(PNA file photo)
MANILA – The Metro Rail Transit Line 3 (MRT-3) is looking to expand its current three-car train operation to four-car trains, further increasing the passenger capacity of its trains.
In a Facebook post on Friday, the MRT-3 said a “dynamic testing” for a four-car train on its mainline was completed on Wednesday and was meant to assess the train’s running safety, ride comfort, and stability against derailment, among others.
With the National Capital Region (NCR) under Alert Level 1 which allows 100 percent passenger capacity, most MRT-3 train cars are capable of carrying 394 passengers -- 1,182 passengers in a three-car setup or 1,576 in a four-car setup.
While MRT-3 train platforms were designed to accommodate four-car train operations, it said the “pocket track” -- where trains park off the mainline -- was found to have insufficient length to accommodate four-car trains prior to the MRT-3’s public opening in 2000.
“Redesign of the track at the north side of the mainline is among the recommended modifications to allow for the safe operation of 4-car train sets,” the MRT-3 said.
MRT-3 Director for Operations Michael Capati said an increase in train cars is made possible after the MRT-3 completed its rehabilitation in December 2021.
"With 4-car train sets, we can further increase our line capacity, which will enable us to serve more riding public with safe and reliable transport system as the country navigates into the new normal," Capati said. (PNA)
