LRT-1 operations disrupted as two trains collide

UPDATED 12:15 p.m. - The operations of the Light Rail Transit (LRT-1) were disrupted as two trains collided on Friday morning due to a technical malfunction on the railroad's reverse tracks at its Roosevelt station in Quezon City. No passenger was on board the trains when the accident happened. LRT Administration spokesman Hernando Cabrera said the reverse tracks at the LRT-1's Roosevelt station jammed, forcing them to stop operations from Monumento to Roosevelt temporarily. "Pinutol muna namin ang operations (sa Roosevelt), hanggang Monumento na muna. Wala munang operation mula Monumento hanggang Roosevelt," Cabrera said in an interview on dzBB radio. (We stopped operations between Monumento in Caloocan City and Roosevelt Avenue in Quezon City. For now, the LRT-1 will operate between Monumento and Baclaran.) He did not immediately say what time the reversing track at the Monumento station malfunctioned. Cabrera could also not immediately give a time frame on when full operations can resume. Cabrera said the reversing track at the Roosevelt station is where the northbound LRT coach maneuvers to head south toward Baclaran. "Pagdating ng train sa Roosevelt di sila maka-maneuver pabalik Baclaran. Ang pinakamabuting gawin ay gamitin ang reversing track sa Monumento," he said. (When the train arrived at Roosevelt, it could no longer maneuver back to Baclaran. So we had to use the reversing track at Monumento.) The Monumento station also has a reversing track as the LRT-1 originally linked Monumento and Baclaran. "Tuloy-tuloy ang operation natin mula Baclaran hanggang Monumento (Our operations between Baclaran and Monumento will continue)," he added.
Cabrera said no passenger was aboard the LRT coach that failed to make the reversing maneuver at the Roosevelt station. "Wala naman kasi wala namang laman ang tren noong nangyari ang reversing track sa dulo, halos North Avenue. Talagang ang tren dumiretso lang doon para bumalik," he said. (All passengers already disembarked from the coach when it was about to make the maneuver at the reversing track.) A radio report of dzBB's Allan Gatus said LRT technicians and security personnel inspected the affected trains.– VVP, GMA News