LRT-1 Adds New Trains to Cut Passenger's Waiting Time At Stations
Everything you need to know about these Gen-4 trains.
(SPOT.ph) Expect to see new trains plying LRT-1 routes starting Thursday, July 20 after the Department of Transportation (DOTr) and the Light Rail Manila Corporation (LRMC) unveiled its fourth genertion trains.
The new train sets are said to reduce passenger waiting time between train sets to less than three minutes, DOTr Secretary Jaime Bautista said.
“These new light rail vehicles (LRVs) are equipped with advanced passenger information system, a new signaling system and ice-cold air-conditioning—leading to a vastly enhanced passenger experience,” Bautista said in a statement. "The train’s brakes and signaling system have also been upgraded as enhanced passenger safety features."
For now, only one Gen-4 train set is in operation. An additional one train set per week will be added to the main line until December to coincide with the scheduled launch of the LRT-1 Cavite Extension Project.
Also read: From Roosevelt to Baclaran: Here's Your Ultimate Guide to LRT-1 Stations
Everything you need to know about the new fourth generation trains in LRT-1
The procurement of the LRT-1 Gen-4 trains was ordered in 2017 to meet the growing demand that would come with the opening of the LRT-1 Cavite Extension with eight new stations.
There will be 30 new train sets in total, each consisting of four LRVs. Each Gen-4 train set can accommodate over 1,300 passengers per trip. This will bring daily LRT-1 ridership from 280,000 to 300,000 passengers in its first year of operations with the Gen-4 version.
The new trains will have LED panels and lighting to inform passengers where the train is headed, along with a more PWD-friendly space and a human-machine interface to help train operations spot and trouble-shoot operational glitches.
According to the LRMC, there are still 10 Gen-4 trains pending to arrive from Mexico between November 2023 and February 2024. Gen-4 is manufactured by Mitsubishi Corporation and Construcciones y Auxiliar de Ferrorcarriles, with a worth of over P12.8 billion.
In total, LRT-1 has six Gen-2 trains and 11 Gen-3 trains to run its normal operations, as well as 12 Gen-1 trains on standby, as reported by Inquirer.
"The evolution of LRT-1 is not finished. It will continue to upscale in step with advancements in technology," Bautista said.
Once completed, the LRT-1 Cavite Extension Project is said to reduce travel time between Baclaran and Bacoor to just 25 minutes from the current 1 hour and 10 minutes.
Also read: LRT-1 and LRT-2 to Hike Fares in August; Here's How Much It Will Cost