LRTA 1200 class explained

Background:
  1. EFFFE6
LRTA 1200 class
Interiorimage:Balintawak LRT-1 1200 class LRV 1242 interior 2022-02-25.jpg
Interiorcaption:Interior of the train captured in February 2022. This LRV was built by Nippon Sharyo
Stocktype:Light rail vehicle
Service:2006 - present
Manufacturer:Kinki Sharyo and Nippon Sharyo
Assembly:Osaka (Kinki Sharyo) and Toyokawa, Aichi (Nippon Sharyo), Japan
Yearconstruction:2005 - 2006
Numberbuilt:48 vehicles (12 sets)
Numberservice:44 vehicles (11 sets)
Formation:4 cars per trainset
(Mc - M - M - Mc)
Fleetnumbers:1201 - 1248
Capacity:1,388 passengers (272 seats)
Operator:LRTA (2007 - 2015)
LRMC (2015 - present)
Depots:Baclaran
Lines: Line 1
Carbody:Stainless steel
Trainlength:105.7abbr=onNaNabbr=on
Carlength:
  • 26.35abbr=onNaNabbr=on (Mc)
  • 26.5abbr=onNaNabbr=on (M)
Width:2.59abbr=onNaNabbr=on
Height:3.91abbr=onNaNabbr=on
Floorheight:0.92abbr=onNaNabbr=on
Platformheight:0.69abbr=onNaNabbr=on
Doors:4 sets of double-leaf pocket doors per side
Art-Sections:2
Wheeldiameter:660- (new–worn)
Wheelbase:1.9abbr=onNaNabbr=on
Maxspeed:60km/h
Weight:37.4t (Mc)
36.5t (M)
Axleload:10.3t
Gradient:4%
Traction:Mitsubishi Electric IGBTVVVF
Traction Motors:4 × 3-phase AC induction motor
Transmission:Two-stage reduction drive
Aux:440 V AC IGBT static inverter
110 V DC batteries
Hvac:Roof-mounted duct-type air conditioning
Electricsystem: overhead catenary
Collectionmethod:Single-arm pantograph
Uicclass:Bo′+2′+Bo′
Bogies:Inside-frame type
Brakes:Knorr-Bremse regenerative and electro-pneumatic
Safety:Siemens/Alstom Atlas 100 ATP
Coupling:Semi-permanent
Notes:Sourced from [1] [2] unless otherwise noted.

The LRTA 1200 class is the third-generation class of high-floor light rail vehicles (LRV) of the LRT Line 1. Purchased as part of the second phase of the capacity expansion of the line, the trains entered service in December 2006.[3]

Operational history

Background and purchase

With the completion of the initial capacity expansion of the LRT Line 1, its capacity was raised by half with the introduction of seven four-car trains and the upgrading of the existing two-car trains to three cars in 1999. However, its capacity was expected to become insufficient once the railway network in Metro Manila was completed in 2004 with the full opening of the LRT Line 2.

On April 7, 2000, the Japan Bank for International Cooperation (JBIC) extended a loan to finance the second phase of the capacity expansion project.[4] While existing rolling stock were refurbished, twelve more four-car trains were purchased, in conjunction with other upgrades in signaling, telecommunications, and existing railway tracks as well as upgrades at stations and the depot.

Two firms bidded for the project: Kanematsu and Kawasaki Steel Corporation, and the joint venture of Sumitomo Corporation and Itochu. Marubeni was disqualified from the bidding but questioned the technicalities of the bidding procedure. However, delays were encountered in the bidding process, with senator Francisco Tatad claiming on March 21, 2004, that "unconfirmed reports" reaching him disclosed that groups identifying themselves with the President of the Philippines attempted to extort US$1 million from each bidder supposedly as campaign funds for the May 2004 elections. This, according to Tatad, limited the bidders to the two aforementioned firms. His claims were denied by LRTA administrator Pacifico Fajardo, as well as the Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC; precursor to the DOTr).[5] Fajardo later claimed that JBIC posed "no objection" to the bidding, and said that it was conducted with transparency.[6]

After a delay of more than three years since 2001, Sumitomo and Itochu won the contract and was given the go-ahead in March 2005.[7] Following this, they signed a construction contract with Kinki Sharyo and Nippon Sharyo to manufacture the light rail vehicles.[8]

Production and commissioning

In December 2005, officials from the Light Rail Transit Authority and Manila Tren Consortium—the project consultant of the capacity expansion project, inspected the full-scale mock-up model at Kinki Sharyo's factory in Osaka.[9] It was then displayed at the line's depot in Baclaran in March 2006.[10]

After delivery in the third quarter of 2006, the third-generation trains underwent mainline test runs in the late evening, during non-operating hours. Some scheduled tests in late September 2006 were cancelled due to Typhoon Xangsane.

On December 9, 2006, at a ceremony in Baclaran, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo inaugurated the third-generation 1200 class trains. These were then deployed for revenue operations two days later.[11] The trains raised the line's capacity from 27,000 passengers per hour per direction to 40,000 passengers per hour per direction.

Themed trains

On September 6, 2018, a 3G trainset was decorated with a special Gabay Guro decoration to celebrate the National Teachers' Month in the Philippines. The decoration has a library-themed look with images of books. The special themed train was launched on that date and ended a year later.[12]

Design

Like the 1100 class, the 1200 class shares the 6-axle rigid body LRV design consisting of two articulated cars.

Car body

The car body has a length of 26sp=usNaNsp=us without couplers, a width of 2.59sp=usNaNsp=us, and a height of 3.91sp=usNaNsp=us. 1200 class LRVs have 4 electronic sliding doors on both sides. The train car body is made of beadless lightweight stainless steel, with composite materials on the indoor panels and aluminum on the inner bone to reduce weight. 1200 class LRVs have 4 electronic sliding doors on both sides.

Each light rail vehicle has two roof-mounted air-conditioning units that has a cooling capacity of 41000sp=usNaNsp=us. In total, there are eight air-conditioning units in a four-car train set.

Interior

The interior is color-toned based on light and dark two-color green in the seats to complement the landscape of Manila. Seats are made of fiber reinforced plastic and has an aluminum bracket type cantilever longitudinal seat for reducing weight. Seating and grip sticks are designed to have ergonomic dimensions, aside from equipment arrangement inside the cab. A wheelchair-compatible space is provided beside the gangway of the intermediate car, alongside an equipped fire extinguisher.

Electrical

Each LRV consists of four totally enclosed, self-ventilated 3-phase AC induction motors, driven by variable-voltage/variable-frequency drive (VVVF) inverters. Auxiliary power is sourced from 440-volt alternating current static inverters and 110-volt direct current batteries.

Mechanical and braking

Each LRV has three inside-frame bogies, similar to the 1000 class. The bogies consist of two motorized bogies at the ends of the LRV and one shared trailer bogie under the articulation. The primary suspension is a chevron rubber spring, while the secondary suspension is an air suspension, similar to the 1100 class. Semi-permanent couplers are present in the ends of each light rail vehicle except the driving cab section of the MC car.

The 1200 class employs a regenerative and electronically controlled pneumatic braking system manufactured by Knorr-Bremse. The resistors are mounted on the roof for backup regenerative brakes. Each VVVF controller is equipped with an Electronic Command Braking Device (ECBD). Disc brakes are present on the bogies.

Train formation

The configuration of a four-car trainset is Mc - M - M - Mc. Mc denotes a driving car while M denotes an intermediate car.

Car type! colspan="2"
McM
A-carB-carA-carB-car
Quantity22
Control cab
VVVF inverter
Auxiliary inverter
Pantograph
Car lengthm26.3526.5
ft in26.35m (86.45feet)26.5m (86.9feet)
CapacitySeated6670
Standing272286
Total338356

Incidents

Build details (original configurations)

All 1200 class trains were designed and built to agreed specifications with no comparable differences.

Set No. 1 234ManufacturerNotes
11201 1202 1203 1204 rowspan=8
21205 1206 1207 1208
31209 1210 1211 1212 Nippon Sharyo
41213 1214 1215 1216
51217 1218 1219 1220 Kinki Sharyo
61221 1222 1223 1224
71225 1226 1227 1228 Nippon Sharyo
81229 1230 1231 1232
91233 1234 1235 1236 Kinki Sharyo 1233–1234 re-configured to 1246–1245
101237 1238 1239 1240 rowspan=2
111241 1242 1243 1244 Nippon Sharyo
121245 1246 1247 1248 1246–1245 re-configured to 1233–1234

Sources

Notes and References

  1. Department of Transportation and Communications . Light Rail Transit Authority . Department of Transportation (Philippines) . Light Rail Transit Authority . MANILA LRT1 EXTENSION, OPERATIONS AND MAINTENANCE PROJECT . June 4, 2012 . Public-Private Partnership Center. 9 April 2018.
  2. Web site: LRTA LRV. Kinki Sharyo. 9 April 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20110717034657/http://www.kinkisharyo.co.jp/eng/e_products/sh/e_manila.htm. July 17, 2011. dead.
  3. PGMA, Japan PM inaugurate 3G trains . Light Rail Transit Authority . 7 December 2006 . April 21, 2022 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20080708181740/http://www.lrta.gov.ph/press_release/press_release_061207_3GTrains.htm . 2008-07-08.
  4. News: RP urged to speed up LRT expansion . Sandy . Araneta . The Philippine Star . April 3, 2005 . June 26, 2024.
  5. News: LRTA denies anomaly in rail expansion project . Rainier Allan . Ronda . The Philippine Star . March 25, 2004 . June 26, 2024.
  6. News: LRT expansion proj delay a disservice to public — LRTA . The Philippine Star . March 29, 2004 . June 26, 2024.
  7. News: P8.5-billion LRT-1 expansion approved . Sandy . Araneta . The Philippine Star . March 20, 2005 . June 26, 2024.
  8. Web site: ITOCHU Corporation. Japan Overseas Railway System Association. November 27, 2021. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20200807205800/https://jorsa.or.jp/en/members/detail.php?id=36. August 7, 2020. In the Philippines, we undertook the Manila LRT Line 1 Capacity Expansion 2 as a JV contractor and we supplied rolling stock and railway systems..
  9. Osaka Inspection Tour . . 2005-12-12 . February 17, 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20051229230521/http://www.lrta.gov.ph/press_release/press_release_051212_OsakaInspection.htm . December 29, 2005 . dead .
  10. 3rd Generation LRV Mock Up on Display . . March 9, 2006 . November 27, 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20060424160210/http://www.lrta.gov.ph/press_release/press_release_060309_3rdGenLRV.htm . April 24, 2006 . dead .
  11. News: GMA, Japan PM inaugurate ‘3-G’ trains . The Philippine Star . December 10, 2006 . June 18, 2024.
  12. News: LOOK: 'Gabay Guro' train offers chance to rediscover joys of reading, learning . ABS-CBN News . September 6, 2018 . September 5, 2021 .
  13. Web site: Invitation to Bid - Rehabilitation and Restoration of Light Rail Vehicles (LRVs) Project. Department of Transportation and Communications. September 14, 2012. 2022-01-16. December 27, 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20211227192546/https://dotr.gov.ph/images/Public_Bidding/Goods/2012/RAIL/P203MLRTA_Rehab/itb.pdf. dead.
  14. News: Castro . Doland . February 18, 2011 . 2 LRT trains collide . live . ABS-CBN News . ABS-CBN News and Current Affairs . https://web.archive.org/web/20200526074945/https://news.abs-cbn.com/video/nation/metro-manila/02/18/11/2-mrt-trains-collide . May 26, 2020 . May 26, 2021 .
  15. News: Kimberly Jane. Tan. LRT Balintawak, Roosevelt stations resume operations. GMA News. GMA News and Public Affairs. 2011-04-11. 2021-12-28.
  16. News: Gonzales . Yuji Vincent . May 23, 2015 . 2 LRT trains collide due to technical glitch; at least 1 hurt . live . Philippine Daily Inquirer . https://web.archive.org/web/20160204182202/https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/693097/2-lrt-trains-collide-due-to-technical-glitch-at-least-1-hurt . February 4, 2016 . May 26, 2021 .
  17. News: Palma . Paola . May 23, 2015 . Minor collision disrupts LRT operation Saturday . dead . CNN Philippines . https://web.archive.org/web/20160101070456/https://cnnphilippines.com/metro/2015/05/23/lrt-collision.html . January 1, 2016 . May 26, 2021 .