It looks like the Philippine National Railways (PNR) will be ready to take on more passengers once the transport situation in the country begins to normalize.
In a Facebook post, the Department of Transportation (DOTr) flaunted three new diesel-hydraulic locomotives and 15 new passenger coaches for the PNR. The new trains were made in neighboring Indonesia, and are part of a re-fleeting initiative that started back in 2018.
The new additions are expected to increase the rail line’s capacity to 1,250 passengers per set, per trip—perfect for when commuters begin flooding the rail line once the COVID-19 pandemic is done and over with. Speaking of flooding, the DOTr says the new trains have a wading depth of up to 18 inches.
In a statement, PNR general manager Junn Magno shared more details about the newly added trains’ flood-wading capability.
“Itong mga tren na ito ay high-capacity, kahit umuulan pwedeng idaan sa kalsada, walang electricals sa ilalim. Makakalusot sa baha,” the official said.
“Yung ginagamit kasi namin ngayon, nasa ilalim yung diesel motor na kapag tumaas ang tubig, masisira. Itong bago ay designed para sa six inches na tubig, mailulusot sa mga baha ng Metro Manila,” he added, also sharing that this is the first time in more than four decades that the rail line will be served by a new fleet.
We can’t wait to see these new trains in action. Hopefully, it won’t be long before commuters can try them out for themselves, too.
