LRT starts trial runs of 4th gen trains

Manila Times
May 5, 2022 (Philippines)

The latest 4th generation trains of the Light Rail Transit Line 1 (LRT-1) will undergo dynamic test runs along the existing LRT-1 line to demonstrate their "reliability and performance" before they are used by the public.

In a statement on Wednesday, Light Rail Manila Corp. (LRMC) Chief Operating Officer Enrico Benipayo said these trains will be seen running along the LRT-1 line beginning Wednesday night and during "off-peak hours and weekends." The LRMC is the operator and maintenance provider of the LRT-1.

"They still cannot ride these Gen-4 trains yet. We are conducting these trial runs to simulate regular commercial operations and to make sure that these trains are safe for the passengers once we put them into commercial service soon," Benipayo said.

The LRT-1 has a total of 30 4th generation trains — each consisting of four light rail vehicles.

These new trains will go through dynamic test runs, with two to three train sets expected to go through the LRT-1 line per day.

Each train will need to complete a total of 1,000 kilometers of dynamic tests before its eventual handover to LRMC for commercial use.

"We would like to assure our passengers that this activity will not affect the normal operations of LRT-1. We are very excited to share this positive development and our target for the commercial use of the first Gen-4 train set is by end of May 2022," Benipayo said.

Each of these new trains has a total capacity of 1,300 passengers and a maximum designed speed of up to 70 kilometers per hour.

Its features include having destination signs to inform passengers if the trains are heading north or south, a modern driver station, and accessibility to persons with disability.

Source
https://www.manilatimes.net/2022/05/05/news/national/lrt-starts-trial-runs-of-4th-gen-trains/1842418