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MONDAY, AUGUST 28, 1978
K.C.R. SIGNALLING SYSTEM COMPUTERISED
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A COMPUTER-CONTROLLED SIGNALLING SYSTEM WILL BE INTRODUCED BY THE KOWLOON-CANTON RAILWAY AS PART OF ITS PLAN TO MODERNISE THE TRAIN SERVICE IN ORDER TO KEEP PACE WITH THE RAPID DEVELOPMENT IN THE NEW TERRITORIES.
COSTING OVER $30 MILLION, THE NEW SYSTEM WILL BE INSTALLED IN THREE STAGES TO GRADUALLY REPLACE THE EXISTING MANUALLY OPERATED SYSTEM.
PLANNING MANAGER OF THE K.C.R., MR. SUNNY CHOI, SAID: THE NEW SYSTEM WOULD HALVE MANPOWER AND ENABLE US TO HAVE A GREATER FLEXIBILITY IN ARRANGING TRAINS FOR HIGHER FREQUENCY.+
HE SAID WHEN THE NEW SYSTEM IS FULLY OPERATIONAL BY LATE 1980, IT WILL ENABLE THE K.C.R. TO OPERATE TRAINS EVERY THREE VINUTES.
THE NERVE CENTRE OF THE SYSTEM IS A COMPUTER WITH ITS CONTROL CONSOLE INSTALLED AT THE KOWLOON STATION.
MR. CHOI SAID A SPECIAL ROOM TO HOUSE THE COMPUTER AND THE CONTROL EQUIPMENT IS BEING BUILT AT THE HUNG HOM TERMINAL AND INSTALLATION OF THE CONTROL SET IS EXPECTED TO START IN EARLY SEPTEMBER.
THE SIGNALLING SYSTEM IS BEING BUILT ALONG WITH THE DOUBLE- TRACKING OF THE RAIL.
WORK ON THE FIRST STAGE OF THE SIGNALLING SYSTEM IS BEING CARRIED OUT ON THE SECTION BETWEEN HUNG HOM AND SHA TIN WHERE THE DOUBLE TRACKING WORK IS IN PROGRESS.
THE SECOND STAGE OF THE SYSTEM WILL COVER THE SECTION BETWEEN SHA TIN AND TAI PO MARKET AND WORK IS DUE TO START SOON WHILE THE FINAL STAGE, FROM TAI PO MARKET TO LO WU WILL COMMENCE AT A LATER DATE.
IT IS EXPECTED THAT THE NEW SIGNALLING SYSTEM FOR THE SHA TIN LOOP LINE WILL BE OPERATIONAL IN SEPTEMBER THIS YEAR WITH A TEMPORARY PANEL INSTALLED AT THE NEW SHA TIN RACE COURSE STATION TO CONTROL THE SIGNALS ALONG THE SECTION BETWEEN SHA TIN AND UNIVERSITY STATIONS.
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