Au t o m a t e d Pe o p l e M ov e r"Crystal Mover" for Singapore
Changi International Airport
MAKOTO KASHIWA* 1
HIROYUKI MOCHIDOME* 1
ARATA YAMAMOTO* 1

Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd. (MHI) received an order for its Crystal Mover for Changi International Airport of the Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore (CAAS), to serve as the transportation system connecting its
terminals where the newly constructed Terminal 3 is a symbol of the New Singapore Changi Airport. The newtransportation system is characterized by its innovative and futuristic vehicle design, by a unique design forconnecting to a new guideway through the retrofitting of the structure of the existing system, and by realization of
the request for a seamless transition service from the existing system to the new system, thus providing a complete system which connects all the terminals, Terminals 1 to 3. This paper reports on the new Crystal Mover andits construction process.

2. Automated People Mover (APM) System Configuration

1. Introduction
During recent years in South East Asia and East Asia,
new airports have been established and existing airports
have been expanded. These include, for example,
Bangkok New Airport and Chubu (Nagoya) Airport. The
economic development of these regions has enhanced
their network with Asian countries and also with Europe, Oceania and North America. These airports
continue to grow through the expansion of their existing
functions or the addition of new functions, and are more
comfortable and convenient air transit hubs. They arealso regional bases for efficiently connecting active traffic in Asian countries.
In 2002, the Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore(CAAS) planned to expand its airport function by constructing Terminal 3, and they selected MHI's Crystal
Mover as the transportation system between terminals.
CAAS requested at the time of adoption that the newsystem should feature innovative vehicle design, retrofitting the structures of the existing system which has
been in revenue service since 1990, and a seamless transition to the new system, which MHI has endeavored todo. Concerning the transition from the existing system
to the new one, the construction started with the retrofitting of a part of the existing system for the Interim
Operation which was then followed by further expansion to Terminal 3 for the Overall Operation. This
undertaking was the first experience of its type for MHI.
The "interim revenue service" section was started on
March 16, 2006, and entered commercial operation. The
entire system is now in the process of test runs preparatory for the expansion and handover of the completesystem in June 2007.

The Singapore Changi International Airport APM
System consists of 6,400 m of single-lane track. This
includes about 1,300 m of the retrofitted existing system. The system configuration is composed of two
independent guideway segments, PMS/North (4,100 min total length) and PMS/South (2,300 m in total length),each having an independent maintenance area. The
PMS/South provides services between Terminal 2 andTerminal 3, Terminal 3 main building and South Pierfor transit passengers moving between the terminals andpassengers after immigration clearance. The PMS/Northprovides services between Terminal 1, Terminal 2, andTerminal 3 for public passengers. This system also links
up the different airport public transport facilities, taxi
stands, subways and car parks, allowing more convenient
access to the city.
This system consists of seven stations (A-South, A, B,C, D, E, and F), each giving the name of the nearest
Figs
boarding gate for easy recognition for passengers (FigsFigs.. 12and ).
The APM Main Operation Control Center is locatedinside the maintenance office near A-South Station andthe Standby Satellite Control Center is located in thecenter of the Terminal 3 building. Either of the control
Fig. 3centers can be used to control the entire system (Fig.
3).
In the contract of this project, MHI supplies the concrete running plinths, guideways, station equipment,
power distribution system, signaling system, communication system, maintenance facilities, and designing,
manufacturing, installing and testing and commissioning of the vehicles.
Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd.
Technical Review Vol. 44 No. 2 (Jul. 2007)*1 Plant and Transportation Systems Engineering & Construction Center1A-South
Terminal 3(Underconstruction)

AB

CTerminal 1Control Tower
FE

DTerminal 2PMS/SouthPMS/North
Fig. 1 Overall layout of airport

Fig. 2 APM platform

Fig. 4 Original Crystal Mover and rendering image forChangi Airport

Fig. 3 Main operation control center

Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd.
Technical Review Vol. 44 No. 2 (Jul. 2007)

2tem complies with the Signaling and Safety Standard, while
the automatic operation system complies with the standards of the Urban Transportation System, utilizing a train
detection system based on the check-in/check-out principle
and the well proven automatic train control system.
In this APM system, as the overrun protection distance from the stopping position for the vehicle to thetrack end is short due to architectural restrictions, thesystem adopted an ORP (overrun protection system) by
Fig. 8on-board ATP (automatic train protection) (Fig.
8). Whena train enters the ORP signal aspect section, the on-board
ATP device creates the ORP control pattern in a manner
which protects the fixed-point stop control pattern by
the on-board ATO (automatic train operation) device. If
the train speed overshoots the ORP control pattern, theemergency brake is activated, safely bringing the train
to an emergency stop.
4.2 Operation control system
As the line currently in commercial operation is used
to supply and withdraw vehicles, this must be taken into
account when marshaling vehicles and operation becomes
more complicated. To realize efficient operability, a programmed route control based on selection of the startand end points has reduced the operators' burden.
Another characteristic feature regarding the operation of this system is the by-pass operation used between
10, whereTerminals 2 and 3 as shown in Figs. 9 and 10
trains are placed under synchronous control so that they

3. Crystal Mover vehicles
MHI has delivered 16 Crystal Mover vehicles toSingapore Changi Airport, ten of which are allocated toPMS/North and six to PMS/South. Five different designs
with innovative external face images derived from theoriginal Crystal Mover design were proposed to the client, who finally selected the vehicle model shown inFigFig.. 4 . MHI has developed the vehicle shown in Figs. 5,
6 , and 7 through a design process focused on faithfully
realizing the innovative and leading-edge rendering of
the original design. This vehicle was awarded the Good
Design Award 2006, instituted by the Ministry ofEconomy, Trade and Industry of Japan since 1957.
MHI can flexibility respond to a variety of operations,from a one car operation to multiple coupled-car operations, depending upon the system requirements.
Actually, a two coupled-car operation is in operation between Terminals 1 and 2, with the intention of expanding
it to a three coupled-car operation in the future.

4. Signaling/communication systems
4.1 Signaling system
In the Changi Airport APM system, the signaling sys-ATO Operation
ORP Pattem

ATP25

ORP25

Fig. 6 Vehicle for Changi Airport

Transponder

Track End

ATP Loop Limit
ORPSection
Fig. 8 Overrun protection system

Fig. 7 Vehicle interior
Station X
BypassTrain B

Train A
Station Y

Fig. 10 Bypass shuttle (photo)Fig. 9 Bypass shuttle

Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd.
Technical Review Vol. 44 No. 2 (Jul. 2007)3depart and arrive at each corresponding station at thesame time. Specifically, the station departing times aresynchronized by the count of the station dwell time which
is automatically adjusted based on the stoppage state at
the station. Also, the train speed is adjusted by ATO
which recognizes signals which are sent from the wayside control devices to the on-board control device at thetime of departure from a station so that the crossing
times in the bypass section are optimized and their arrival times are synchronized.
4.3 Communication system
A radio space wave system using three channels (voice,voice control and data transmission) on the 400 MHz frequency band in accordance with application and approvalhas been adopted for voice communication and datatransmission between vehicles and control which areespecially important for train operation. The PMS Northarea and the PMS South area each have two antennas
to cover the entire area. By using the 2.4 GHz band forthe on-board CCTV system for on-board supervision
Fig(FigFig.. 11 ) and the 5.2 GHz band for the on-board information display system, flight information, advertisements
Fig. 12etc. (Fig.
12), the radio communication system sends andreceives image data and information data between vehicles and control. For transmission of critical control
data, an optical fibre transmission device equipped withthe redundancy configuration of an optical transmission
line is located at each station, helping ensure reliability.

Fig. 11 On-board CCTV camera

Fig. 12 Flight information
2002

2003

2004

2005

2006

2007

DesignDesign Work

May. 2002

Guideway Construction
Guideway Construction
BY Other Contractor

May. 2003

DesignConstruction

Construction
22KV Energized
DC750V Energized
Vehicle Delivery
Completion Vehicle
Delivery
Installation for Interim

Dec. 2004

Installation for Overall

Dec. 2004

Installation for Phase2

Apr. 2006

Jun. 2005
Sep. 2005
Oct. 2005
Jun. 2006
InterimOverallPhase 2Test & Commissioning
Test for Interim Operation Oct. 2005

Interim
T&C Overall-Phase 2

Test for Overall Operation May. 2006
Operation
Interim Operation

Mar. 2006

Overall Operation

Jul. 2007

Interim Operation
OverallOperation

Fig. 13 Project schedule

Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd.
Technical Review Vol. 44 No. 2 (Jul. 2007)4and running plinths were removed by the client's contractor, and retrofitting including adding a parapet wallalong our guideways and alignment (side guide system)
and construction of the station were carried out. On
the other side of the tracks, commercial operation continued up to the commencement of operation of the newsystem. The retrofitting work for which the client wasresponsible started in October 2004, immediately followed by start of the installation work of the new system
Fig. 15in December 2004 (Fig.
15).
(2) Step 2
In about nine months from December 2004 to September 2005, system construction including therunning plinths, guideways, and cabling work was completed for a section of about 550 m in length. In October
2005, two Crystal Mover vehicles were lifted up andtest runs were started. After test runs which lasted tothe middle of March 2006, the interim revenue service
operation was started officially on March 16, 2006
Fig
(FigFig.. 1616). Simultaneously with the start of this interim
revenue service operation, the existing system stopped
and the new retrofitting work was started.
In parallel with this work, the construction of systems for the new guideway, the Overall (accounting for
70% of the total work), was carried out in the beginning of 2005, including construction of the runningplinths, guideways, power distribution system, signaling system, communication system, station facilities,
and maintenance facilities. After completion in July
2006, these systems are now undergoing testing andcommissioning.
(3) Step 3
Following commencement of the Interim Operation,construction work for the rest of the existing guideway
section and the new guideway section connected to theexisting guideway section were started. As of March
2007, almost all the construction has been completed
and test runs are under way. The double tracks wereexpanded to four tracks which were arranged in parallel. Test runs are now under way toward the expected
Figs. 17 and 18
handover in July 2007 (Figs.
18).

5. Construction
The construction schedule has two different phases
Figs.
14). The first phase consisted of the con(Figs. 13 and 14
struction work of the Interim Operation in which
retrofitting of the existing guideway was performed for commercial operation starting at an early date and the Overall
Operation (accounting for 70% of the total work) in which
Terminal 3 is connected to Terminals 1 and 2 after the new
guideways are built. They are referred to as Interim andOverall respectively.
The second phase consists of the construction work (accounting for 30% of the total work) utilizing the existing
system structure, which we perform by stopping the existing system after commercial operation in the Interim
Operation is started. We call this construction "Phase 2".
Two challenging missions were requested in Phase 2,
moving to the new system by utilizing the existing system
structure and speedily changing over from the existing
system to the new system without any long shutdown ofcommercial operations. The project has progressed in accordance with the construction sequence and is now in Step
3 below.
(1) Step 1
After operation on one side (inside the red frame) of
the existing double tracks was stopped, the guideways: Overall (Phase 1): Interim (in commercial operation): Phase 2CTERMINAL 3

TERMINAL 1
BDAA-SouthF

E
TERMINAL 2

Fig. 14 Entire guideway

Start of retrofitting
for new line

After retrofitting, commercial
operation started on March 16, 2006.

Commercial
operation continued

Revenue service ceased.

Fig. 16 Retrofitting existing system (Step 2)

Fig. 15 Retrofitting existing system (Step 1)

Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd.
Technical Review Vol. 44 No. 2 (Jul. 2007)5

Revenueservice

Revenue service

Constructionof new track

Retrofitting of existing track

Construction of new track
Retrofitting ofexisting track

Fig. 17 Retrofitting existing system (Step 3)

Fig. 18 Retrofitting existing system (Step 3 photo)Fig. 19 Interim revenue service

6. Interim Operation
Fig. 20 Airport passengers

The Interim Commercial Operation in the advanced
revenue operation section (between Terminals 1 and 2) wasstarted on March 16, 2006 and 14 months have passed sincethen.
Currently, the system is operated in a two-vehicle configuration using one vehicle for transit passengers and theFig. 19
other for public passengers (Fig.
19).
Each day 19.5 hours of service is available from 6:00
am to 1:30 am at intervals of about 5 minutes. In these 14
months, approximately 114,000 km has been traveled overabout 8,000 hours and the average availability has been
99.8%. This commercial operation has achieved high availability despite there being no spare vehicle available forreplacement during the interim revenue service and time
for maintenance is limited to nighttime hours. This Interim Operation will be continued up to the commencementof the overall revenue service, where it is intended thatthe interim system will be speedily replaced by the overallsystem without affecting the revenue service.

8. Conclusion
Through its flexible response to the client's requirements
and careful planning and implementation, MHI has successfully overcome restrictive conditions caused by use of
the existing systems, and has accomplished the changeoverof the systems without adversely affecting the existing system or creating a long downtime. Also with regard to thecommercial operation, it has gained trust because of its
high availability.
Now our project has reached the final stage prior tohandover of the overall system and we are endeavoring tosafely complete the work for commencement of the overall
revenue service.
It is our strong determination to continuously provide ssafe and pleasant APM system so that passengers can move
Fig. 20
enjoyably and comfortably inside the airport (Fig.
20).
Lastly, but by no means least, we would like to express
our sincere gratitude to all the parties concerned for theirguidance and the cooperation extended to us in the courseof implementation of this APM System Project.

7. Commencement of overall revenue service
Currently, the Interim Operation is continuing and, on
completion of the newly constructed Terminal 3, full-scalecommercial operation will commence. When the overall
revenue service starts, each station will be connected by a
shuttle service operated for 24 hours in three different
patterns, Peak mode, Off-peak mode, and On-call mode,
according to the number of passengers using the airport.

Makoto Kashiwa

Hiroyuki Mochidome

Arata Yamamoto

Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd.
Technical Review Vol. 44 No. 2 (Jul. 2007)6