High-speed train offer from Siemens
CopyrightThe
Star. Apr 23rd 2007.
YTL Corp Bhd managing director Tan Sri Francis Yeoh raised the buzz
on high-speed rail service when he proposed the service to link
Kuala Lumpur and Singapore last July.
Until now, no decision has been made as the Malaysian government is
still studying the proposal.
However, Siemens is ready to share its expertise in high-speed rail
technology if the project gets the approval.
Siemens Malaysia Sdn Bhd transportation systems head Tim
Hunter said the company was likely to work with YTL Corp if the
latter was awarded the project.
The Velaro E has a top speed of
350km an hour
YTL Corp had conducted a study, which found the project
feasible.
The Government is identifying the political, economic and
environmental impact and all issues relating to the existing
transportation network, he told Malaysian reporters during an
international media tour of the new Velaro E in Madrid, Spain,
recently.
The Velaro E is the latest in the high-speed trains platform
developed by Siemens.
Hunter said there was no deadline on when the Government would
conclude the study but he anticipated soon.
The interior of the Club
Class
The topography of Peninsular Malaysia is appropriate for
high-speed rail.
As for challenges, it will be to cross the straits into
Singapore and integration with existing rail system, he said,
adding that the route could possibly begin at KL Sentral station,
linking the KL International Airport (KLIA), Johor Baru and end at
Singapore's Changi Airport.
That will make more sense because inter-modal exchanges are
important. It has to be linked to existing transport modes.
The service may probably link Malacca and Putrajaya,
although nothing is confirmed yet, he said.
The distance between Kuala Lumpur and Singapore City is 325km. If
the Velaro E is used, which has a top speed of 350km/h; travel time
will be reduced to 90 minutes.
Hunter said the train's proposed seating capacity was between 400
and 500 people on a single trip.
YTL Corp has previously drawn the expertise of Siemens to develop
the Express Rail Link, which connects KL Sentral and KLIA.
Siemens has also managed the Ipoh-Rawang double-tracking
electrification project, hence, it feels it could offer its latest
technology should the high-speed rail project receive the green
light.
Besides Siemens, other players that provide high-speed rail
technology include France's Alstom, Kawasaki Heavy Industries and
Hitachi from Japan and Spain's Construccionesy Auxiliar de
Ferrocarriles S. A.
Although Hunter did not reveal the project's actual cost, he said
it would run into billions of ringgit as factors such as land
acquisition, route, civil engineering and system costs, speed and
density had to be considered.
According to published reports, the high-speed rail was expected to
cost RM8bil.
Land acquisition cost will be significant. Funding will be another
main challenge and it is unsure at the moment who will bear the
cost.
Private finance initiative is one of the options. The project
could be completed between two and five years, but that will depend
on the engineering issues that may crop up, he explained.
Hunter said an agreement between Malaysia and Singapore was highly
important before the project could even proceed.
