The bad luck associated with the number 13 may have rubbed off on the Metro Rail Transit 3 (MRT 3) which was hit with two unloading incidents on Monday, just as it opened the week with 13 operating trains.
In just under two hours, two southbound MRT 3 trains broke down and forced the unloading of a total of 1,450 passengers during the morning rush hour.
The first train conked out at Araneta Center-Cubao station at 8:29 a.m. due to a signaling problem, while the second train bogged down over an hour later at Shaw Boulevard station because of a defect in the motor.
Worn-out parts blamed
In both instances, the MRT 3 management attributed the failures to worn-out subcomponents. But despite the breakdowns, it managed to keep 12 trains running the whole day.
On Friday night, the MRT 3 was able to deploy for the first time in over two months 13 trains. Over the weekend though, only 12 trains were put to service since these were considered off-peak days.
The latest passenger unloading incidents occurred just days before the MRT 3’s extensive maintenance check scheduled during Holy Week. Unlike in previous years, it will be suspending its operations a day earlier, from Holy Wednesday until Easter Sunday.