THE government may opt to incorporate its newly acquired driving simulator for the Light Rail Transit Line 2 (LRT2)—priced at P75 million—for other train systems in the Philippines, as this could help enhance the manpower capacity and streamline training processes. Light Rail Transit Authority Administrator Reynaldo I. Berroya said the Department of Transportation should consider incorporating the train simulator into the country’s entire train system, not only in the LRT 2, the youngest of four railway systems in the country.
“This simulator can be used for other train systems in the country just by adding additional software and installing few hardware,” he said. “But it will depend on the management of the transportation department if this will be incorporated in the other railways.”
Berroya listed the other train systems as the Philippine National Railways, the Metro Rail Transit Line 3 and the LRT 1.
The “state-of-the-art” train simulator, launched late Wednesday, will help educate new train operators through a virtual train technology, which they can now use before the actual train driving, he said.
This, the official added, will help enhance the drivers’ capability to respond to the actual train malfunctions and possible accidents.
“The entire project, costing P75 million, involves the 13.4-kilometer track of LRT 2, which starts from Santolan station to Recto station, programmed in a 3D virtual reality. It can be controlled with the variations of weather, possible train malfunctions and accidents that can be scheduled anywhere between the stations. It should be used to enhance our new train driver’s skills, which emphasize the safety of the passengers,” he said.
Berroya noted this project would also be beneficial to the newly approved training center, the Philippine Railway Training Center, which can be used for local purposes, and for those who want to fly abroad.
Spanish company Lander Situations and Training Solutions manufactured the train simulator.