 While the rolling stock and Mitsubishi Electric propulsion equipment were constructed in Japan , many parts were sourced from Europe . The trains were fitted with Stone Platt air @-@ conditioning , Duwag bogies , Sig gangways , Scharfenberg couplers and Westinghouse brakes . Mitsubishi Electric 's propulsion equipment was estimated to consume 50 % less electricity than Hong Kong 's existing MTR M @-@ Train EMU . Its Automatic Train Control ( ATC ) signalling system was supplied by Westinghouse , capable of running at pre @-@ programmed speeds and activated by the train driver . While theoretically possible to design for a fully driverless operation using this signalling technology , MRT Corporation ( MRTC , now SMRT Corporation ) decided against this option . The trainsets were assembled in Kobe , Japan , and then shipped to Singapore by Neptune Orient Lines . The first trainset was delivered to MRTC on 8 July 1986 at Bishan Depot , officiated by Yeo Ning Hong . 
