SMRT Active Route Map Information System

The SMRT Active Route Map Information System (STARIS) is a rail travel information system developed in house by communications engineers from SMRT Corporation for its trains in Singapore.

System

STARIS comprises of a system of 4 Vacuum Fluorescent Displays (VFD) mounted from the ceiling and 8 active route maps mounted above every door in each car. The VFDs indicate the line of travel, direction of travel, side of doors opening, doors closing messages, current station, next station, terminal station, interchange station and displays multi-language text synchronised with in-train audio announcements. The active route maps indicate the line of travel, direction of travel, side of doors opening, current station, next station, terminal station, interchange station and the corresponding line for interchange.

An independent system of red LEDs flash when the doors are closing.

Comparisons

STARIS differs from other rail travel information system like those found in Hong Kong's MTR and Shenzhen's in that information about the location of the train is not based upon the signalling system. As such, there is no need for additional trackside signalling equipment to be installed to transmit information about the location of the train to the active route maps etc. This also allows for easier installation, maintenance and removes the need to upgrade any Automatic Train Control (ATC) system.

STARIS is based on the distance travelled by the train instead, which in turn triggers the display of related information in the active route maps and VFDs in each train.

Availability

STARIS is currently on a 2 month trial on trainset 053/054. It will be installed fleetwide by 2010.