Train maintenance priority vs. longer rail ops during holidays

Daily maintenance of the three Metro railway systems is primary consideration in the decision to not further extend operations during the holidays to ensure line reliability and passenger safety, Transportation Undersecretary for Railways Jeremy Regino said.

Responding to calls for extension of the rail systems during the holidays to accommodate workers and Christmas shoppers, Usec. Regino clarified that unlike normal vehicles, train cars and its system require daily maintenance.

“Unfortunately, kailangan po natin ng maintenance time. Ang mga bagon natin hindi po pwedeng takbo lang nang takbo katulad ng mga sasakyan. Kailangan po ng maintenance niyan,” Usec. Regino said.

“Ang mga bagon at buong [rail system] kailangan ng daily maintenance niyan. In order to ensure the reliability and safety,” he added.

For instance, to ensure unimpeded nightly maintenance work, the system requires power shutdown even as to guarantee the safety of workers due to the high-voltage powering the train cars.

“Halimbawa po sa maintenance po kailangan naming mag power shut-off, papatayin po namin ang kuryente sa linya para ligtas po ang mga trabahador natin na gumawa ng maintenance work,” the transport official explained.

“Ginagawa po natin ito gabi-gabi kasi high-voltage yung mga bagon kaya kailangan natin mag power shutdown,” he added.

Usec. Regino added that an extended period of daily operations will jeopardize the reliability of trains and ultimately the safety of riding public.

“Kaya po natin ng one week isakripisyo ang maintenance time. Pero sa pangmatagalan na pagsakripisyo ng maintenance time, we cannot sacrifice the safety of the riding public,” he said.