LRT-1 operator starts 29-km rerailing in April

MANILA, Philippines - The operator of the Light Rail Transit Line 1 (LRT 1) is set to replace the 29-kilometer (km) rail tracks of the train system starting April as part of efforts to rehabilitate the 32-year old line.

Light Rail Manila Corp. (LRMC) said the replacement of the tracks would initially cover the northbound route from Baclaran to 5th Avenue.

LRMC engineering director Rudy Chansuyco said the new rails are expected to be delivered in April this year.

“Our target is to be done by the end of 2017 with new, modern tracks that will allow for smoother rides for our passengers. The rerailing will cover the systematic replacements of rails and other rail components to keep the LRT-1 line functioning at optimum quality and enable train speed to be increased from 40 kph (km per hour) to 60 kph,” he said.

The project would complete the overall renewal of LRT-1’s tracks system as the Light Rail Transit Authority (LRTA) started the replacement of the 23-km southbound tracks last December.

LRTA already replaced about eight-km of rail tracks in previous years.

Apart from providing passengers a smoother ride, the project is expected to reduce the wear and tear of the rolling stock and increase the reliability of the LRT 1, in effect extending the life span of the train line.

The project would also benefit those in close proximity to the stations as the new set of tracks would significantly reduce the vibration and noise.

The rerailing is just one of the planned improvement works for the LRT 1. 

Chansuyco said LRMC is currently working on the rehabilitation of elevators and escalators, improvement of the stations, and restoration of old trains. 

LRMC is also waiting for the arrival of new light rail vehicles or train cars being procured by the Department of Transportation and Communications through a loan from the Japan International Cooperation Agency to augment the existing fleet.

Aside from the rehabilitation works, LRMC is set to construct the 11.7-km extension from the present end-point at Baclaran to Bacoor, Cavite. 

The extension covers eight new stations to help ease traffic conditions in the Paranaque-Las Piñas-Cavite corridor.

LRMC is the joint venture of Metro Pacific Investments Corp.’s Metro Pacific Light Rail Corp. and Ayala Corp.’s AC Infrastructure Holdings Corp. and the Philippine Investment Alliance for Infrastructure’s Macquarie Infrastructure Holdings (Philippines) PTE Ltd. 

The consortium which bagged the P65 billion LRT 1 Cavite Extension, Operation and Maintenance Project, took over the operations and management of the train system in September last year.