DOTr completes weight testing of China-made MRT trains

A prototype of the Chinese-made Dalian coaches (Photo from the Department of Transportation)

The Department of Transportation (DOTr) has completed the weight-testing of 48 Metro Rail Transit Line 3 (MRT-3) Dalian trains Wednesday morning.

In a media briefing, DOTr Undersecretary for Railways Timothy John Batan said the tests were just part of a bigger program before the trains are allowed to operate on a daily basis.

“Iyong weight-testing ngayon is part of a broader auditing and acceptance process.  Different factors kasi ‘yung pumapasok sa tanong na kung acceptable ba siya or hindi.” Batan said.

Batan noted that integration of the trains into the MRT-3 system would only be determined after consolidating all the reports from the whole audit process.  TUV Rhineland, the third-party certifier tasked with auditing the trains, is expected to submit its complete and comprehensive report in two weeks.

“Our independent auditor, na nagsimula noong January, will put all their findings together once all of the processes are done,” said Batan.

In doing the weight-testing, 1,464 sandbags were placed in each Dalian car, to replicate the eight-person per square meter crash capacity of the trains.  It was witnessed by authorities from DOTR and MRT-3 management, representatives from TUV Rhineland, and members of MRT-3’s Joint ADB-Australia Aid Advisory Panel.

DOTr previously considered the return of all the P3.8 billion-worth of coaches, because of problems regarding incompatible signaling systems.  The Dalian trains were purchased during the Aquino administration.

READ: DOTr considering returning P3.8-B MRT coaches to China      /muf