The improvement of the oldest railway system in Southeast Asia is long overdue.
With the Department of Science and Technology’s (DOST) latest project, we may soon bid rickety rides on the Philippine National Railways (PNR) adieu.
A hybrid electric train made by an all-Filipino team of engineers and technicians was unveiled on Sat, Jun 25. The PHP120-million project, started in 2013, is the third mass transport system to be launched by the agency.
Unlike its older counterparts, t\he hybrid train may reduce fuel consumption by up to 50 percent. Plus, it has five air-conditioned coaches with a capacity of about 220 passengers each.
“We now have a better chance to do what we want for our fellow Filipinos, which is to make their commuting experience safer, more comfortable and more bearable,” PNR general manager Joseph Dilay said in a Philippine Daily Inquirer report.
Sounds like all good news? Unfortunately, the trains still need to undergo rigorous safety tests before we see them in operation.
Adjustments still have to be made. The floor level of the train, for example, is is still slightly higher than the platform at Tutuban because the model followed the measurements of the Caloocan station.
At least 10 local companies are “interested” in the hybrid train. According to DOST, they will be aggressive in looking for private companies who will invest in the train.
More tests will be conducted in the next two months, and DOST is hoping that it will be part of the mass transport solutions rolled out for public use in the next three years.
We hope so too!
