Managing KCRC Electric Multiple Units (EMU) Contract—The Largest Train Car Contract in Hong Kong

The procurement of train cars for the West Rail project illustrates the Kowloon-Canton Railway Corporation's (KCRC) approach to managing a technically complex major contract. This paper presents the processes involved, the major challenges faced, the difficulties encountered and the methodologies adopted for managing the Electric Multiple Unit (EMU) contract including the planning, tendering, design, manufacture, testing and commissioning aspects. The contract for 250 EMU cars (with 154 cars for West Rail and 96 cars for East Rail of KCRC) was awarded to the Itochu-Kinki Sharyo-Kawasaki Consortium in March 1999. The size of the contract at HK $3.1 billion (US $0.4 billion) and 250 cars made it the largest ever train contract awarded in Hong Kong. As a fast track project, the contractor was required to complete the design, production, testing and delivery of the train cars within a very tight timeframe. The technical challenges included the integration of complex system components, such as signalling and telecommunications systems, the need to enable the new train cars to run on both the existing East Rail and West Rail and the strict noise and vibration requirements. In spite of these challenges, the first train rolled out of the factory in just two years — a remarkable achievement to note for both the West Rail project and the rolling stock industry.