The Hybrid Electric Train (HET) is a

hybrid electric A hybrid electric vehicle (HEV) is a type of hybrid vehicle that combines a conventional internal combustion engine (ICE) system with an Electric motor, electric propulsion system (hybrid vehicle drivetrain). The presence of the electric powertr ...

train In rail transport, a train (from Old French , from Latin , "to pull, to draw") is a series of connected vehicles that run along a railway track and Passenger train, transport people or Rail freight transport, freight. Trains are typically pul ...

built by the Department of Science and Technology's Metals Industry Research and Development Center. It is the first train crafted and designed locally by Filipino engineers with parts imported from abroad. It was officially turned over to the

Philippine National Railways The Philippine National Railways (PNR) ( fil, Pambansang Daang-Bakal ng Pilipinas and es, Ferrocarril Nacional de Filipinas) is a state-owned railway company in the Philippines which operates one commuter rail service between Metro Manila an ...

on June 20, 2019.

Background

The development of the Hybrid Electric Train (HET) is a project of the Metals Industry Research and Development Center (MIRDC) of the Philippine Department of Science and Technology in partnership with the

(PNR). The Hybrid Electric Train project began in 2012, and the designing of the train commenced in the following year. The bidding process took place in 2013, with the manufacturing taking place from 2014 to 2015. The project was introduced to the public in June 2016. The train was developed by ten Filipino engineers and technicians from MIRDC led by head engineer Pablo Acuin.

Specifications

The Hybrid Electric Train is a

hybrid electric vehicle A hybrid electric vehicle (HEV) is a type of hybrid vehicle that combines a conventional internal combustion engine (ICE) system with an electric propulsion system ( hybrid vehicle drivetrain). The presence of the electric powertrain is intende ...

lead acid batteries Lead is a chemical element with the symbol Pb (from the Latin ) and atomic number 82. It is a heavy metal that is denser than most common materials. Lead is soft and malleable, and also has a relatively low melting point. When freshly cut, le ...

which is used to run the train and operate its automatic doors, air-conditioning and

CCTV Closed-circuit television (CCTV), also known as video surveillance, is the use of video cameras to transmit a signal to a specific place, on a limited set of monitors. It differs from broadcast television in that the signal is not openly t ...

systems. It can be converted to utilize

lithium battery Lithium battery may refer to: * Lithium metal battery, a non-rechargeable battery with lithium as an anode ** Rechargeable lithium metal battery, a rechargeable counterpart to the lithium metal battery * Lithium-ion battery, a rechargeable batte ...

. It also makes use of

regenerative braking Regenerative braking is an energy recovery mechanism that slows down a moving vehicle or object by converting its kinetic energy into a form that can be either used immediately or stored until needed. In this mechanism, the electric traction mo ...

technology. The trainset has five non-articulated cars measuring long, wide, and high with one double-sliding doors on each side of each car, which can carry 220 passengers each at . Four of its cars serve as passenger coaches with one having a driver's cabin, while the other car not mentioned solely serves as a generator car that also includes a driver's cabin. The train also has an automatic stop safety feature that would activate in an event of a strong earthquake. The MIRDC contracted local bus and truck manufacturer Fil-Asia Automotive and Industries Corp. to build the train. Fil-Asia in turn outsourced the motor, chassis, engine, motor, axle, and wheels from outside of the Philippines to be able to manufacture it. The trainset formation is Tc-T-T-T-Mc in which one of the two cabs are the power cars. The Tc car is described as a pilot car, the T cars are described as passenger cars, and the Mc car is described as a power car.

Operational history

Trial runs of the Hybrid Electric Train was conducted in July 2018. The first commercial operations of the Hybrid Electric Train began on May 6, 2019, where it served the Alabang-Calamba Line thrice a day. The train was officially turned over to the

on June 20, 2019. After a brief hiatus in service, the train returned to service on November 11, 2021 for free rides between Biñan and Calamba stations. The free rides ended on December 3, 2021, and the hybrid electric train has not made any known public appearances since then.

Future

According to DOST Secretary

Fortunato de la Peña Fortunato "Boy" Tanseco de la Peña (born November 12, 1949) is a Filipino engineer and professor who served as the Secretary of Science and Technology (Philippines), Secretary of Science and Technology in the Presidency of Rodrigo Duterte, Cab ...

, the DOST will find private sector firms that will manufacture the rolling stock of the HET before

Rodrigo Duterte Rodrigo Roa Duterte (, ; born March 28, 1945), also known as Digong, Rody, and by the initials DU30 and PRRD, is a Filipino lawyer and politician who served as the 16th president of the Philippines from 2016 to 2022. He is the chairperson ...

ends his term as

President President most commonly refers to: *President (corporate title) *President (education), a leader of a college or university *President (government title) President may also refer to: Automobiles * Nissan President, a 1966–2010 Japanese ful ...

in 2022.

References

{{Rolling Stock of the Philippines Rolling stock of the Philippines Proposed public transportation in the Philippines Department of Science and Technology (Philippines)

Background

Specifications

Operational history

Future

See also

References