MRT conks out again

MANILA, Philippines - Operations at the Metro Rail Transit Line 3 (MRT-3) were disrupted anew yesterday morning when a train stalled at the rail line’s Gil Puyat Avenue station.

Lawyer Hernando Cabrera, Light Rail Transit Authority (LRTA) corporate secretary, said a northbound train stopped due to technical problems at the Gil Puyat Avenue station in Makati at around 10 a.m.

The latest glitch in the MRT-3’s operations occurred five days after more than 30 passengers were injured when a train crashed through the barriers of the EDSA-Taft station in Pasay City last Wednesday.

Cabrera said an incoming train had to push the defective train to the nearest station at Shaw Boulevard, Mandaluyong for repairs.

However, the “rescue” train that had to push the stalled train to Shaw Boulevard station had already left the Ayala Avenue station with its passengers.

The rescue train had to stop just before reaching the Gil Puyat Avenue station and let passengers disembark and walk along the railroad tracks for a few meters to reach the terminal.

A new MRT policy requires that a rescue train that will conduct a “train haul” or push a stalled train forward should be unloaded of its passengers before it pushes the defective train, Cabrera said.

He said the passengers of the rescue train disembarked and the train stopped behind the stalled one at Gil Puyat Avenue station.

The commuters walked the few meters to reach the platform.

“Security people assisted the passengers in going down the train and walking along the rail tracks,” Cabrera said.

It was learned that the MRT suspended operations at the southern half of the rail line from Shaw Boulevard to EDSA-Taft starting at 10:30 a.m.

Regular operations resumed at 11:30 a.m.