MTR to upgrade Tung Chung Line signalling system this Sunday as part of extension construction

The MTR Corporation will upgrade part of the Tung Chung Line signalling system in the early hours of this Sunday as one of the construction phases of the line-extension project. 

The Tung Chung East section of the Tung Chung Line Extension is undergoing major track diversion works to connect the future Tung Chung East Station. Track towards Hong Kong is scheduled to be realigned in the second half of this year.

MTR’s General Manager of E&M Construction Tim Leung Chi-tim noted that the upgrade will cover the Automatic Train Supervision System, which is mainly responsible for real-time central monitoring and train regulation. 

He said that the upgrade will allow the new section to be seamlessly integrated into the operational railway network. 

The work will take place during non-service hours, and the first trains of both the Tung Chung Line and Airport Express on Monday will depart as scheduled. MTR will respond immediately to any unforeseen issues affecting services, with contingency plans in place to minimize disruption to passengers. 

Leung added that the team has completed a series of safety and reliability tests to ensure a smooth upgrade, including train testing during non-service hours on more than 60 nights, as well as simulated tests for daytime peak operations. The works have also obtained approval from relevant government departments. 

Head of project delivery for Lantau Island Lee Ka-leung said that following the completion of track realignment towards Hong Kong, sections of the old track will be removed to free up space for works towards Tung Chung, including two critical turnout installations scheduled from the end of this year to next year. 

He also noted that dynamic train testing is currently being conducted during non-service hours. These trials involve running trains into the new section on selected nights to verify the proper operation and coordination of different railway systems.