2 hurt as MRT-3 glitch affects signaling system

MANILA, Philippines — Two passengers were injured when a northbound Metro Rail Transit Line 3 (MRT-3) train suddenly stopped at the Shaw Boulevard station during yesterday morning’s rush hour.

A 68-year-old man suffered chest injuries while a 30-year-old woman sustained bruises on her right arm, according to a report by Department of Transportation Undersecretary Cesar Chavez.

He also reported that the mishap was caused by a problem in the rail line’s Automatic Train Protection, which concerns its signaling system. The ATP applies emergency brakes automatically in an unsafe situation based on readings taken by its signaling system, which controls the movement of individual trains.

According to the MRT-3’s service status report, commuters were “unloaded” five times during the morning rush hour due to still undetermined technical problems.

At around 7:12 a.m., train problems occurred at the Santolan Annapolis station in Quezon City.

About a minute later, “technical problems” forced northbound commuters to get off a train between the Boni Avenue and Shaw Boulevard stations.

The report did not include what time normal operations resumed.

Technical problems were reported at the rail line’s Magallanes station at around 8:15 a.m., Boni Avenue station at around 8:22 a.m., and again at the Boni Avenue station at around 9:11 a.m.

At around 2:06 p.m., another glitch forced commuters to get off a train at the Taft Avenue station. There was no mention of the time the MRT-3’s operation normalized.