LRMC signs P450m contract to upgrade Light Rail Transit Line 1 trains

February 22, 2018

Light Rail Manila Corp., a joint venture led by Ayala Corp. and Metro Pacific Investments Corp., has signed a P450 million contract with Voith Digital Solutions Australia GmBH and Co KH for the rehabilitation and upgrade of the trains of Light Rail Transit Line 1.

Juan F. Alfonso, LRMC president and chief executive, said Voith will be re-engineering 24 generation-2 light rail vehicles (LRVs) over the next two years of six train sets.

“The rehabilitation of the 24 LRVs will expand capacity which should result in faster travel time because of reduced train headway and queueing time,” Alfonso said.

“This is another step that will significantly improve our passengers’ daily commute,” he added.

The project will be the first overhaul of the Generation 2 fleet’s propulsion system since the Philippine government bought the generation-2 trains from Hyundai and Adtranz Sweden in 1999.

The current fleet of LRT-1 includes 51 generation-1 LRVs bought in 1984, eight generation-2 LRVs bought in 1999, and 44 generation-3 LRVs bought in 2007.

Last month, the Department of Transportation signed the procurement of 120 new LRVs for delivery in 2020.

LRMC won the bidding for the 11.7-kilometer Cavite extension project and took over the operation of LRT Line 1 on Sept. 12, 2015.  The Cavite extension will connect into the existing system immediately south of the Baclaran station and will extend to Niog, Bacoor, Cavite. DMS