ECRL testing shows positive results as MRL eyes December debut during school holidays

Malaysia Rail Link Sdn Bhd (MRL) is advancing efforts to inaugurate the East Coast Rail Link (ECRL) to the public by mid-December, ahead of its original January 2027 schedule, following successful testing phases by the Comprehensive Inspection Train (CIT).

MRL CEO Datuk Seri Darwis Abdul Razak noted positive test outcomes and the near completion of crucial system tests, emphasizing the collaboration with state governments to achieve the earlier launch.

The project, currently 95.41% complete, promises to cut travel time between Kota Bharu and Gombak significantly, with fares yet to be announced.

Meanwhile, further testing on train systems and integration is ongoing to ensure operational readiness.

KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 18 — Malaysia Rail Link Sdn Bhd (MRL) is working towards opening the East Coast Rail Link (ECRL) to the public as early as mid-December, with testing and commissioning by its Comprehensive Inspection Train (CIT) progressing well.

MRL chief executive officer Datuk Seri Darwis Abdul Razak said positive test results had given the company confidence to meet Transport Minister Anthony Loke’s challenge to open the rail service earlier than its original January 2027 target, during the school holidays.

The CIT, known as the “yellow doctors” due to its distinctive yellow stripes and role in detecting potential issues along the railway, began testing from Kuantan to Kota Bharu last month and has now entered its second phase from Kuantan to Gombak.

“We are now in the second phase from Kuantan to Gombak, and the test results have been positive. We accept the government’s challenge to open it in December, and our efforts are focused towards that target,” he told reporters during a CIT journey from Gombak to Kuantan Port City today.

Darwis said the Site Acceptance Test (SAT) had been completed, while the System Integration Test (SIT) was about 80 per cent complete. The step-up speed test from Kuantan to Kota Bharu also recorded positive results.

Testing will continue, with the train expected to complete full runs between Kota Bharu and Gombak by the end of this month, before proceeding with the Fault-Free Run (FFR) in October.

The special CIT journey involving members of the media from Gombak to Kuantan Port City took about 90 minutes, including passage through the 16.39-kilometre Genting Tunnel at an average speed of 160 km per hour.

Darwis said MRL was continuing to work with the Kelantan, Terengganu and Pahang state governments to facilitate the targeted opening, following the ECRL project’s 95.41 per cent completion as of August. Phase 1 had reached 97.65 per cent completion.

On fares, he said no decision had been made, adding that the rate would be announced by the Transport Ministry, with the government expected to ensure it remained reasonable.

Once operational, the ECRL is expected to cut travel time between Kota Bharu and Gombak to about four hours, compared with around seven hours by road. Phase 2, linking Gombak to Port Klang, is expected to be completed by December 2027, with operations scheduled to begin in January 2028.

Meanwhile, China Communications Construction Company ECRL Sdn Bhd (CCCECRL) project director and senior advisor Kong Qi said more than 40 CIT test runs and 12 freight train tests had been completed, with results so far showing positive progress.

He said the SIT, which began on Aug 21, covered 10 key areas, including tunnels, bridges, subgrade and tracks, traction power supply, communications, passenger service information systems, electromagnetic compatibility and integrated grounding.

“We test every curve and train stability. We found some parameters that needed adjustment, such as cornering, but they have been fixed. Up to now, everything is going smoothly,” he said.

Kong said the CIT had completed speed step-up testing of up to 176 km per hour on the first section, with tests on the remaining section continuing before moving to Automatic Train Protection (ATP) and signalling tests, followed by the FFR.

The CIT is equipped with specialised inspection systems that allow engineers to evaluate track conditions, train performance and railway systems under conditions that closely simulate actual operations.

Its inspection covers track engineering, traction power supply, signalling and communication systems. The train collects data on track geometry, rail profile, wheel-rail interaction, vehicle dynamics, pantograph and catenary performance, as well as signalling and telecommunications, enabling potential issues to be identified and rectified during testing and commissioning.

As part of the SIT, the CIT conducts real-time inspections and data collection along the ECRL alignment to assess the integration of key railway systems, including signalling, communications, traction power supply and the overhead contact line. — Bernama

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马来西亚铁路连接有限公司 (MRL) 正在加紧努力，争取在综合检查列车 (CIT) 成功完成测试阶段后，于 12 月中旬向公众开放东海岸铁路 (ECRL)，比原定的 2027 年 1 月计划提前。

MRL首席执行官拿督斯里达尔维斯·阿卜杜勒·拉扎克指出，测试结果积极，关键的系统测试也接近完成，并强调与州政府合作以实现更早的推出。

该项目目前已完成 95.41%，有望大幅缩短哥打巴鲁和贡巴克之间的旅行时间，票价尚未公布。

与此同时，列车系统和集成方面的进一步测试仍在进行中，以确保运营准备就绪。

吉隆坡，9 月 18 日讯——马来西亚铁路连接有限公司 (MRL) 正努力争取在 12 月中旬向公众开放东海岸铁路 (ECRL)，其综合检查列车 (CIT) 的测试和调试工作进展顺利。

MRL首席执行官拿督斯里达尔维斯·阿卜杜勒·拉扎克表示，积极的检测结果让公司有信心迎接交通部长陆兆福的挑战，在学校假期期间提前开通铁路服务，比原定的2027年1月的目标时间更早。

由于其独特的黄色条纹以及在检测铁路沿线潜在问题方面的作用，CIT 被称为“黄色医生”。该 CIT 上个月开始从关丹到哥打巴鲁进行测试，现在已经进入从关丹到贡巴克的第二阶段。

“我们现在正处于从关丹到鹅唛的第二阶段，检测结果呈阳性。我们接受政府提出的在12月开放的挑战，我们的努力正朝着这个目标集中进行，”他今天在从鹅唛到关丹港口城的CIT旅途中告诉记者。

达尔维斯表示，现场验收测试（SAT）已经完成，系统集成测试（SIT）也已完成约80%。从关丹到哥打巴鲁的加速测试也取得了积极成果。

测试将继续进行，预计列车将于本月底完成哥打巴鲁和贡巴克之间的全程运行，然后在 10 月份进行无故障运行 (FFR)。

此次由媒体成员参与的特别 CIT 之旅从贡巴克到关丹港口城，耗时约 90 分钟，其中包括以平均每小时 160 公里的速度通过 16.39 公里的云顶隧道。

达尔维斯表示，随着东海岸铁路项目截至8月份已完成95.41%，MRL正继续与吉兰丹州、登嘉楼州和彭亨州政府合作，以推动按计划开通该线路。第一阶段已完成97.65%。

关于票价，他表示尚未做出决定，并补充说票价将由交通部公布，政府将确保票价保持在合理范围内。

东海岸铁路（ECRL）投入运营后，预计将哥打巴鲁和鹅唛之间的通行时间缩短至约四小时，而公路通行时间约为七小时。连接鹅唛和巴生港的二期工程预计将于2027年12月竣工，并计划于2028年1月开始运营。

与此同时，中国交通建设股份有限公司东海岸铁路有限公司（CCCECRL）项目总监兼高级顾问孔琦表示，已完成40多列客运列车试运行和12列货运列车试运行，目前的结果显示进展顺利。

他表示，从 8 月 21 日开始的 SIT 涵盖了 10 个关键领域，包括隧道、桥梁、路基和轨道、牵引供电、通信、乘客服务信息系统、电磁兼容性和集成接地。

“我们对每个弯道和训练稳定性都进行了测试。我们发现了一些需要调整的参数，例如过弯性能，但这些问题都已经解决了。到目前为止，一切进展顺利，”他说道。

孔先生表示，CIT已完成第一段列车最高时速176公里的加速测试，其余路段的测试仍在进行中，之后将进行自动列车保护（ATP）和信号测试，最后进行FFR测试。

CIT配备了专门的检测系统，使工程师能够在与实际运行条件高度相似的条件下评估轨道状况、列车性能和铁路系统。

其检测范围涵盖轨道工程、牵引供电、信号和通信系统。列车采集轨道几何形状、钢轨轮廓、轮轨相互作用、车辆动力学、受电弓和接触网性能以及信号和通信等方面的数据，从而能够在测试和调试过程中识别并纠正潜在问题。

作为系统集成测试 (SIT) 的一部分，通信集成测试 (CIT) 沿东海岸铁路 (ECRL) 线路进行实时检查和数据采集，以评估关键铁路系统的集成情况，包括信号系统、通信系统、牵引供电系统和架空接触网。—— 马新社

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