THE Department of Transportation (DoTr) is modernizing the signalling and communications system of the Metro Rail Transit Line 3 (MRT-3) with new fiber optic cables next week.
In a social media post yesterday, the department said it will start replacing the old copper wires that are currently being used in the train line with 20 reels of fiber optic cables.
It added MRT-3 maintenance providers Sumitomo Corp., Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Ltd. (MHI) and TES Philippines, Inc. (TESP) target to complete the replacement before the year ends.
“(The) new fiber optics cable will be used for the upgrading of (signalling and communications) systems for better stability of backbone data communication,” Sumitomo Project Manager Koji Nishiyama said in a mobile message sent through DoTr Assistant Secretary Goddes Hope O. Libiran.
“Kung dati, copper wires lamang ang ginagamit para sa signalling system ng MRT-3, ngayon, dahil sa komprehensibong rehabilitasyon ng rail line, mapapalitan na ng mas modernong kagamitan ang system (Before, copper wires were used for the signalling system of the MRT-3. Now, because of the comprehensive rehabilitation of the rail line, the system will be replaced with more modern equipment),” it said.
“Kailangan ito upang mapanatili ang ligtas na distansya sa pagitan ng mga tren habang nasa mainline (This is needed to maintain a safe distance between trains while running on the mainline),” it added.
The modernization of the MRT-3 by Sumitomo-MHI-TESP started early this year after the governments of the Philippines and Japan signed last year the P16.985-billion, 43-month contract to rehabilitate the train system.
Transportation Undersecretary for Railways Timothy John R. Batan said in May — when the DoTr officially turned over the train line to the Japanese contractors — that the rehabilitation of the MRT-3 is expected to improve its speed to its optimal 60 to 65 kilometers per hour (kph) from the current 30 kph.
The maintenance works is also expected to increase the number of running MRT-3 train sets to about 20 upon completion of the rehabilitation from the usual 15 at present.
Transportation Secretary Arthur P. Tugade said last month the DoTr is also talking with Sumitomo to accommodate the 48 China-manufactured “Dalian trains,” which were procured during the previous administration. Once Sumitomo agrees to its use, the MRT-3 fleet would increase to 120 train cars from the current 72. — Denise A. Valdez
