MTR East Rail Line Hyundai Rotem Rolling Stock

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## MTR East Rail Line Hyundai Rotem Rolling Stock

### Other Name(s)

R-Stock, R-Train, R車, 泡菜車, 九家姐, Oppa Train

## Technical Information

### Length

25,000mm (D-Cars)
24,136mm (Other)

### Capacity

3754

The **MTR East Rail Line Hyundai Rotem Rolling Stock** is an AC commuter electric train purchased by MTR Corporation from the South Korean manufacturer Hyundai Rotem Co., Ltd. Among the new trains that MTR has put into service since 2011, it is the only train that is not manufactured by a member of CRRC.

## Overview

The Hyundai Rotem R-trains are 9-car EMUs used specifically on the East Rail Line. Designed for the Sha Tin to Central Link, these trains are considerably shorter than their predecessors due to space limitations under Hong Kong Island, prohibiting 12-car sets from serving the complete line when opened. Despite being shorter, the trains still have a first class car like their predecessors.

When these trains were initially announced, there were fears that the East Rail Line's overcrowding situation would be worse than it was with 12-car trains. However, the government stated that with increased frequency from the Trainguard MT CBTC and up to 20% of passengers taking what would be the Tuen Ma Line instead, capacity issues would be alleviated.

## History

More Info: **RailGen 2.0**
December 14th, 2012: MTR purchased 37 9-car AC trains (Contract No. 1141B) from Hyundai Rotem, with a total value of about 4 billion Hong Kong dollars. The new trains will use the Trainguard MT CBTC Signaling System.

September 14, 2015: The first new train arrived in Hong Kong and some of them were temporarily parked on the tracks inside Sha Tin Freight Yard and outside Lo Wu Marshalling Yard.

April 10, 2016: the MTR opened new trains to Tai Po district councilors and the media to visit; Subsequently, the Legislative Council Railway Matters Subcommittee went to Ho Tung Lau Depot to inspect the new train on May 23.

The new trains that have arrived have been conducting rigorous and comprehensive tests in Ho Tung Lau Depot. Since December 2015, the MTR has successively arranged new trains to conduct dynamic tests on the East Rail Line during non-service hours, including load tests, that is, using water tanks instead of real people, simulating a train with a full load of 3000 passengers. The tests also include stopping position accuracy, door switches and public address systems, etc. . Each new train has to travel more than 600km to ensure the safety and reliability of the train before it can be put into service.

In response to the completion of the signal system update project, the new East Rail Line train is expected to start in the middle of 2020, and the first 8 new trains will be put into service, replacing the 8 MTR IKK-Train and 1 MTR Mid-Life Refurbished Train were decommissioned early due to vandalism by demonstrators (E70, E92 and 254, 654, 432) and derailment accidents (E13).

February 6, 2021: The Rotem sets enter service, replacing the 8 IKK-Trains displaced to the Tuen Ma Line and the Metro-Cammell MLR that was retired early. These sets were given blue stickers during the transition from 12 to 9-car trains. This also saw the introduction of the new Trainguard MT signaling system.

Early 2022: Some of the Rotem sets were used as test trains for the East Rail Line extension, being towed there by diesel locomotives.

May 6-7, 2022: All services on the East Rail Line are handled by Hyundai Rotem EMUs, with the last of 43 sets (D127/D129) entering service and replacing Metro Cammell set E112/E71.

## Trivia

* Unlike pre-merger KCR trains, the layout on Hyundai Rotem EMUs resemble those of pre-merger MTR trains as the doors are more evenly distributed, removing seats behind the cab doors. The seats between gangway connections are now horizontal.
* These trains are wider to mitigate the platform gaps at Mong Kok East and University, which was done with platform gap fillers on older trains.
* Unlike previous trains, both doors on each side of the first class car are used in regular service, which was not possible with the Rotem EMU's predecessors due to the offset arrangement of the doors. Previously, the second door on each side was used as an emergency exit.

## References

1. ↑ 〈hk/bkn/cnt/news/20160412/mobile/bkn-20160412171810003-0412\_00822\_001.html The new Korean-made train on the SCL is exposed! A dynamic route map for the carriages>, "Oriental Daily", April 12, 2016.
2. ↑ The Legislative Council Subcommittee on Railway Matters visited the MTR Ho Tung Lau Depot to inspect the new trains of the East Rail Line, Legislative Council Press Release, 23 May 2016.
3. ↑ 〈The noise of the early morning test of the SCL lasted for several months >, Apple Daily, May 14, 2018.
4. ↑ An overview of the service fleet of the East Rail Transit Signal System is attached today for your reference.