SMC: Second batch of MRT-7 trains installed

MANILA, Philippines — San Miguel Corp. (SMC) has installed the second batch of brand new train sets on the tracks of the Metro Rail Transit Line 7 (MRT-7) project.

SMC is eyeing to receive and install six of the total 36 train sets before the year ends, with the MRT-7 expected to be operational by end-2022.

“Work continues non-stop on the MRT-7 project so we can meet our target start of operations by end of next year. I’m glad to report that we’re on track to meet the milestones we expect this year,” SMC president Ramon Ang said.

Similar to the first two train sets that arrived last September, the additional two Hyundai Rotem trains were mounted on the MRT-7 tracks between University Avenue and Tandang Sora in Quezon City over the weekend.

The train sets were shipped by manufacturer Hyundai Rotem from the Masan Port and arrived in Manila on Oct. 17.

The 22-kilometer MRT-7 is 56.03 percent complete. The project is seen to start test runs by December 2022.

The MRT-7 will have 14 stations. Once completed, it will reduce travel time from Quezon City to Bulacan to only 35 minutes.

On its first year of operation, MRT-7 is estimated to accommodate 300,000 passengers per day, with a maximum projection of 850,000 passengers daily in its 12th year of operation.

“Given the need for social distancing and limited capacity enforced in public transportation amid the threat of COVID-19, we don’t expect to achieve these numbers right away, but rest assured, the trains will serve their purpose of bringing more people from Quezon City to Bulacan faster and safer post-pandemic,” Ang said.

LRT-1 gets more trains

Meanwhile, the Light Rail Manila Corp. (LRMC), the private operator of the Light Rail Transit Line 1, received yesterday its 12th fourth generation (Gen-4) train set to be used for the existing LRT-1 system and the Cavite extension project.

LRT-1’s newest trains are set to be deployed by mid-2022 after undergoing safety checks, inspections and the required test runs, according to LRMC.

The company has been receiving the Gen-4 train sets in batches since the arrival of the first train set in the country on Jan. 18.

Each Gen-4 train set consists of four light rail vehicles (LRVs) with a total capacity of 1,300 passengers per trip.

A total of 30 train sets or 120 LRVs from Spain and Mexico are scheduled for delivery until June next year.

LRMC said the train sets measure 106 meters in length and 2.59 meters in width, with maximum design speed of up to 70 kilometer per hour.

The trains have destination signs to inform passengers if they are heading north or south. The driver station features a modern design, with a monitor that shows the temperature.

The trains are also PWD-friendly, with special areas for wheelchairs.

“We are happy to continue moving forward with our upgrades and fleet modernization in line with our commitment to service excellence,” LRMC president and chief executive officer Juan Alfonso said.

“We are in the service business to give people back their time through a reliable, safe and efficient transport. Since assuming the operations and management of LRT-1, we have increased the number of trains available to commuters by almost 50 percent and shortened waiting times,” he said.