| Box Width: | 320 |
| LRT Line 1 | |
| Owner: | Light Rail Transit Authority |
| Locale: | Metro Manila, Philippines |
| Start: | Fernando Poe Jr. |
| Type: | Light rapid transit |
| System: | Manila Light Rail Transit System |
| Status: | Operational |
| Stations: | 20 (28 in the future) |
| Routes: | 1 |
| Daily Ridership: | 216,667 (2022) |
| Ridership2: | 78 million (2022) |
| Linenumber: | 1 |
| Website: | , |
| Event1label: | Privatized |
| Operator: | Light Rail Manila Corporation |
| Character: | Elevated |
| Depot: | Baclaran Zapote (future) |
| Stock: | LRTA 1000 class LRTA 1100 class LRTA 1200 class LRTA 13000 class |
| Linelength Km: | 19.7 |
| Tracks: | Double |
| Load Gauge: | [1] |
| Minradius: | (mainline) (depot) |
| Electrification: | overhead catenary |
| Speed Km/H: | 60 |
| Signalling: | Alstom Atlas 100 ETCS-1 |
| Maxincline: | 3.535% (mainline) 4% (depot spur line) |
| Map Name: | Route diagram |
| Map State: | collapsed |
The Light Rail Transit Line 1, commonly referred to as LRT Line 1 or LRT-1, is a light rapid transit system line in Metro Manila, Philippines, operated by Light Rail Manila Corporation (LRMC) and owned by the Light Rail Transit Authority (LRTA) as part of the Manila Light Rail Transit System. Originally referred to as Metrorail and the Yellow Line, LRT Line 1 was reclassified to be the Green Line in 2012. It travels in a general north–south direction from to, and then east–west from Monumento to Fernando Poe Jr. Currently, the line consists of 20 stations and runs on 19.7sp=usNaNsp=us[2] of fully elevated route. Although it has the characteristics of light rail, such as with the type of rolling stock used, it is more akin to a rapid transit system owing to its total grade separation and high passenger throughput.
First envisioned in a 1977 study conducted by Freeman Fox and Associates which suggested a street-level railway in Manila, the government revised this recommendation to an elevated system. In 1980, President Ferdinand Marcos created the LRTA and construction of the line began the following year. With its partial opening in 1984 and completion the following year, it became the first rapid transit service in Southeast Asia.[3] LRT Line 1 would become one of the busiest among Metro Manila's three rapid transit lines; it served 216,667 daily average passengers in 2022, making it the second-busiest, just behind the MRT Line 3.[4]
The line is integrated with the public transit system in Metro Manila, and passengers also take various forms of road-based public transport, such as buses and jeepneys, to and from a station to reach their intended destination. Although the line aimed to reduce traffic congestion and travel times in Metro Manila, the transportation system has only been partially successful due to the rising number of motor vehicles and rapid urbanization. Expanding the network's revenue line to accommodate more passengers, through extension projects,[5] is set on resolving this problem.
The 1977 Metro Manila Transport, Land Use, and Development Planning Project (MMETROPLAN), a fourteen-month study conducted by Freeman Fox and Associates and funded by the World Bank, recommended the construction of a street-level (at-grade) light rail line in Manila and the proposed four lines that were included in the study that would run along Rizal Avenue, Taft Avenue, España Boulevard, Quezon Avenue, and Shaw Boulevard. A year later, public works secretary Alfredo Juinio announced that the system would consist of streetcars that were seen before the war, and they would accept bids for the project in the next few months.[6]
Following a review by the Ministry of Transportation and Communications, later the Department of Transportation (DOTr), the proposal was revised to an elevated railway to avoid building over the city's many intersections, while the option for an underground line was rejected due to the high water table in Manila; this raised the project's cost from ₱1.5 billion to ₱2 billion. An alignment along Rizal and Taft avenues, which spanned from Monumento, Caloocan in the north to Baclaran, Pasay in the south, was selected because it followed a relatively straight path for most of its route.[7]
On July 12, 1980, President Ferdinand Marcos created the Light Rail Transit Authority (LRTA) and assigned First Lady and Governor of Metro Manila Imelda Marcos as its chairman. While the LRTA confined its roles to policy making, fare regulation, and future planning, the line's operations were assigned to Meralco Transit Organization (Metro, Inc.), a sister company of Meralco. The line came to be referred to as Metrorail.[8]
The Belgian Government granted a ₱300 million soft and interest-free loan for the project's construction, with a repayment period of 30 years. Additional funding was later sourced from a ₱700 million loan, provided by a Belgian consortium consisting of ACEC, La Brugeoise et Nivelles, Tractionnel Engineering International, and Transurb Consult. The consortium also supplied the line's first light rail vehicles, power control, signalling, and telecommunications, as well as provided training and technical assistance. Designed as a public utility rather than a profit center, the line was expected to incur a deficit through 1993, but complete its repayments within a period of 20 years.[8]
The government-owned Construction Development Corporation of the Philippines was the project's sole contractor.[7] Single column cast-in-place concrete piers carrying precast concrete T-girders and a concrete deck slab were used for the original line from Monumento to Baclaran. The columns are spaced apart by 66to rising from a cap on top of bored or driven concrete piles. Four of the 7sp=usNaNsp=us wide girders are side by side in each span to accommodate bidirectional standard-gauge railway tracks located 20sp=usNaNsp=us above the street level.[9]
Driven piles were originally used for 80 percent of the project, with spread footings being used for the remaining portion. However, during construction, it was determined that bored piles should be utilized in some areas to mitigate noise and avoid potential damage to nearby buildings. Additionally, the original use of stockpiled precast piles caused clutter on the streets during construction.
In 1981, an economic recession hit the country, and the government was unable to provide counterpart funds for civil works and right-of-way acquisition, which amounted to 60 percent of the project's total cost. This led to a delay in construction.[10] Work finally resumed after the economic recession in September of that year along Taft Avenue, between Epifanio de los Santos Avenue (EDSA) and Libertad Street.[11] In order to make way for Carriedo station and a segment of tracks approaching the Pasig River, a department store and a classroom building nearby FEATI University were demolished.[7]
The southern section, between the Baclaran and United Nations stations, was inaugurated on September 11, 1984, by President Ferdinand Marcos. Commercial operations along this section commenced on December 1. The line became fully operational on May 12, 1985, when the northern section between Central Terminal and Monumento opened. During the first several years, two-car trains that could accommodate up to 748 passengers were utilized. This amounted to a capacity of 20,000 passengers per direction.[12]
In July 2000, with the looming expiration of its contract with the LRTA, a labor strike was launched by employees of Meralco Transit Organization (METRO, Inc.). It paralyzed the operations of the line for a week. The LRTA decided not to renew its contract with METRO, Inc. that expired on July 31, 2000, and the former assumed operational responsibility.[13] LRTA undertook this responsibility until September 12, 2015, when the operations and maintenance of the line were privatized to the Light Rail Manila Corporation for thirty-two years as part of the line's south extension.
Line 1 would eventually reach capacity by 1990 due to traffic congestion and air pollution. This led to an extensive refurbishing and structural capacity expansion program funded by Japan's official development assistance. The signing of the loan agreement in December 1994 marked the start of the project.[14] A consortium of Marubeni Corporation, Adtranz, and ABB was tapped in 1996 to execute the project.[15] [16] As part of the initial phase of the expansion project, in addition to structural improvements, Hyundai Precision & Industries supplied seven four-car trains, while the original two-car trains were converted into three-car trains in 1999. In line with the introduction of four-car trains, the station platforms were also extended. The project was completed in 2002.[14]
On April 7, 2000, a loan agreement was signed by the Philippine government and the Japan Bank for International Cooperation (JBIC).[17] JBIC extended an loan for the second phase of the capacity expansion project, which was initiated in preparation of the expected high demand by 2004 once the railway network in Metro Manila is completed with the full opening of the LRT Line 2.[18]
The implementation of the project was delayed for three years amid allegations of irregularities with the bidding conducted by the LRTA.[17] The joint venture of Sumitomo Corporation and Itochu was awarded the contract and was given the go-ahead in March 2005, paving the way for the project to move forward.[19] The second phase of the capacity expansion project was divided into two packages. Package A involves the procurement of twelve four-car trains, upgrades to the signaling and communications systems, and upgrades to the stations and depot. Package B, on the other hand, involves the procurement and installation of air conditioning units for the 1000 class trains, replacement of faulty air conditioning units of the 1100 class trains, renovation of 4sp=usNaNsp=us of railway track and railway sleepers, and procurement of equipment and spare parts used for track works. The installation of equipment for the automatic fare collection system was also included.[20] The project was completed in June 2009, five and a half years behind its initial deadline.[20]
With the completion of the first phase of the MRT Line 3 in 1999, there were plans to extend Line 3 towards (Phase 2) to create a seamless rail loop around Metro Manila.[21] However, the extension was shelved by then-President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo in favor of a 5.7sp=usNaNsp=us extension of Line 1 to a common station at North Avenue. The project involved the construction of three stations:, Roosevelt (renamed Fernando Poe Jr.), and the North Triangle Common Station. However, due to disputes in the common station's location, the station would only begin construction in 2017, with opening slated for 2025.
Construction began in June 2008.[22] The joint venture of DMCI and First Balfour built the viaduct and the two stations,[23] while the electrical and mechanical systems contracts were assigned to different contractors. Balintawak station opened on March 22, 2010,[24] with FPJ station opening exactly seven months later.[25]
In September 2008, then-mayor of Caloocan Enrico Echiverri, petitioned the government to construct Malvar station, an intemediary station between Balintawak and Monumento.[26] Two months later, two thousand residents from Barangay Bagong Barrio, where the station would be built, staged a protest along EDSA to urge the government to build the station.[27] Malvar station would eventually be approved in July 2009.[28] Though it was reported that the feasibility study for the station was completed, construction has yet to start.
Plans to build a new railway line to Cavite were pitched in the 1990s as the original LRT Line 6, which would have been running between Baclaran station of LRT Line 1 and Bacoor for about 12km (07miles), but the actual route is 8 kilometers (4 mi) from Baclaran to Zapote, and it would have also been using a heavy rail vehicle (HRV) consisting of six cars with a formation of 10 units (60 units) with a maximum speed of 60 km/h and a 3-minute headway, as well as the electrification would be using a 25KV AC overhead line. The project proposal was submitted by the Public Estates Authority (PEA, now the Philippine Reclamation Authority), and the Australia-based TGM completed the pre-feasibility study in 1997.[29] [30] The proposal was also identified in the Metro Manila Urban Transportation Integration Study Master Plan by the Japan International Cooperation Agency. This would have constructed a 12-to-15-kilometer (7.5 to 9.3 mi) elevated railway from Baclaran to Imus, with extensions leading to Cavite City (10 km; 6.2 mi), Dasmariñas (14.5 km; 9.0 mi), Airport, Sucat (9 km; 5.6 mi), and Alabang (12 km; 7.5 mi).[31] However, the project never materialized.
The extension was first approved by the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) on August 25, 2000, while its implementing agreement was approved on January 22, 2002, to be undertaken by SNC-Lavalin as a public-private partnership project.[32] [33] The proposal however was subsequently terminated on May 3, 2006. In the same year, the government worked with International Finance Corporation, White & Case, Halcrow and other consultants to conduct an open-market invitation to tender for the extension and for a forty-year concession to run the extended line.[34] [35] However, the project was later shelved .[36]
On March 22, 2012,[37] President Benigno Aquino III approved the ₱60-billion Cavite Extension Project.[38] Dubbed as the biggest infrastructure project under his presidency, the bidding process started on June 4.[39] Although it attracted huge interest from foreign and local firms,[40] four managed to pre-qualify.[41] However, the bidding itself failed in August 2013 due to all but one bidder withdrawing from the process due to financial risks, leaving the lone bidder—Metro Pacific Investments—submitting a conditional, non-compliant bid.[42]
The extension, at its current iteration, was approved on November 21, 2013, by the NEDA Board.[43] The project was subsequently rebidded and on September 12, 2014, the Light Rail Manila Corporation (LRMC) was awarded the 32-year concession to operate, maintain, and extend the line to Cavite.[44] The concession agreement was signed on October 2,[45] and LRMC took over the operations and maintenance of the line on September 12, 2015.[46]
LRMC contracted the operation and maintenance of the line for 20 years to RATP Dev under its subsidiary RATP Dev Transdev Asia, a joint venture between Transdev and RATP Dev on December 8, 2014.[47] [48]
On May 4, 2017, the 11.7km (07.3miles) Cavite extension broke ground.[49] [50] Another ceremony was held on May 7, 2019, to mark the start of construction,[51] although civil works began the following September 1.[52] The line would be extended from Parañaque southwards, connecting Las Piñas and Bacoor to the Mega Manila railway network. It is expected to cater more than 800,000 passengers daily once completed. When completed, it would be the third rail line extending outside the Metro Manila area (after the east extension of Line 2 and the construction of Line 7).[53]
The extension calls for the construction of eight stations and another two planned stations (and), the construction of three intermodal facilities, one satellite depot at Zapote, and mass upgrades to the existing Baclaran depot. The project has suffered cost overruns by an estimated two to three billion pesos as a result of construction delays caused by the COVID-19 pandemic and pending right-of-way issues.[54] It is divided in three phases—the 6.2km (03.9miles) Phase 1 covers five stations from Redemptorist to Dr. Santos, Phase 2 covering 3.2km (02miles) from Las Piñas to Zapote, and Phase 3 covers the remaining 2.4km (01.5miles) to Niog. The project would be implemented in a hybrid funding scheme, with from the Japanese official development assistance loan, from the LRMC, and from the Philippine government.[55]
LRMC partnered with Bouygues for civil works,[56] Alstom for the installation of the signaling and communication systems,[57] and the RATP Dev Transdev Asia for the overall engineering, procurement, consultation, construction and assistance services.[58] The extension was built using a full-span launching method, renowned as one of the fastest methods of construction for bridges and elevated viaducts, which cuts time and total land space needed for construction. As the first railway line to utilize the new construction method, a total of 203 pi-girders were used for the construction of the extension's first phase;[59] the last of which was laid on February 7, 2022.[60]
In August 2023, businessman Manny Villar bared plans to take over the extension project, noting the difficulty of LRMC extending the line to Cavite due to right-of-way issues. A portion of the extension will pass by Villar's properties in Las Piñas and, according to Villar, right-of-way acquisition "will not be a problem". He also plans to further extend the line into Cavite province should the unsolicited proposal be approved.[61]
On December 19, 2023, the first test run along the extension was successfully conducted by Alstom using an LRTA 1100 class train.[62]
, Phase 1 is 98.2% complete,[63] with operations expected by October. DOTR Executive Assistant Jonathan Gesmundo announced the construction of 8 additional stations to the current 20 LRT-1 stations, with an 11km (07miles) extension.[64] Meanwhile, Phases 2 and 3 will begin operations by 2031.[65]
The line is predominantly aligned to the path of Taft Avenue (Radial Road 2) which was chosen largely due to its straight course. Later on, as Taft Avenue ends, it shifts to Rizal Avenue and Rizal Avenue Extension (Radial Road 9) then turning right on EDSA before ending at the corner of North Avenue, West Avenue, and EDSA. The south extension will span from Quirino Avenue, Harrison Avenue, and Taft Avenue Extension intersection, then would travel down from Redemptorist Road, Roxas Boulevard, and Manila–Cavite Expressway, afterwards, it will traverse through the Parañaque River and will enter Ninoy Aquino Avenue until reaching and traversing the C5 Extension Road; and will once again enter Coastal Road, crossing the Las Piñas-Bacoor Boundary Bridge along the Zapote River, and traverse through the Alabang–Zapote Road and Aguinaldo Highway intersection, until reaching Niog station located along Bacoor Boulevard in Bacoor, Cavite.
The line links the cities of Quezon City, Caloocan, Manila, and Pasay, with the upcoming stations passing through the cities of Parañaque, Las Piñas, and Bacoor in Cavite.
The line serves 20 stations along its route. A twenty-first station is yet to be constructed.[66] Eight stations which are part of the south extension are also set to be constructed south of Baclaran. station in Caloocan was previously proposed during the construction of the northern extension located between and, becoming a bargaining object during the entire extension line's construction in the jurisdiction of Caloocan. However, the planned Malvar station was completely shelved by the Aquino administration.[67]
Three stations serve as connecting stations between other lines in the metro. is indirectly connected to of the LRT Line 2 through a covered walkway; is immediately above its PNR Metro Commuter Line counterpart; and is connected to the station via a covered walkway. No stations are connected to other rapid transit lines within the paid areas, though that is set to change when the North Triangle Common Station, which has interchanges to MRT Line 3 and MRT Line 7, opens in 2025.
| December 1, 1984 | Partial operations | – | |
| May 12, 1985 | Initial completion | – | |
| March 22, 2010 | North Extension | ||
| October 22, 2010 | |||
| 2024 | Cavite Extension Phase 1 | – | |
| 2025 | North Extension | ||
| 2031 | Cavite Extension Phases 2 and 3 | – |
| † | Existing terminus |
| Name | Distance (km) | Connections | Location | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Between stations | Total | ||||
| North Triangle | — | — | Quezon City | ||
| Fernando Poe Jr. † | — | 0.000 | |||
| 1.870 | 1.870 | ||||
| 2.250 | 4.120 | Caloocan | |||
| 1.087 | 5.207 | ||||
| 0.954 | 6.161 | Manila | |||
| 0.660 | 6.821 | ||||
| 0.927 | 7.748 | ||||
| 0.671 | 8.419 | ||||
| 0.618 | 9.037 | ||||
| 0.648 | 9.685 | ||||
| 0.685 | 10.370 | ||||
| 0.725 | 11.095 | ||||
| 1.214 | 12.309 | ||||
| 0.754 | 13.063 | ||||
| 0.794 | 13.857 | ||||
| 0.827 | 14.684 | ||||
| 1.061 | 15.745 | Pasay | |||
| 0.730 | 16.475 | ||||
| 1.010 | 17.485 | ||||
| † | 0.588 | 18.073 | |||
| — | — | Parañaque | |||
| — | — | ||||
| — | — | ||||
| — | — | ||||
| — | — | ||||
| — | — | Las Piñas | |||
| — | — | Bacoor, Cavite | |||
| — | — | ||||
The line operates from 4:30 a.m. PST (UTC+8) until 10:15 p.m. on weekdays, and 5:00 a.m. until 9:45 p.m on weekends and holidays.[68] It operates almost every day of the year unless otherwise announced. Special schedules are announced via the PA system in every station and also in newspapers and other mass media. During Holy Week, a public holiday in the Philippines, the rail line is closed for annual maintenance, owing to fewer commuters and traffic around the metro. Normal operation resumes after Easter Sunday.[69] During the Christmas season, operating hours are shortened to allow its staff to celebrate the holidays with their families.[70]
All stations in Line 1 are elevated, with the exception of Zapote station.
Most stations are composed of only one level, accessible from the street below by stairway, containing the station's concourse and platform areas separated by fare gates. Some stations tend to have a concourse level below the platforms. The single-level stations of Line 1, however, was not built with accessibility in mind, due to the lack of barrier-free facilities such as escalators and elevators. Some stations, such as and, are connected at concourse level to nearby buildings, such as shopping malls, for easier accessibility. Some trains have spaces for passengers using wheelchairs.
Folding bicycles are allowed to be brought into trains provided that it does not exceed the LRTA's baggage size limitations of 2by.[71] The last car of each train are also designated as "green zones", where folding bicycle users can ride with their bikes.[72]
All stations have side platforms except for Baclaran, which has one side and one island platform. Due to the high patronage of the line, part of the platform corresponding to the front car of the train is cordoned off for the use of women, children, elderly and disabled passengers.[73]
Inside the concourse of some stations are stalls or shops where people can buy food or drinks. Stalls vary by station, and some have fast food stalls. The number of stalls also varies by station, and some stations tend to have a wide variety.
Stations such as Monumento and Baclaran are connected to or are near shopping malls and/or other large shopping areas, where commuters are offered more shopping varieties.
The current designed daily ridership of the line is 560,000 passengers[74] and currently aims to increase the number of passengers being served on the line to more than 800,000 passengers, as the line's south extension is set to be fully operational by 2031.
On January 9, 2012, the line served a record 620,987 passengers during the Feast of the Black Nazarene (station is located near the Quiapo Church), and since the day falls on a working weekday.[75] In 2018, the line carried 300,000 to 500,000 passengers daily, due to the increased number of trains, from 86 vehicles to 113 vehicles available for daily trips. This gradually reduces the waiting time of passengers from 5 minutes to as much as 2 to 3.5 minutes.[76] [77] It also carried as much as 14.63 million passengers monthly in 2018. However, as of 2023, the waiting time has been officially reported at 5 to 6 minutes.[78]
The line at various stages in its history has used different configurations of two-car, three-car, and four-car trainsets. The two-car trains are the original first-generation BN and ACEC trains (railway cars numbered from 1000). Most were transformed into three-car trains, although some two-car trains remain in service. The four-car trains are the more modern second-generation Hyundai Precision / Adtranz (1100), third-generation Kinki Sharyo / Nippon Sharyo (1200), and fourth-generation Construcciones y Auxiliar de Ferrocarriles (CAF) / Mitsubishi (13000).[79] [80] There are 259 railway cars grouped into 126 trains serving the line: 63 of these are first-generation, 28 second-generation, 48 third-generation, and 120 fourth-generation cars. Some of the cars, especially those from 1st generation, were decommissioned due to them being cannibalized or involved in accidents. Such as 1037, which was severely damaged in the Rizal Day bombings in 2000, it was subsequently decommissioned afterwards and eventually scrapped.[81]
The trains are permitted to run at a maximum operating speed of 60km/h.[82] [83]
Since 1999, the line's fleet has been modernized to cope with increasing numbers of passengers. In that year, seven four-car second-generation trains from Hyundai Precision were commissioned providing an increased train capacity of 1,358 passengers while the original two-car trains capable of holding 748 passengers were transformed into three-car trains with room for 1,122.[84] In 2006, twelve new trains made in Japan by Kinki Sharyo and Nippon Sharyo were commissioned, providing a capacity of 1,388 passengers.[85] [79] [86] [87] The fourth-generation trains, ordered in 2017 with Japanese funding for the south extension to replace the first-generation trains,[88] [89] [90] [91] were delivered in batches from 2021 to 2022 before entering revenue service on July 20, 2023.[92]
Prior to 1999, the first-generation trains were notorious for its lack of air conditioning, relying instead on forced-air roof ventilation for cooling.[93] This however resulted in hot and stuffy rides. Although the entry of the second-generation trains in 1999 marked the introduction of air-conditioned trains in the line, the problem was fully addressed after a preparatory rehabilitation program completed in 2001 allowed the installation of air conditioners to the older rolling stock in 2004.[94] [95] [96]
LRMC has also built an in-house laboratory for production, manufacturing, fabrication and repair of train parts that are no longer available in the market.[97]
The Passenger Assist Railway Display System, a passenger information system powered by LCD screens installed near the ceiling of the train that shows news, advertisements, current train location, arrivals and station layouts, are already installed in the third-generation trains, along with the trains of Line 2 and the first-generation trains of Line 3. By 2023, these units were discreetly removed and prior to removal, were no longer operating.
The line maintains an at-grade depot in Pasay, near Baclaran, Parañaque. It serves as the center of the operations and maintenance of the line. It is connected to the mainline through a spur line. Before its expansion, the depot had a capacity of 145 light rail vehicles and an area of .[98] It was expanded to an area of to accommodate 197 vehicles, with Shimizu Corporation and First Balfour implementing the project.[99] Expansion works were completed after the depot was inaugurated on February 23, 2022.[100]
A satellite depot is being constructed in Zapote V, Bacoor, Cavite as part of the line's south extension project. When completed, the satellite depot will handle 72 light rail vehicles.[99]
Throughout its history, the line used different signaling systems. The line currently uses the Alstom Atlas 100 solution based on ETCS Level 1.
The original signaling system used in the LRT Line 1 was based on fixed block and relay-type trackside systems. Trains had an automatic train stop system that activates if the train passes by a red signal or over-speeding. Based on a procurement plan published by the Light Rail Transit Authority, most of the signaling equipment, including track circuits, were supplied by ACEC.
In 2007, as part of a capacity expansion project, the original system was replaced with a train control system based on automatic train protection (ATP) and automatic train supervision (ATS); the fixed-block system was provided by Siemens Transportation Systems and BBR Verkehrstechnik. The ATP system monitors the speed of the trains, while the ATS system directs train operations. Prior to the 2022 upgrade, the signalling system was designed to operate at a headway of 112 seconds.[101] [102] Aside from the ATP and ATS systems, its subsystems include train detection through axle counters, and microprocessor-based interlocking.
The signaling system was again upgraded as part of the line's south extension. Alstom was awarded a contract in February 2016 to supply its Atlas 100 ETCS Level 1 solution for the south extension and upgrade the existing system. Between November 2021 and January 2022, the new system underwent testing and commissioning. The Light Rail Manila Corporation (LRMC) announced the completion of the upgrades on February 1, 2022.[103]
The tracks have three types: ballasted, slab tracks and concrete plinth. Ballasted sections are found in the original 15km (09miles) section from to, while slab tracks are found in the north extension, and the newer Cavite extension uses concrete plinths, like the MRT-3 and LRT-2. For the ballasted and ballastless tracks, the rails are supported by twin-block concrete railroad ties, and have a track center distance of 3.2sp=usNaNsp=us.[104]
The tracks in the original 13.95km (08.67miles) line consist of 50adj=onNaNadj=on rails designed to the EB 50T rail profile, while the tracks in the future extension line consist of 54adj=onNaNadj=on rails designed to the UIC 54 rail profile.[105]
Due to the deterioration of the rail tracks in the original line, speed restrictions were implemented in 2011, decreasing the line's operating speed limit to 40km/h, except for the north extension, in which trains continued to run at 60sp=usNaNsp=us.[106] In 2012, a contract to replace 23km (14miles) of rails was awarded to the joint venture of Oriental and Motolite Marketing Corporation, Korail, Erin-Marty Fabricators Company, Inc., and Jorgman Construction and Development Corporation.[107] However, there were delays in the project implementation until February 2014, when the then-Department of Transportation and Communications issued a notice to proceed for the joint venture.[108] The first phase of the replacement started in 2014,[109] while the rails at Monumento station were replaced in March 2015.[110] The first phase of the rail replacement was completed in December 2015.[111]
The second and final phase of replacement works commenced in August 2016 by the Light Rail Manila Corporation, which contracted Joratech[112] to replace 26,458 lineal meters (26458abbr=onNaNabbr=on) of rails and was completed in 2017.[113] This was intended to increase the operating speed from 40km/h to 60km/h and was achieved on April 5, 2021.
See main article: Rizal Day bombings. On December 30, 2000, during the Rizal Day, a 1000 class LRV train (Car number 1037) was involved in the Rizal Day bombings at Blumentritt station. The attack on the line killed some 22 people and injured hundreds. Eight members of both Jemaah Islamiyah and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), which include Hambal, Asia's most wanted man, and Fathur Rahman al-Ghozi, were charged with plotting and masterminding the attacks in 2003, some three years after the attacks. Three suspects were put on trial,[114] [115] with al-Ghozi receiving 17 years in prison due to the illegal possession of explosives. Al-Ghozi later died in a firefight after attempting to escape from prison.