Jump to content

Singapore: anything of rail-related interest worth seeing?


railsquid

Recommended Posts

Due to various scheduling randomness it appears I will be at a loose end in Singapore on Saturday, is there anything railway-related worth seeing? I've experienced the BRT, which is commendably efficient and clean, but very forgettable.

Link to comment

Isn't the MRT the only actual 'railway' in Singapore now? The train line to Malaysia was closed several years ago, and I believe everything else exists only out of BRT/people movers.

  • Like 1
Link to comment

Oh Hi there Squid! You here in Sillypore?

 

I have been really busy these days, bringing my external family around and quitting my job at the same time... 

 

As for railway seeing, I don't think you get much of those anywhere here... most of the maintenance yards are off-limits, and there is just the plain old boring MRT running around... If you like, you could visit the elevated portion of the MRT lines (there are a few, like the NS line from Bishan to Jurong East, or the EW line from Red Hill to Tuas etc.) to see them running... Some hardcore MRT fans here seems to like stationing themselves atop HDB (public housing) flats for a better view of the trains running around...

 

9 hours ago, railsquid said:

Due to various scheduling randomness it appears I will be at a loose end in Singapore on Saturday, is there anything railway-related worth seeing? I've experienced the BRT, which is commendably efficient and clean, but very forgettable.

 

the BRT? Is it the LRT you are referring to?

 

https://www.google.com.sg/url?sa=i&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=images&cd=&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=2ahUKEwjiuaH85_7ZAhXEv48KHWeGC5oQjRx6BAgAEAU&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.straitstimes.com%2Fsingapore%2Ftransport%2Ftwo-car-trains-introduced-for-peak-period-travel-on-punggol-lrt&psig=AOvVaw0x_vcngz0nZ9CZPtupv1-t&ust=1521769676630701

 

I think aside from the MRT, the LRT, the Sentosa Express Monorail, the Changi Airport transfer rail, I cant think of any more rails here... 

 

Link to comment

 

9 hours ago, JR 500系 said:

Oh Hi there Squid! You here in Sillypore?

 

 

Indeed I am, getting culture-shocked in 7-11s as the clerks barely acknowledge you and dump the bag on the counter, turning away with nary a gesture of thanks for patronising their establishment.

 

Quote

the BRT? Is it the LRT you are referring to?

 

Ah, something ~RT, sorry was tired and temperature-lagged from the flights (was getting close to freezing when I left Tokyo).

Link to comment
14 hours ago, railsquid said:

 

 

Indeed I am, getting culture-shocked in 7-11s as the clerks barely acknowledge you and dump the bag on the counter, turning away with nary a gesture of thanks for patronising their establishment.

 

 

That's the issue with customer service here in Sillypore... or rather quite the lack of it... most of our service staff arte non-local, and most establishments require much manpower staff hence the lack of training or customer service prevails for economical gains....

 

14 hours ago, railsquid said:

 

Ah, something ~RT, sorry was tired and temperature-lagged from the flights (was getting close to freezing when I left Tokyo).

 

Haha no worries... I can understand if you take something out from the freezer without thawing and throwing it directly onto the stove...    

 

Link to comment

I found a model railway shop!!!!! Entirely by accident. Well a camera shop selling a bunch of somewhat older mainly European HO and G scale...

model-trains-singapore.jpg

Link to comment

In a country where you would think space for a layout would be as rare as it is in Japan G gauge would not sell all that well.

 

When I stopped over in Singapore on my way home from China in 2007 the taxi driver who took me from my hotel to the railway station to catch the train to Kuala Lumpur wasn't sure where to go even then. I spent a day riding the MRT and the people movers, took the cable car across to Sentosa and the monorail back and decided I didn't need to return to Singapore for a while. I did get a video of the afternoon train to KL out in the suburbs at Ten Mile Junction though.

Link to comment
On ‎24‎/‎3‎/‎2018 at 4:07 PM, railsquid said:

I found a model railway shop!!!!! Entirely by accident. Well a camera shop selling a bunch of somewhat older mainly European HO and G scale...

model-trains-singapore.jpg

 

ooohhhh... where is that by the way? it used to be in Adelphi, wonder where it gone now... 

 

On ‎25‎/‎3‎/‎2018 at 11:09 AM, westfalen said:

In a country where you would think space for a layout would be as rare as it is in Japan G gauge would not sell all that well.

 

When I stopped over in Singapore on my way home from China in 2007 the taxi driver who took me from my hotel to the railway station to catch the train to Kuala Lumpur wasn't sure where to go even then. I spent a day riding the MRT and the people movers, took the cable car across to Sentosa and the monorail back and decided I didn't need to return to Singapore for a while. I did get a video of the afternoon train to KL out in the suburbs at Ten Mile Junction though.

 

 

Spoken to the owner in Adelphi once. they actually had some regular customers for the G gauge, and those were mainly the ones that were really rich and had layouts on the gardens of their landed properties... 

 

And landed properties cost 2 kidneys, 2 heads and 2 arms for one tiny little one.

 

that's quite a journey! You've mainly covered most of the things to do... though the Marina Bay Sands Resort, Gardens by the Bay, Marina Barrage etc. is something to go to and wasn't available then so it might be a good chance to visit again!  Great you got a video of the train cause the train isn't running no more... 

Link to comment
2 hours ago, JR 500系 said:

 

ooohhhh... where is that by the way? it used to be in Adelphi, wonder where it gone now... 

 

 

It's in the basement there, but you have to go round the side of the shop to see the trains, otherwise it looks like a camera shop. I only wandered in there to use the "facilities" (which weren't very nice BTW).

Link to comment
21 hours ago, railsquid said:

 

It's in the basement there, but you have to go round the side of the shop to see the trains, otherwise it looks like a camera shop. I only wandered in there to use the "facilities" (which weren't very nice BTW).

hhhmmm you meant the toilets? 

 

The other facilities were not so... you know... the entire place is pretty famous for something else.... despite the fact that it is so near to the High Courts and that there were almost always police cars parked in the basement....

Link to comment

Err yes, the toilets. Was staying just down the road and actually looking for the "Funan Digital Mall' or something but it seems to have gone. Anyway I evidently didn't see the "something else" part, unless all those camera shops and high-end audio stores are a clever disguise? Pretty shabby-looking shopping mall though.

Link to comment

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
×
×
  • Create New...