The District of Joban Rigel Line

Rigel Line

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Rigel Line
Rigel caf.png
A Rigel CAF Train boarding at Fuka station
General
Status Operational
Owner Rigel Corporation
Locale Joban
Termini Central South
Draco
Stations 9
Service
Type Rapid Transit
Operator(s) Rigel Railway
Depot(s) Airport
Rolling stock Adtranz-CAF
Rotem EMU
History
Opened May 3, 2006
Technical
Line Length 5.7km (3.5mi)
Track gauge 1,435mm
Electrification 1.5 kV DC
Operating speed 55km/h (Average)
Route Map
Rigel rtmap.png


The Rigel Line (Chinese: 里格爾綫) is a rapid transit operated by Rigel Railway.

The route has a total of 9 Stations, split into 3 phases.

History

Planning

In Railway Development Strategy report 2004, a new line was settled and was split into 2 phases.

Phase One

Station Name Station Code Connections Opening Date
負荷 Fuka FUK Joestu Line, Fuka Lightrail, Joban Light Rail,

Tohoku Shinkansen, Airport Express, Fuka-Metropolis APM

Jan 3, 1960 (Previous Sections)

March 3, 2006 (Rigel Sections)

卡理特 Crater CRA March 3, 2006
達科 Draco DRA Southern Line March 3, 2006

Phase Two

Station Name Station Code Connections Opening Date
尤利西斯 Ulysses ULY Fuka Lightrail May 10, 2008
奧德修斯 Odysseus ODY Azure Line December 17, 2008
奧拉加 Auriga AUR May 10, 2008
立達勞斯 Eridanus ERI May 10, 2008
福斯特薩 Fustersa FUS Joestu Line, Airport Express May 10, 2008

The phase 2 section is intended to compete with KCR Joestu Line City Section, running from Fuka to Fustersa.

In April 2004, 10 sets of 4-Car trains are ordered by Rigel Corp and will be constructed by CAF.

2005

In February 2005, the tunnel and station constructions for Phase 1 began, consisting of 3 stations with a total of 1534m long.

During May 2005, 10 sets of trains are delivered to Rigel Corp.

By August 2005, all tunnel and station constructions has completed, and began the installation of electricity, air conditioning and signaling system.

2006

In January to April 2006, various tests has been performed to ensure stability and reliability.

In May 2006, the Phase 1 section of Rigel Line is opened for public.

2009 Airport Railway Proposal

WIP

2011 Train underframe cracking

In April 2011, 2 CAF Train experienced a loss of traction power after departing from Auriga Station and Odysseus Station respectively.

Following the examination of the train, cracks were discovered on parts of the underframe component on 5 other trains.

In June 2011, 12 sets of 5-car K-Train manufactured by Rotem is ordered and delivered by 2013.

The affected CAF Train is taken out of service and retired shortly after.

As of 2022, there are 5 CAF Trains remaining on the line and 21 sets of K-Train. The remaining CAF Trains will be slowly taken out of service and eventually replaced by K-Trains and the new S-Trains.

2013 6-Cars expansion

6-Cars Platform were reserved on all stations since the opening of the Rigel Line.

As passenger demands rise, the first 6-Cars trains is put on service in August 2013.

Since then, trains are slowly transformed from 5-Cars to 6-Cars configuration, until all trains are transformed to 6-Cars in 2016.

2022 RDS expansion

The Airport Railway section of RDS 2022

In Railway Development Strategy report 2022, under the new airport terminal plan, route alignment on the Rigel Line will be adjusted, which means Rigel Line will get another expansion (i.e. Phase 3) after 14 years. Under the new proposal, Rigel Line will stop at Central South and Racecourse, and terminate at the Airport (Terminal 1).

Starting from March 2022, Rigel Line is fully suspended due to replacing the current signalling system and performing various refurbishment works on current stations.

Due to various technical difficulties in the construction of the new Airport Terminal 1, the plan has been indefinitely postponed and Rigel Line will only extend to Central South instead.

In June 2023, the Rigel Line had been resumed and extended to Central South only as the construction of the racecourse has been postponed by the property developer.

Closure of Eridanus station

While performing refurbishment works on current stations in late 2022, it has been determined that Eridanus station is not cost-effective to be refurbished due to its complex building structure and severe water seepage issue. Rigel Corp. has decided to migrate its stop to the nearby Rigel-owned Lightstone station instead. A new lobby, passageway and platform has been built and new side tracks has been constructed to connect the trains from the current route. The migration finished in early 2023 and opened to the public following the resumed operation of Rigel Line.

Suspension notice of Rigel Line's service due to Phase 3 expansion

Phase Three

Station Name Station Code Connections Opening Date
中環南 Central South CES Joestu Line

Tsz Kiu Line

Shuntien Line

North South Line

Central Lightrail

Seiyo Shinkansen
Tohoku Shinkansen
Airport Express

June 19, 2023
馬場 Racecourse RAC Constructions of the racecourse

has been postponed indefinitely.

機場 (一號客運大樓)

Airport (Terminal 1)

AIR1 Airport Express Constructions of the Airport Terminal 1 has been postponed indefinitely.

Route Info

Station Name Station Code Connections Opening Date Closing Date
達科 Draco DRA Southern Line March 3, 2006
卡理特 Crater CRA Akasaka Station March 3, 2006
負荷 Fuka FUK Joestu Line

Fuka Lightrail
Tohoku Shinkansen
Airport Express

March 3, 2006
尤利西斯 Ulysses ULY Fuka Lightrail May 10, 2008
奧德修斯 Odysseus ODY Azure Line December 17, 2008
奧拉加 Auriga AUR May 10, 2008
立達勞斯 Eridanus ERI May 10, 2008 April 27, 2023
光石 Lightstone LIS Tohoku Shinkansen June 19, 2023
福斯特薩 Fustersa FUS Joestu Line, Airport Express May 10, 2008
中環南 Central South CES Joestu Line

Tsz Kiu Line

Shuntien Line

North South Line

Central Lightrail

Seiyo Shinkansen
Tohoku Shinkansen
Airport Express

June 19, 2023
馬場 Racecourse RAC Postponed
機場 (一號客運大樓)

Airport (Terminal 1)

ATO Airport Express Postponed