Masterplan ready for electric train for Panay railway

The Philtrack consortium has finished its master development plan (MDP) for the adoption of the Electric Road Train (ERT) designed by the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) to run the 115-kilometer line from Iloilo City to Roxas City.

Inventor-businessman Francis Yuseco of Philtrack said the MDP submitted to state-owned Panay Railways Inc. (PRI) foresees the establishment of the ERT line to spark economic activity and growth on Panay island, particularly in the provinces of Iloilo and Capiz.

Yuseco said that both the consortium and the PRI expressed desire to come up with a definitive agreement before yearend.

The MDP, aside from laying out the ERT master plan, takes into consideration the development of the real estate assets of PRI, currently idle with some being taken over by informal settlers, for commercial and even agro-industrial activities.

“With this project, we will be able to make use of the underutilized, if not totally unutilized assets of PRI, basically its railtrack alignment and the real estate, consequently stimulating economic activity in the island,” Yuseco said.

Philtrack, DOST and PRI signed last July a memorandum of agreement to adopt the ERT technology developed by DOST for PRI with Philtrack being the private sector partner.

PRI’s 115-kilometer alignment was already clear of steel tracks as these had been removed and sold for scrap during the time of former president and now Speaker Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, PRI officials said earlier.

Designed by Filipino engineers in the DOST’s Metals Industry Research and Development Center and made with locally available parts, the 40-meter long train-like bus is an alternative means of transportation touted by the DOST as a possible answer to the mass transport problems in the congested urban centers of the country such as Metro Manila and Cebu.

The ERT bus can serve 650,000 commuters. It is composed of five interconnected fully air-conditioned coaches, four of which can accommodate 60 passengers each for a total of 240 commuters per ride.

The ERT can run at a maximum speed of 60 kph. It is powered by a hybrid engine that runs on diesel fuel and electric battery.

The train is expected to produce less smoke emission compared to existing mass transport vehicles, making it an eco-friendly mode of transport.