Then and now We revisit projects featured in previous issues of our magazine, and update you with the latest news and developments Full speed ahead for the Klang Valley MRT With a fanfare, and a speech by Malaysias Prime Minister, the second phase of the Klang Valley Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) Line1 urban light rail link officially opened for business on 17 July 2017. The launch of the second part of the line followed the successful opening of phase 1 in December. Both began operating two weeks ahead of schedule. Working behind the scenes as a technical and programme adviser to the client, MRT Corporation, was an SNCLavalin team. It was delighted with the early go live date and the role it played in helping deliver part of Kuala Lumpars new public transport backbone. The Klang Valley MRT line is a joint venture project, and has taken six years to complete. It is ultimately capable of carrying up to 40,000 passengers per hour in each direction. The line has some state-of-the-art features, according to Systems Director Dan Baicoianu, of theSNC-Lavalin project team. For instance, passenger information systems inside the MRTtrains use dynamic route displays, and wi-fi isavailable in the underground stations and the 10km tunnels. One safety feature is automatic platform screen doors, full-height on the underground stations and halfheight on above-ground stations, meaning people cannot fall or jump on the track. Particular attention was also paid to disabled access to stations and trains, including provisions for wheelchair evacuation from anywhere along the 51km of viaducts and tunnels, said Dan. SNC-Lavalin oversaw aspects of the project including the power, signalling, rolling stock, communications, and testing and commissioning. Eglinton LRT takes shape above and below ground Former Kodak building no: 9 is moved on rails as part of the ongoing Eglinton Crosstown LRT project Canadas largest P3 (public-private partnership) transport project has been taking substantial steps forward in recent months. The first tracks for the Eglinton Crosstown Light Rail Transit (LRT) project were laid outside the newmaintenance and storage facility during August, and Mount Dennis the westernmost passenger station will resemble the finished building within months. Construction teams were working to close in the Eglinton Maintenance and Storage Facility (EMSF) the projects nerve centre before the winter and its final completion in summer 2018. By next autumn, the project aims to take delivery of the first rolling stock for testing. Another goal is to have 90 per cent of station designs at their final issued for construction status by January 2018. The 10km of tunnels for the underground section of the 19km line, set to open for passengers in 2021, were completed more than a year ago. Attention is now on creating the 10 new stops that will be built at surface (grade) level along the route, as well as the underground station boxes. Hoardings are visible along the route of the newLRT on Eglinton Avenue, along with large piling machines. Viewed from the air, the completed portals from which trains will emerge to reach grade level, are an impressive sight. Some complex engineering decisions have had to be made, including moving the former Kodak Building 9 by 80 metres on specially constructed tracks, to make way for excavation work for Mount Dennis Station. Following an assessment of the challenges, the four-storey, 3,000 tonne, 150-foot long heritage building was carefully jacked up, its concrete supporting columns cut and it was temporarily moved to the north. Award-winning TAS app makes its mark Timetable Advisory System (TAS), SNC-Lavalins app, is evolving helped by feedback from more than 1,000 registered train drivers who use it every day. The award-winning app, delivered via a tablet easily installed in the drivers cab, enables train operators to deliver fuel savings and give smoother journeys for passengers while being intuitive to use. It helps drivers manage their journeys better without being a hindrance. TAS places more emphasis on the knowledge and skills of the train driver than other solutions, and new features include collecting data for operators to map rough riding where parts of the network are less thansmooth and where delays to journeys may be happening. SNC-Lavalin has also introduced a livemonitoring capability enabling operators to gain a view of the railways heartbeat where theirvehicles are on the network and where any issues occur. Data is also being collected from TAS that will benefit other staff involved in the running of railway operations in future, such as driver-managers, whose main concern is passenger satisfaction and their experience of the journey. While the core benefits of TAS are centred on fuel savings and smoother journeys, the app will become increasingly useful as the UKs railways move closer towards the government vision of a digital connected network, which will rely heavily on the intelligent use of data. Richard will be one of a panel including internationally renowned architects, experts on urban, landscape and inclusion, along with brand, digital, product and sustainability gurus. He will not provide comment on rolling stock matters. snclavalin.com