Expert says Dalian trains 'not overweight' for MRT3 tracks

A railway expert said on Tuesday, February 20, that the trains delivered by China-based CRRC Dalian Company Limited are "not overweight" for the Metro Rail Transit Line 3 (MRT3) tracks.

Rolf Bieri said in a Senate hearing on the MRT3 status that the trains are within the allowable limit that train tracks can carry. Bieri used to be a consultant for former MRT3 maintenance provider Comm Builders and Technology Philippines Corporation.

According to specifications, the MRT3 tracks can carry an axle load up to 10 tons. Citing his own calculations, Dalian trains weigh only up to 9.4 tons.

"We retain the limit required by the Department of Transportation (DOTr) for the axle load for the track. The axle load [of Dalian trains] is 9.4 tons but the track system is designed for 10 tons. So where is the problem for overload?" he said.

The DOTr earlier said the Dalian trains are above the total weight required by its contract. The DOTr specified that each train should weigh 46.4 tons but the trains delivered weigh 49.7 tons.

Bieri explained that the total capacity of each Dalian train, when fully loaded, should be around 75.2 tons. When divided by its 8 axles, the load of each axle should be around 9.4 tons – still within the allowable limit.

Tracks due for rehabilitation

Civil engineer Rene Santiago said Bieri's calculation is also valid but raised the current condition of the MRT3 tracks.

"He's just using the criteria of the axle load that there is still leeway for it to handle the gross weight of the train. But is that enough factor of safety considering that your tracks are not yet completed or rehabilitated?" Santiago said.

Transportation Undersecretary for Railways Timothy John Batan pointed out that the track system of the MRT3 is due for rehabilitation.

Germany-based TUV Rheinland was earlier tapped to evaluate the unused MRT3 trains. It will come out with its assessment by March.

When asked whether the Dalian trains can be used if cleared by TUV Rheinland, Batan said the government can use these immediately.

"Assuming that it can be cleared without condition, if it's cleared without condition, we can use it right away," said Batan.

Violation

Meanwhile, Senator Grace Poe, chairperson of the Senate committee on public services, noted that the Chinese firm still violated the terms on the weight of the trains as stipulated in the P3.76-billion contract.

"So kung 'yung train na iyan ay papasa, aba 48 coaches iyan, maraming trains iyan... Aminin natin na malaki talaga ang problema dito kaya nga sabi ko nga hindi dahil sa paghihiganti, kundi dahil sa pag-ako ng responsibilidad," said Poe.

(If those trains will be cleared, then those are 48 trains – that's a lot of trains. Let's be honest that this is a huge problem – it's not about being vindictive, but accountability.)

The 48 Dalian trains were delivered in 2016 but remained unused due to compatibility issues. The new coaches were part of the MRT3 expansion project, which aimed to decongest the railway system and increase its capacity to serve over 800,000 passengers daily.

Since the start of 2018, the DOTr has recorded a total of 37 glitches. (READ: MRT3 suffers almost daily breakdowns since start of 2018)

Currently, there are only 7 to 8 working trains on average, down from the 20 trains in operation in 2017.

DOTr to increase number of running MRT-3 trains

The Department of Transportation (DOTr) on Tuesday assured commuters to increase the number of running Metro Rail Transit (MRT-3) trains as spare parts for the defective rail system arrive.

At the Senate committee on public services’ hearing on the status of MRT-3 operations, DOTr Undersecretary for Rails Timothy James Batan said the number of trains would be raised to 10 by the end of the month.

Batan reported that the DOTr has started receiving the bulk of new train spare parts from foreign suppliers, which he said, could bring the trains back on the tracks.

Batan said the MRT-3 currently runs at least seven trains a day. But as of 10 a.m. Tuesday, the MRT-3 management reported only six trains running, after a breakdown at 6:32 a.m. which caused commuters to walk along the tracks between Ortigas and Shaw Boulevard stations.

The management said the malfunction was due to an electrical failure in its braking system.

Batan said they target to increase the MRT-3 trains to 15 by April after its three-day shutdown during the Holy Week, when they can fully work on the maintenance of the rail system.

Ideally, however, there should be at least 20 trains running per day, Batan said.

In the hearing, Batan admitted that maintaining the MRT-3 “has been difficult” as he enumerated the challenges facing them in addressing the problem.

Among others, the DOTr official cited varying spare parts from various suppliers for the MRT-3 which cause delays if found incompatible.

He also said a “major” cause of train breakdowns was related to its MRT-3’s signaling system which some components, in a recent audit, was found to be incoherent and modified.

Batan said they had tapped Canadian firm Bombardier to restock spare parts and restore and rehabilitate the signaling system.

Bombardier, he said, vowed to deliver the parts within a six-month period under their P400-million contract.

He said the MRT-3 tracks and motors, which he described to be “in a really deteriorated state” need replacement than just reconditioning.

Its coaches, he added, must be overhauled. He said the current trains were supplied by its previous maintenance provider Sumimoto Corporation in 2008 and should have been replaced in 2016.

The DOTr spends an average of P8 billion per year for the maintenance and rehabilitation of the troubled rail system, Batan said. He said it will take the agency two years to complete the rehabilitation of the MRT-3.

Dalian trains

The DOTr started yesterday its testing on the 48 light rail vehicles (LRVs) purchased from Dalian Locomotive and Rolling Stocks as part of the audit on the controversial coaches.

Despite findings that these were incompatible with the current MRT-3 system, Batan said they are keen on using the Dalian trains to aid in the operations of the rail system.

The audit on the Dalian trains will end in March, he said.

In addition, he said the Japan government is also helping in the systems audit, sending some 150 engineers to study the MRT-3 rehabilitation.

DOTr targets 15 operational MRT trains after Holy Week

Metro Rail Transit Line 3 (MRT-3) passengers can look forward to a less stressful commute by April, as the Transportation Department hopes for 15 trains be operational on the tracks.

At the Senate Committee on Public Services hearing on Tuesday, Transportation Undersecretary TJ Batan said there has been an average of only seven operational trains in February, which caters to about 1.1 million passengers daily.

"We would have spare parts arriving that would allow us to bring the number of trains back to 10 by the end of February…Ang target po natin is to get back to 15 after the three and a half days shut down that we do kapag Holy Week," Batan said.

This year, the Easter Sunday, which marks the end of the Holy Week, falls on April 1.

Batan said, however, this is still five trains short of the needed 20 trains during peak hours.

READ: Gov't signs deal to procure MRT-3 signalling system parts

He also said spare parts procured by the department mostly for the MRT signaling system has started to arrived.

Batan said the signaling system is among the leading causes of train breakdowns, and upgrading it costs P400 million.

"Meron pong mga components ang signaling system natin na hindi na OEM (original equipment manufacturer), yung iba po may modifications na hindi maintindihan kung paano ginawa. We really need to stock up on spare parts for signaling," Batan said, citing the system audit done by signaling system provider Bombardier.

[Translation: Our signaling system have components which are not OEM, and others even have modifications which Bombardier could not understand. We really need to stock up on spare parts for signaling.]

READ: DOTr: Canadian firm Bombardier to inspect MRT signalling systems by February

He added the department has signed contracts with Bombardier to supply needed spare parts and conduct maintenance and restoration services to the signaling systems, which may take up to six months.

The 17-kilometer train line runs the stretch of EDSA, from North Avenue in Quezon City up to Taft in Pasay.

The previous administration procured 48 light rail vehicles (LRVs) from China-based company CRRC Dalian worth P3.8 billion. The trains arrived in 2015, but these were not used as issues about weight and compatibility with the MRT-3 maintenance facilities and signaling system were raised.

READ: DOTr asks for understanding, cites maintenance lapses for fewer trains
Help on the way

Batan also revealed that the Philippine government had exchanged a note verbale with their Japanese counterparts on January 9 to address the MRT issues.

He said engineers from the Japan International Cooperation Agency have started conducting a system audit on February 1.

"150 engineers are coming in and out of the MRT-3 to assess everything that we need to fully restore the system to its designed capacity," Batan said, adding the engineers were mostly Filipinos.

He added after the audit report was submitted by March 15, they will finalize the terms of the official development assistance, then appoint a service provider.

In November 2017, the government announced that Japanese company Sumitomo Corporation and technical partner Mitsubishi Heavy Industries - which designed and built the MRT-3 and had maintained it from the start of operations in 2000 until 2012 - would return as the rail line's maintenance provider.

READ: BURI barred from joining MRT, LRT public bidding

On Nov. 6, 2017, the government took over the MRT's maintenance from Busan Universal Rail Inc. due to the company's alleged failure to operate the railway efficiently.

In 2017, the MRT-3 administration reported 504 glitches over 255 operation days or an average of two glitches per day.

Since January 2018, the train system has had at least 26 glitches, including passenger unloading and provisional service due to technical problems.

Senate tackles transport woes

The Senate Committee on Public Services is hearing this afternoon the problems in the country's mass transportation system.

Committee Chairperson Senator Grace Poe began the inquiry by talking about how the poor operations of the Metro Rail Transit 3 (MRT-3) have become a constant topic of jokes among netizens.

The Department of Transportation (DOTr) has temporarily taken over the maintenance of the train system.

This has not prevented the daily glitches in the MRT rides.

Officials of the DOTr and the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) are among the resource persons.

Poe is tackling government's jeepney modernization program with LTFRB Chairperson Martin Delgra.

It may be recalled that during the last hearing held in December last year, the senator made an appeal to jeepney transport organizations to put on hold its strike.

The transport leaders were protesting the phase out of old jeepney units.

Smart to enhance connection in LRT 1

Smart Communications Inc. launched on Monday what the PLDT Inc. subsidiary said is an enhancement of mobile connectivity to its network for passengers of the Light Rail Transit (LRT) Line 1.

Smart Senior Vice President Alex O. Caeg was quoted in a statement as saying the company “is committed to further enhance the company’s network coverage in the transport system.”

While not giving details, Caeg said this “commitment” is exemplified by Smart’s “station domination” tack. He defines the latter as buying rights to exclusively cover a train station with advertisements and other marketing products.

According to Caeg, part of this tack is the equipping of the LRT 1 Station with carrier grade Wi-fi, which has a backhaul capacity of up to 100 megabits per second, expandable to 1 gigabit per second. Other stations with carrier grade Wi-fi are the Doroteo Jose, Abad Santos, Gil Puyat, Pedro Gil, R. Papa and U.N. Avenue stations.

Roughly 500,000 commuters ride the LRT 1, operated by Light Rail Manila Corp. (LRMC), on a daily basis.

Smart said its enhanced Smart Wi-fi coverage for LRT 1 complements the firm’s ongoing program to deploy high-speed long-term evolution (LTE) mobile phone coverage in Metro Manila.

Smart has recently completed the upgrade of 4,200 3G and LTE sites across the country, with 90 percent of sites in Metro Manila already with LTE as of end-2017.

The season’s most controversial film

(FROM LEFT): Erich Gonzales, Tom Rodriguez and Lovi Poe

It’s the season’s most talked about film and we’ll find out why when “The Significant Other” hits local movie screens starting tomorrow.

Directed by Joel Lamangan for Cineko Productions, “The Significant Other” stars Erich Gonzales, Tom Rodriguez and Lovi Poe. It’s touted as having the “ultimate catfight,” because the story is centered on top fashion models Nicole (Erich) and Maxene (Lovi) who are friends until they realize they are both involved with the same man, Edward (Tom) who is a plastic surgeon.

This is the first film project of Erich, Tom and Lovi together.

“The Significant Other” will be distributed by Star Cinema.

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Fun dog show

The year of the dog started early at the Araneta Center when the Smart Araneta Coliseum hosted the Philippine Circuit 2018, dubbed as Asia’s biggest dog show, last Jan. 18-21.

More than 600 dogs from 23 countries all over the world participated in the four-day event.

THE WINNERS on day three of Best Veteran in Show were Siberian Husky named Topaz Silver Lining (USA) in First Place; Labrador Retriever Sunshadow Blacktie Affair aka Chicco (PH) in Second Place; and Dachshund Dowpy of Johannbern Haus (PH) in Third Place.

Some of the most awarded dogs were the Pekingese named Diaquiris on the Edge of Fame from Mexico, and the Doberman named Double D Nicols Scrappi Koko from Brazil.

In the local front, the Labrador retriever named Sunshadow Black Tie Affair AKA Chicco was one of the most awarded Philippine-bred dogs.

“The competition was very tough, but the quality of the winners is very good,” said Augusto Benedicto Santos III, President of the Philippine Canine Club, Inc. (PCCI).

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Tidbits: Happy b-day greetings today, Feb. 20, go to former Rep. Dolly Bohol, Emy Rodriguez, Betty Go Chua, Ditas Remulla, Chari Bagatsing, Tita Abiva, Marina Calma Visaya, Lalaine Legasto, Perla Dungo, Enrico Castelo, Tiffany Red, Amelia Lopez, Mary Grace Agoncillo, Prof. Lulu Geslani, Tony Antonio, and Lito Gruet…Happy 15th foundation anniversary to Pamantasang Lungsod ng Marikina… Feb. 21: Jinky Llamanzares, Jim Fernandez, Girlie Guillen, Beth Virtucio, Dr. Delia Barcelona, Lilia Duldulao, Mike Alunan, Doreen Belen, Severiano Velasco, Gigi Paras, Jennifer Fong, Raki Vega, Tony Gloria and GMA 7’s Don Morales and Love Añover…Belated b-day greetings to Jazmine Fernandez (Feb. 13)…