MTR Tuen Ma Line C-Train

MTR Tuen Ma Line C-Train D419/D420 arriving at Che Kung Temple

The **MTR Tuen Ma Line C-Train** (also known as the TML C-Train), formerly known as the **East West Line C-Train** (EWL C-Train), is an alternating current (AC) commuter train purchased by the MTR Corporation.

## History

More Info: **RailGen 2.0**
To tie in with the future completion of the Sha Tin to Central Link, MTR purchased 14 new 8-car AC trains (Contract No. 1141A) from China Motor Bus in 2013 for use on the Tuen Ma Line to cope with the increase in patronage. The train contract was awarded to CRRC Changchun Railway Vehicles on December 11, 2013 under tender number 1141A for a total value of approximately HK$1,140 million.

The first new train arrived at Pat Heung Depot on June 7 2016, and was commissioned on the West Rail Line on 29 October and transferred to the Ma On Shan Line in the early hours of November 2nd, finally entering service on 12 March 2017.

According to MTR's submission to the Legislative Council in February 2017, three new trains have been purchased, bringing the total number of trains to 17.  With the Sha Tin to Central Link railway tunnel having been energised, the train dynamic test was gradually extended to the section between Hin Keng and Hung Hom in May 2018.

Brand new trains were deployed to the West Rail Line for maiden service on 7 March 2020; due to a signalling system failure at Tsuen Wan West Station, the trains had to be suspended from service after about 2 hours of operation and returned to depot from Mei Foo Station after clearing passengers.

## Carriage design

This train is similar in appearance to the MTR IKK-Train. The front end is streamlined and the headlight assembly is tadpole-shaped. The roof is decorated with a red stripe and the body is painted in a standard "Railway Vision" colour scheme in matte beige, which visually links the doors and windows of the train to the MTR CRRC Qingdao Sifang EMU, Hyundai Rotem EMU and MTR CNR Changchun EMU.

For example, there are MTR In-Train TV LCD screens above the seats, screens at the aisles at both ends of the train to show the name of the next stop, and dynamic route map above the passenger doors to provide passengers with real-time information on stops and train services. The interior of the train is fitted with rugged handrails and better straps alongside metal seats with proper ribs. The seats are also wider, in that the number of seats between the doors has been reduced from four to three per row, with a gap between each bench. This makes the seating capacity of these EMUs less than the older SP1900/1950 sets.

* All M cars have a multi-purpose space, but no half seats.
* Standee rings: Initially, the train's standee rings were made of soft materials and were ergonomically designed. They were subsequently replaced by an improved triangular strap in late 2021, which has now been completed.
* Onboard TV: 6 TVs per car to provide audio-visual information to passengers, with the sound system turned off in the cab cars (except for PA announcements) as they are quiet zones
* Dynamic Route Map: Shows past and upcoming stops to passengers, where the former will be grayed out.
* Handrails: All handrails are rugby shaped so that passengers can hold them firmly. There are no handrail posts between the doors to minimise obstruction of access by passengers standing around the handrails near the doors, allowing for faster loading/unloading.

The layout of the doors is the same as that of the Platform Screen Door (Tuen Mun Station to East Tsim Sha Tsui Station) and the SP1900/1950s, as it is necessary to accommodate the existing operating area of Platform Screen Door (Tuen Mun Station to East Tsim Sha Tsui Station).

## Train configuration

The traction system of this train is made by Mitsubishi Electric and uses IGBT-VVVF electric motors. It is the first train to use an air-conditioning system manufactured by Guangzhou China Railway Transportation Air Conditioning Equipment Co Ltd, and is very similar in appearance to the Toshiba air-conditioning used on the MTR IKK-Train. The doors were manufactured by Faiveley Transport. The link between the coaches was supplied by the German manufacturer HÜBNER Group. The non-powered carriage use CW6020 bogies developed by CRRC Changhun, while the powered carriages use CW6020D bogies developed by China Railway Changchun.

## Train Grouping

Train cars can be divided into five main categories and can be subdivided downwards into eight sub-categories according to the equipment used at the top and bottom ends of the train and/or the equipment provided: Trains are grouped in 4-car sets, with a D-P-M-K+C-M-P-D configuration and a 5M3T motive power ratio, slightly different from the MTR IKK-Train 8-car set.

* ■ : means the train has been replaced with yellow LED passenger lights, the rest of the trains have white LED passenger lights.
* The SelTrac signalling system does not recognise trains numbered with a "00" ending, therefore train numbers cannot have a "00" ending on trains using this system, therefore the D399/400 train number is not used.

## Notes

* December 11, 2013: CRRC Changchun Railway Vehicles was awarded a contract for 14 Chinese trains (1141A) by MTR for use on the Tuen Ma Line, which will join the MTR IKK-Train as the main train on the Tuen Ma Line.
* February 8, 2017: MTR's submission to the Legislative Council states that three additional Chinese trains will be purchased. The total number of C-Trains will be increased from 14 to 17 to expand the fleet of the Tuen Ma Line to meet future demand.
* March 12, 2017: The first train of this model (D397/D398) enters service on the Ma On Shan Line.
* August 21, 2019: The 14th train (D431/D432) of the Ma On Shan Line enters service. The remaining two trains not yet in service are allocated to West Rail Line together with D415/D416.
* February 14, 2020: Template:Tuen Ma Line Phase I opens, with D397/D398 as the first train from Kai Tak Station and D413/D414 as the first train from Wu Kai Sha to Kai Tak.
* March 7, 2020: The first train of this type will operate on the West Rail Line with D415/D416.
* May 2, 2020: The third West Rail Line train (D427/D428) enters service, marking the entry into service of all trains of this type.
* June 27, 2021: The Tuen Ma Line is opened to traffic, with D401/D402 trains being the first to depart from Sung Wong Toi Station.

## Also See

* MTR CNR Changchun EMU
* MTR CRRC Qingdao Sifang EMU
* MTR IKK-Train (Japanese-made train, currently running on the Tuen Ma Line)

**Gallery Page**：
MTR Tuen Ma Line C-Train

## References

1. ↑ 東西綫列車影子測試　Shadow runnings of East West Line Train。
2. ↑ 香港沙中綫地鐵車輛，CRRC Changchun Railway Vehicles。
3. ↑ Progress Update on the Shatin to Central Link Project (as at 31 December 2016) (para. 57), Legislative Council, 10 February 2017.
4. ↑ MTR Corporation Limited's paper on Progress update of the construction of the Shatin to Central Link (Chinese version only) (as at 30 April 2018), Legislative Council Panel on Transport Subcommittee on Matters Relating to Railways, 1 June 2018.
5. ↑ 沙田至中環綫新列車運送，June 2, 2016
6. ↑ 鐵流 Railic Facebook Post，February 1, 2017
7. ↑ HKRDG Facebook Post，February 14, 2017
8. ↑ HKRDG Facebook Post，October 26, 2017
9. ↑ Railic Facebook Post，October 10, 2018
10. ↑ Railic Facebook Post，Decmeber 7, 2018

## Notes

1. ↑ The Cross Train Line car on the Tuen Ma Line C-Trains is actually in the K-car, not the C-car.