Update: Yes, TRANSIT is aware that Scomi has been awarded the fleet expansion project for the KL Monorail. This post questions why that award comes so late, and expresses what Scomi has missed. In addition, we are wondering about future monorail projects, rather than fleet expansion. To clarify, we have added the word “new” to our post title.
TRANSIT took note of this article updating the progress of Line 17, São Paulo (Brazil).
Malaysian monorail manufacturer Scomi Rail is part of the consortium that won the tender and will be providing 24 units of 3-carriage SUTRA trains for the line.
Scomi wins Line 17 monorail project in São Paulo (Railway Gazette, 7 June 2011)
BRAZIL: Metro São Paulo awarded the Monotrilho Integracao consortium of Scomi, Andrade Gutierrez, CR Almeida and Montagens e Projetos Especiais a R$1·4bn turnkey contract to build the Line 17 monorail on June 2.The 18 km elevated Gold Line with 18 stations will link São Paulo-Morumbi on Line 4 with Jabaquara, the southern terminus of Line 1. Interchange will be provided to Line 9 at Morumbi and the future Line 5 eastern extension at Agua Espraiada. The route is expected to carry 252 000 passengers/day.
The consortium will be responsible for design, supply, installation and commissioning of the Sutra straddle monorail, including 24 three-car trains to be provided by Scomi. Work should commence in July and is expected to take 42 months.
Scomi, in consortium with Larsen & Toubro, is currently building a 19·5 km monorail with 18 stations connecting Gadge Maharaj Chowk (Jacob Circle) to Wadala and Chembur in Mumbai; work is due for completion by the end of this year.
TRANSIT Says:
First of all, congratulations to Scomi Rail on the São Paulo monorail project. Combined with the Mumbai Monorail, this shows that Scomi is a real player in the global urban monorail industry.
Ok, there are really only 3 companies, but the other two (Bombardier and Hitachi) are huge transportation players … so Scomi is in good company.
But we still have to ask the question – why are there still no Scomi SUTRA monorails running on the KL Monorail route? The monorail design is nearly 4 years old and Scomi and Malaysia have already missed out on a huge opportunity to showcase this made-in-Malaysia technology to the world.
NOTE: We are aware that Scomi has been awarded the fleet expansion project for the KL Monorail, but the decision was made in December 2010 whereas the SUTRA design was introduced in November 2007 – our complaint is about that 3 year gap where service has not been provided and the marketing opportunity for a Made in Malaysia product has been lost.
Say what you want about monorails, but they do provide an urban people mover function – something that is important in our efforts to reduce the number of people driving into Kuala Lumpur. That is why the KL Monorail needs to be expanded (and extended, but that is another story).
Transit Malaysia 
14 replies on “Will Scomi ever get a new monorail job in Malaysia? (Update#1)”
I thought Scomi is doing the monorail fleet expansion project in KL?
They are, but we are talking about “new” projects.
Let’s face it – fleet expansion (whether KTM, LRT Kelana Jaya line or Ampang Line, and Monorail) is, in most cases, quite overdue. We are talking about the future, not fixing the mistakes of the past.
Regards, Moaz for TRANSIT
i dislike taking the monorail in KL. it is not frequent enough, and when it arrives, it is always packed, especially the weekends.
Really?
Then can you please explain this;
http://www.theedgeproperty.com/news-a-views/5870-scomi-eng-bags-rm494m-kl-monorail-job.html
Seriously, please explain the ‘ KL Monorail Fleet Expansion Project’, does it apply what the title is implying?
Fleet expansion is not really what we are talking about – we are looking at other monorail projects or monorail extension – new projects, rather than a fleet expansion that should have happened 5 years ago.
Regards, Moaz for TRANSIT
Monorail coaches are not long enough and monorail platform is too small.
The SUTRA monorail is available in 3, 4, 6 or 8 coach train models.
As for the monorail platform being too small, it is possible to extend the platform or provide a larger one (Bukit Bintang Station, has capacity for 6-carriage trains).
Regards, Moaz for TRANSIT
i don’t think the other stations can handle a 6 carriage monorail.
Moaz, I understand the Monorail Fleet Expansion Project involves replacing the old 2 car trains with more and longer new SUTRA trains.
@Sabre
Yes, it does involve replacing the trains. So?
Regards, Moaz for TRANSIT
Oh Moaz, please answer your question in a tactful and appreciative way. You should just say:
‘Yes, it does involve replacing the trains.’
No need the word ‘So?’
Be appreciative that people visit this page and comment on it. After all, you are here in TRANSIT because of them. Not too mention the way you commented in skyscrappercity.com.
Just my 2 cents and I confirm that it is not just me who feel the same way.
Regards, nobody from nowhere.
Ok, thanks for the reminder.
Regards, Moaz for TRANSIT
KL fleet Expansion Project involves replacement of old 2 car trains with the all new 4 car specifically built for KL, expansion of stations to cater for 4 car, depot expansion and equipment modernisation, Traction power upgrade to power up 4 car, train comms system and new signalling system. The stations will also be equipped with Platform gate system for safety enhancement.
@AHO
Thank for the information. What do you know about the dates for the starting of the project, the expansion of stations, etc.
One question that comes to our minds is: Will stations be able to handle the number of passengers from a 4-carriage train? Or worse, two 4-carriage trains arriving and unloading passengers at the same time?
Regards, Moaz for TRANSIT