40% of LRT-1's rail tracks replaced – LRMC

The Light Rail Manila Corp. (LRMC) on Wednesday said that it has replaced 40 percent of the 32-year old tracks being used by Light Rail Transit Line 1 (LRT-1).

The company is the private consortium among Ayala Corp., Metro Pacific Investments Corp. and Macquarie Infrastructure Holdings (Philippines) PTE Ltd. The group holds the government contract covering the operations and maintenance and of the mass rail transit system.

"As of end-November, the replacement of the northbound tracks from the Baclaran Station in Pasay City has already reached the Doroteo Jose Station in Manila, covering 10,583 linear meters of rails," LRMC said in a statement.

The project covers 21 kilometers of rail tracks on the northbound route and five kilometers on the southbound route, it added.

The rail replacement is the final phase to complete the overall rehabilitation of LRT-1 tracks, according to LRMC.

Once the replacements are finished, LRT-1 trains will be able to run at speeds of up to 60 kilometers per hour (kph) from the current limit of 40 kph.

The new rail way will help to increase the lifespan of light rail vehicles (LRVs), avoid unnecessary wear and tear of the rolling stock and ensure the reliability of the whole train system, the company said. — Ted Cordero/VDS, GMA News