Replacement of MRT 3 tracks expected in November

NEW TRACKS Transportation officials say they may start installing the Metro Rail Transit 3’s new track line before the end of the year. —inquirer file photo

MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Transportation (DOTr) said on Wednesday that it was looking at installing the new railway tracks for the Metro Rail Transit (MRT) 3 in November as part of an ongoing rehabilitation program.

The over 4,000 pieces of railway tracks — measuring 18 meters each — arrived at the Port of Manila on Tuesday.

The rails manufactured by Japan’s Nippon Steel Corp. would cover the MRT 3’s entire 17-kilometer track line. Other rail parts needed for the overhaul are expected to arrive in October.

The rehabilitation also includes the repair of the train line’s wheel lathe machine which minimizes vibration between the train coaches and the tracks.

Transportation Undersecretary Timothy John Batan said that excessive vibration was a “bane to the proper functioning of any mechanical and electrical equipment, and [was] one of the major root causes of MRT 3 train breakdowns in the past.”

The MRT 3 rehabilitation project which will last until 2022 includes the replacement of all mainline tracks,  rehabilitation of the power and overhead catenary systems, and upgrading of the signaling system, communications and closed-circuit television camera systems.