MRT-3 deploys only 8 trains for rush hour

The Metro Rail Transit Line 3 deployed only eight trains during yesterday morning’s rush hour, causing long lines at the MRT-3’s stations and packed trains.

The rail line said it had six running trains at around 5 a.m., seven trains at around 5:30 a.m., and eight trains from 6:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.

As of 6 p.m., only eight trains were available, the MRT-3 said.

According to earlier reports, the MRT-3 is required to deploy 15 trains.

At around 4:40 p.m., passengers were unloaded at its Santolan station due to “wheel slipping/ skidding,” the MRT-3 reported.

A train was also pulled out after one of its motors developed electrical failure before 1 p.m yesterday.

According to the MRT-3 daily operations report, only nine trains were operational on Thursday.

The MRT-3 said that around 1,000 commuters were unloaded from a southbound train at its Shaw Boulevard station Thursday afternoon due to an electrical failure caused by worn-out subcomponents.

A few hours later, around 800 commuters got off a southbound train upon reaching Quezon Avenue station due to a signaling system problem caused by defective sub-components.

Also on Thursday, over 50 railway engineers and experts from the Japan International Cooperation Agency started on Thursday a system audit of the MRT-3.

The MRT-3 said the system audit is a necessary step to determine all the rehabilitation and restoration work needed on the rail line.