Homegrown NSCR trains eyed
‘We have decided to join forces to once again build a second prototype train that we can all be proud of’
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Daily Tribune‘We have decided to join forces to once again build a second prototype train that we can all be proud of’
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DOST-MIRDC executive director Robert Dizon (rightmost) hands over a plaque of appreciation to DoTr Undersecretary for railways Jeremy Regino (middle), for giving the keynote speech during the Metals and Engineering Week Industry Forum. Looking on is DoST MIRDC deputy executive director for technical services Jonathan Puerto.
Photograph courtesy of DoTr
The Department of Transportation (DoTr) and the Department of Science and Technology (DoST) will work together to build a second prototype of the Hybrid Electric Train (HET) targeted as a mainstay of the North-South Commuter Railway (NSCR).
Transportation Undersecretary for Railways Jeremy Regino, in his keynote speech at the Metals and Engineering Week Industry Forum organized by the DoST-Metals Industry Research and Development Center (DoST-MIRDC) last Friday, said Japanese consultants of the NSCR project has approved the adoption of the HET trains for the Japanese-funded railway.
During discussions between DoTr and DoST along with the Japanese consultants, there was a consensus to develop an improved version of the HET first prototype despite the coaches passing evaluation and official test runs in the Philippine National Railways (PNR).
Proudly Filipino
“It was effective, efficient, safe — a good train that we could all be proud of. Proudly made by Filipinos,” Regino said in his speech.
“We have decided, (DoST) Secretary (Renato) Solidum (Jr), MIRDC, the PNR engineers, together with our Japanese consultants who are doing the NSCR. We have come to the conclusion that indeed, the hybrid trains of MIRDC and DoST are efficient, effective and a good mode of transportation for us,” Regino elaborated.
“But of course, we discussed among ourselves together with MIRDC, DoST, Secretary Solidum and (Transportation) Secretary (Jaime) Bautista, that we can improve it and come up with a second prototype to make it safer for the riding public and personnel, and the operating personnel of the trains,” Regino further shared.
“We have decided to join forces to once again build a second prototype train that we can all be proud of,” Regino stressed.
Bautista, he said, had recently showcased the first HET prototype now in the PNR Calamba station before local media in an inspection he conducted last June 13.
The DoTr plan for the NSCR involves the construction of a 24.5-hectare depot in the PNR compound in Banlic, Calamba to serve the massive operations of the NSCR, which is planned to stretch from Calamba, Laguna to Solis, Manila.
This will make up the 56-kilometer stretch under the PNR Calamba phase of the overall NSCR master plan.
The DoTr, he said, was looking at the HET technology developed by the DoST-MIRDC as a potential solution for the country’s acute transportation woes and attain self-reliance.
“What is the implication of a successful hybrid train? If we can do a hybrid train, we can easily modernize local jeepneys. If we can do a hybrid train, we can easily manufacture hybrid environment friendly buses. And who is at the forefront here, research and development MIRDC and DoST,” Regino said.
“Reseach and development is the key to self reliance. We can never be self reliant without you. And you are the unsung heroes, not only the unsung heroes of our country, kayo po literally ang pag-asa ng bayan. Saludo po kami sa inyo at mabuhay po kayo,” Regino told the Industry Forum crowd many of whom were officials and officers of the DoST and DoST-MIRDC.
DoTr had suspended PNR’s operations last March to give way to the start of the NSCR construction and development.
Regino had said the NSCR would replace the PNR currently located at grade or on the same level as the road.
The government was pushing to make the existing train systems “more efficient” with the NSCR project going on full swing this year, Regino had also stressed.
Quicker construction pace
The agency expressed hope that the halt in PNR trips from Governor Pascual in Malabon City to Tutuban in Manila and from Tutuban to Alabang in Muntinlupa City will help “speed up construction of the NSCR by eight months and save the government at least P15.18 billion” in expenses.
In an interview over dzBB early last March, Regino said the new rail line will be elevated, similar to those of the Metro Rail Transit Line 3 or MRT-3 and the Light Rail Transit Lines 1 and 2 or LRT-1 and LRT-2 that will also be connected.
The DoTr had expressed interest in the HET technology developed by the DoST-MIRDC engineers and technologists as early as last August. However, the DoTr executive who worked on the project, former Transportation Undersecretary for Railways Cesar Chavez, had been appointed as presidential assistant for strategic communications with the rank of senior undersecretary.
In the previous discussions, DoTr will provide the funding for the DoST-MIRDC to do another round of R&D effort to design an improved HET “version 2.0” for adoption of the PNR line.
The DoST-MIRDC developed HET trains first went on official test runs back in 2019, with the DoST offering rides for the public during demo runs as far back as July 2018. It officially became part of the PNR fleet in June 2019 where it served the Calamba-Alabang route and its eight stops for around three loops a day.
