MRT-3 reaches 60kph operating speed

HOP ON THE TRAIN. A passenger takes the MRT-3 at North Avenue station in Quezon City on Monday (Sept. 14, 2020). Starting Sept. 14, government has allowed the physical distancing measure enforced inside public transport units at .75 meters between commuters. (PNA photo by Robert Oswald P. Alfiler)

MANILA – The Metro Rail Transit 3 boosted its train operating speed to 60 kilometers per hour Monday, cutting the average time between trains to only 3.5 to 4 minutes from the previous 8 to 9.5 minutes.

Travel time from North Avenue station to Taft Avenue will be shortened to only 50 minutes from the previous 1 hour and 15 minutes.

The improvement in train speed is a result of rail replacement works in the rail line, as part of the MRT-3’s massive rehabilitation program, which is being implemented by its maintenance provider Sumitomo-Mitsubishi Heavy Industries from Japan.

The MRT-3 was able to complete its rail replacement works in September this year, several months ahead of its scheduled completion in February 2021.

“The increase in train speed will provide our passengers a safer, faster, and more reliable public transportation. This is a significant accomplishment for the Department of Transportation (DOTr), headed by Sec. Arthur P. Tugade, and for the MRT-3 that aims to bring better performance and a brighter future for the passengers,” MRT-3 Director for Operations Michael Capati said in a news release.

The rail line has been gradually increasing its train operating speed since it embarked on said massive rehabilitation project, from 30kph to 40kph in October, and 50kph in Nov. 2020.

The MRT-3 trains can now travel from North Avenue station to Shaw Boulevard station (both bounds) with a speed of 60kph, and from Shaw Boulevard station to Taft Avenue station (both bounds) with a speed of 55kph.

“During the first week of December, we have been performing test runs to ascertain the alignment and safety of railway tracks. We are targeting to increase the train operating speed to 60kph in the entire revenue line before this year ends when all system checks have been performed to ensure compliance to safety standards,” Capati said.

The last time the MRT-3 was able to run at 60kph was in Sept. 2013.