Prasarana ramps up efforts to improve LRT reliability

PETALING JAYA: Prasarana Malaysia Bhd is stepping up efforts to improve Light Rail Transit (LRT) reliability through round-the-clock maintenance, closer supplier engagement and the introduction of 26 new train sets for the Kelana Jaya Line.

The measures aim to address technical problems affecting train operations and improve the passenger experience.

Prasarana acting president and group chief executive officer Dr Prodyut Dutt acknowledged that the Kelana Jaya line had faced greater reliability challenges this year.

From January to August, the line recorded one incident for every 749km travelled, compared with one incident for every 1,066km during the same period last year.

"There is no denying the fact that we are having more incidents this year than we had last year. On the Kelana Jaya line, that represents a deterioration of about 30 per cent," he said.

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In contrast, the Ampang line and Monorail recorded performance improvements of 20 per cent and 80 per cent respectively.

Dutt said prioritising the Kelana Jaya line was crucial as it carried the highest passenger volume, at 290,000 people daily.

He said 90 per cent of disruptions on the line stemmed from rolling stock issues, with two-thirds triggered by the automated emergency braking safety system.

The system activates automatically when onboard tachometer sensors, which monitor train wheel speeds, detect discrepancies of more than five per cent. Cable wear and track vibrations can affect the sensors and contribute to these discrepancies.

Dutt said the issue was linked to the operating characteristics of the line's linear induction motor (LIM) system, which has been in service since 1998.

"The design characteristic of a LIM system is that the braking is naturally very hard. Overseas operators using the same system, such as in Vancouver, face the same issues with tachometers and emergency braking."

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However, Dutt said converting or replacing the LIM system entirely was not feasible as doing so would require the replacement of the power supply, signalling, trackwork and civil infrastructure. Prasarana, therefore, had to work within the system's existing design parameters.

On the condition of the fleet, he said the Kelana Jaya line operated 74 trains across three generations, including 26 first-generation four-car train sets that had been in service for more than 17 years.

An assessment found that overhauling trains aged 15 years would cost almost 90 per cent of the price of a new unit. This prompted Prasarana to order 26 new train sets worth more than RM1 billion from Chinese manufacturer CRRC Corporation Ltd.

The first new trains are scheduled to arrive in March 2029, with two sets expected to be delivered each month thereafter.

While the new fleet is expected to support long-term improvements, Dutt said Prasarana was also implementing interim measures and engineering interventions to stabilise operations before the trains arrived.

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"That is why we are aggressively implementing interim measures and engineering interventions to stabilise operations."

Prasarana has also worked with CRRC to refine the braking profile of the new trains during the final design review, aiming to ensure smoother deceleration and improve passenger comfort.

To ease the immediate strain, Prasarana has introduced round-the-clock maintenance operations across its depots and specialised workshops to inspect, service and repair train systems.

During a recent visit to its facilities, a first-hand look at the operations was provided, including intensive maintenance work in the electrical, door system and main repair workshops.

However, Dutt said global supply chain bottlenecks remained a challenge, with critical components such as tachometers facing lead times of eight to 12 months. This had prompted senior engineering teams to meet suppliers directly to expedite orders.

"Cost is not the issue because the government has been very supportive through government guarantees and approved five-year funding programmes. Our main challenge is the lead time for spare parts."

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He added that a major overhaul of the train bogies - the heavy undercarriage structures housing the wheels, suspension and braking systems - on the nine-year-old third-generation trains was scheduled to begin in June or July next year.

To minimise the impact of service disruptions on passengers, Prasarana is refining its contingency measures. These include turning trains back at selected locations to reduce congestion at key stations, isolating affected track sections, operating shuttle services and deploying feeder buses.

Dutt said passenger communication was also being strengthened through one-way WhatsApp broadcast alerts for registered users.

The presence of auxiliary police, station officers and Prasarana Troopers is also being increased on station platforms and in concourses to help manage passenger flow. Bernama