The management of Metro Rail Transit-3 said Friday passengers can expect faster and reliable services after the overhaul of 72 light rail vehicles.
It said the overhaul of the 23-year-old fleet of the rail line allows the system to expand its train capacity by deploying available and reliable train sets at peak hours.
The increased train availability means that the rail line can now deploy 18 to 21 train sets at peak hours, up from 10 to 15 train sets before the overhaul.
All the newly-overhauled LRVs have undergone the required quality and safety checks to ensure they are in good condition and safe for passengers’ use, the rail management said.
“With the completion of the LRV overhauling project, the passengers can expect more comfortable and convenient train rides as all the train coaches have been repaired and restored to good condition,” said MRT-3 director for operations Oscar Bongon.
The overhauling project commenced in 2019 with the reinstatement of Sumitomo-MHI-TESP as the maintenance provider of MRT-3. Sumitomo-MHI-TESP is the Japanese consortium that designed and built the MRT-3 system and had maintained it from the start of operations in 2000 until 2012, when their contract expired.
The massive rehabilitation of the MRT-3 rail line was also completed by Sumitomo-MHI-TESP in December 2021. It involved the upgrades of the MRT-3 subsystems including the replacement of the whole stretch of its revenue tracks and the upgrading of signaling system.
The completed rehabilitation of the MRT-3 rail line increased the train operating speed from 30 to 60 kph, reduced headway from 8.5 to 9 minutes to 3.5 to 4 minutes during peak hours and 5 minutes on off-peak hours. Travel time was also reduced from 1 hour and 15 minutes to only 30 to 35 minutes from North Ave. Station to Taft Ave. Station.