the video, it reduces wastage. It can create a supply-demand as more trains get scrapped and great revenue for SMRT/SBST/LTA.

[RomanTommy]

I'm 54 and my wife and I are VERY worried about our future, gas and food prices rising daily. We have had our savings dwindle with the cost of living into the stratosphere, and we are finding it impossible to replace them. We can get by, but can't seem to get ahead. My condolences to anyone retiring in this crisis, 30 years nonstop just for a crooked system to take all you worked for.

[SGrailadventure]

Wow, I'm surprised and did not expect that CNA did this documentary video about decommissioning of trains! (Outside of the 'Third Rail' drama, which is not counted although 095/096 has been scrapped afterwards) Trains play a important part of the nation's development and Singapore is no exception especially since our rail network is expanding endlessly, currently the R151 trains are being introduced as a replacement for older trains to continue their legacy forward with better technologies. At least, several KNS decommissioned trains are being preserved for other uses which is great since KNS is a unique train model most people (including me) likes and comfortable to ride is the basis for the newer trains including underground lines

[sgpublictransport]

I was not expecting this, but thank you CNA for producing this! We are train enthusiasts, we preserve the trains through videos and photos

[BYDZ]

Good way to make use of old parts instead of disposing them!

[NetITGeeks]

Well done Singapore for doing all this work to recycle and upcycle these used parts from trains!

[opsgxsk]

thank you CNA for publishing such a well made video for our trains

[SGE]

we are train enthusiasts, and our job is to preserve our beloved old mrt trains!

[sgbuses]

Singapore needs a place to properly preserve its transport history. Every other World City has it, along with a proper museum - London, New York, Tokyo, Sydney, Hong Kong. Singapore can't be and will never be considered a World City if society doesn't think seriously how to preserve its history and heritage. The newly built training testing facility in Tuas could easily be a place allocated for such purposes. Just one car of C151, C651, and C751B each parked at the facility and looked after minimally is more than enough. Singapore's way for preserving things is more or less an commercial afterthought and I have not seen one train or bus preservation project locally that is not repurposed for some commercial activity and fully appreciates its heritage value. Also, trains these days are built more like iPhones and I doubt they would last as long as the first generation trains due to the aluminum material and the complexity of these electronics.

[Jay-rucw]

Love this video! Thanks for showing us the glimpse of how the older trains are being decommissioned. Hope to see more efforts in reducing waste through innovative ideas with different stakeholders and public. Well done team!

[phyliciayeo]

Fantastic video and fantastic repurpose of the train parts! Out of the box indeed especially to the nursing home!

[mlvp]

Enjoyed this one CNA/LTA! Congratulations for great snippets and insights.

[bd]

Thanks for serving us for the last 3 decades ❤

[pehclark]

CNA actually made interesting content leh. Good job, this type of info I love.

[misek_limbu]

I was a singaporean back then but I still feel like retiring these trains are kinda sad because they’re too iconic to Singapore and deserve to stay in the railway for abit longer

[stargazeronesixseven]

😊🙏 OMG! Love those older more melodious chime sounds of MRT train doors closing or the SBS or Trans-Island buses' stop signal chime sounds with their pretty purple-pink lights of the 1990s ... Brought back so many fond memories of the 1990s & early 2000s when Internet & Smartphones were not part of our lives yet ... Thank You So Much CNA for the efforts & for sharing! 😊🙏

[SBSA_PRODUCTIONS]

Japan's retired mrt trains gets scrapped and used to have new models same as singapore and a train called R151 debuted in the North South line

[Techno-Universal]

The metal handrails could also be reused as door handles or as grab rails on stairs! :)

[bobbywoo]

Have seen some seats in my neighborhood void decks. Well done.