Light Rail Manila Corporation (LRMC) has announced the commencement of dynamic test runs for the brand-new 4th Generation (Gen-4) train sets along its designated lines.
The Gen-4 trains will travel along LRT line 1 at night, during off-peak hours, and on weekends to test their dependability and performance, as well as their compliance with technical and operational standards.
“We would like to inform our passengers that they will now start seeing brand-new Gen-4 trains along the LRT line 1, but 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 to commercial service soon,” LRMC Chief Operating Officer Enrico S. Benipayo shared. “We would also like to assure our passengers that this activity will not affect the normal operations of LRT-1.”, added Benipayo.
A total of 30 Gen-4 train sets, each with four Light Rail Vehicles (LRVs), will be put through a series of dynamic test runs in multiple stages, with two to three train sets crossing the main line each day. The new train sets, constructed by Mitsubishi Corporation and Construcciones y Auxiliar de Ferrorcarriles (CAF) of Spain, will be driven by LRMC train operators.
Before being accepted by the Grantors and eventually handed over to LRMC for commercial operation, each Gen-4 train set must travel 1,000 kilometers.
The state-of-the-art Gen-4 train sets are 106 meters long and 2.59 meters wide, with a total capacity of 1,300 people and designed to reach a top speed of 70 KPH It features destination signs that show whether the trains are going north or south. Inside, the driver’s station has a contemporary style with a temperature monitor. The new train sets are also PWD-friendly, with designated areas for passengers on wheelchairs.
The target set for the commercial use of these first Gen-4 trains is by the end of May 2022.