On June 4, Fangda's rail transit platform screen door project—the Hong Kong East Rail Line platform screen door installation project—held a ceremony for the full-line operation, with MTR Corporation announcing the project's completion approximately six months ahead of the original schedule.
Representatives from MTR Corporation and government departments, including the Transport and Logistics Bureau, the Highways Department, and the Transport Department, attended the ceremony. After nearly a decade of planning and construction, this platform screen door installation project, which achieved "install-and-use" on an operational railway line, is officially completed. It marks the beginning of a new era of intelligence and safety for HK's century-old East Rail Line.
Since its opening in 1910, the HK East Rail Line has undergone significant development, transitioning from steam locomotives and electrified trains to modern cross-harbor railways. As HK's first railway connecting China's mainland ports, it has a daily passenger flow exceeding one million, playing a crucial role in the integration of HK and Shenzhen.
However, some station platforms, due to their historical age, have hazards such as large gaps and a lack of safety doors. This installation project covers all 13 stations and 35 platforms of the line, with the installation of 1,575 half-height platform screen doors and intelligent safety systems, significantly enhancing the safety and comfort of passengers while waiting for trains.
Fangda is one of the first high-tech enterprises in China engaged in the development, design, manufacturing, installation, and maintenance of metro platform screen door systems. It led the drafting of the country's first industry standard for platform screen door systems, titled CJ/T 236-2006 Urban Rail Transit Platform Screen Doors.
The company owns complete independent intellectual property rights for its platform screen door system, which has been recognized by the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology as a "single-champion product" in manufacturing. Fangda has undertaken over 100 metro platform screen door system projects in cities including Beijing, Shanghai, Tianjin, Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Nanjing, Shenyang, Wuhan, Xi'an, Fuzhou, Nanchang, HK, Taiwan, Chinese Mainland, Singapore, Malaysia, Colombia, India, Thailand, and Greece, with its products covering 43 cities worldwide.
To meet the "install-and-use" project requirements, Fangda's team conducted efficient construction within a two-hour window at night. The team needed to complete the entire process, including material transportation, door installation, and electrical commissioning, within the train suspension window from 1:30 a.m. to 3:30 a.m., ensuring the normal operation of the first train the following day.
Using modular technology and precise management, the team set an industry record of installing and commissioning three unit doors in three hours and completing an entire platform side (215 meters, 45 unit doors) in four weeks, achieving "zero interference" construction. This has established a new benchmark for global rail transit platform door projects.
Since the project's inception, spanning nearly a decade from exploration and design to completion, Fangda has leveraged technology to overcome complex challenges. Precisely adapting to the platform, Fangda pioneered the "unit sliding door central pivot point design" for curved platforms at University Station and Lo Wu Station.
This design, combined with high-precision measurement instruments, ensures non-interfering door operations, overcoming the installation challenges of curved platforms coexisting with expansion joints. To effectively ensure safety, Fangda employs an intelligent passenger detection system (PDS) utilizing LiDAR technology, achieving seamless detection of gaps between the platform and train, with a safety level reaching SIL2, effectively preventing the risk of passenger entrapment.
To withstand outdoor environmental challenges, Fangda's equipment is IP65 certified, capable of withstanding typhoon-level "Storm Signal No.8" rainstorms. Electrical components are protected with a "box-in-box" design, and cables are made from UV-resistant materials, adapting to HK's variable climate. For seamless scenario transitions, Fangda developed a high-reliability signal simulator to mimic door states during installation, ensuring the normal operation of existing lines and achieving "zero-fault" transitions during switchover, ensuring both operation and construction proceed without disruption.
A century-old East Rail, safely renewed. As the planning for the HK Northern Link and cross-boundary extensions progresses, the East Rail Line will continue to serve as a vital hub connecting the Chinese Mainland and HK. The successful experience of Fangda's project provides valuable insights for platform door projects in the Guangdong-HK-Macao Greater Bay Area and global rail transit, driving technological innovation within the industry.
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