March 13-16, 2006
The Fairmont Rail Grinding Machine in action at the LRT
EDSA Station. This specially designed precision equipment with eight
grinding wheels per side is seen making a pass at the northbound tracks
from EDSA to Libertad. The smooth rails help in prolonging the life of
the train’s wheels and allows for a quieter and much smoother ride.
Engineer Federico Canar (in white shirt) explaining the fine
points of rail grinding to LRTA Administrator Melquiades Robles (in yellow
shirt) and an ABS-CBN reporter at the LRT EDSA Station, while the Fairmont
rail grinding machine is running in the background.
Administrator Melquiades A. Robles “walks the line”
literally, with a group of maintenance engineers inspecting the wooden ties
for replacement between the United Nation station and Central station,
Maundy Thursday. The annual general maintenance is usually carried out
during Holy Week, when all train operations are suspended from Maundy
Thursday to Easter Sunday.
Administrator Melquiades A. Robles in discussion with a group
of engineers while inspecting the wooden ties between the United Nations
Avenue station and Central station, Maundy Thursday.
Muscle and brawn were in great demand as these maintenance
men lift an old railway tie due for replacement between Baclaran and EDSA
Station.
Men and machine go hand-in-hand at the segment between Central station and
United Nations Avenue station. A portion of the switch (the “X” shaped rail
on the left side) had just been lifted to give way for the men to replace
the wooden ties. The railway ties were replaced Maundy Thursday as part of
the annual maintenance work of the LRTA.
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