A total of 16 newly-overhauled Light Rail Vehicles or LRVs are running on the MRT-3 mainline for safer and faster trips, footage released Wednesday by the Department of Transportation showed.
An additional 2 LRVs were added last April after successful and safe test runs months back.
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The MRT-3 has 67 operational LRVs out of 72. The remaining five are undergoing general overhauling, which is part of the railway line’s rehabilitation program in partnership with Sumitomo-MHI-TESP.
In September 2020, trains on the MRT-3 line ran at speeds of 30 kilometers per hour (kph). Every month, management increased speed by 10 kph with the goal of reaching 60 kph running speed by the end of 2020—double the starting speed.
The MRT-3 hasn’t been this fast since 2013. Before speed increases, Jamaican sprinter Usain Bolt, also known as the fastest human on Earth, could outrun the MRT-3 with his record of 44.64 kph.
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Average wait time for trains is now at 3.5 to 4 minutes from the previous 8 to 9.5 minutes. Travel from the North Avenue station to Taft Avenue station is cut to 50 minutes from the previous 1 hour and 15 minutes.
However, social distancing and limited capacities prevent the train line from ferrying more passengers.
Check out the MRT-3's Light Rail Vehicles:
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