Vietnamese train driver tests entire metro line 1 in Ho Chi Minh City

TPO - This is the first time Vietnamese train technicians have directly operated metro train No. 1 on the entire route under the supervision of Japanese experts.

On the afternoon of August 30, the Ho Chi Minh City Urban Railway Management Board (MAUR, the investor) issued a press release about the trial run of the entire metro line No. 1 (Ben Thanh - Suoi Tien) operated by Vietnamese train technicians.

According to MAUR, the test run took place on the morning of August 30 with the participation of 12 train technicians, 6 dispatchers, 9 managers and 74 station staff directly operating 6 trains, testing the entire route from Ben Thanh station to Suoi Tien bus station with a length of 19.7km and vice versa.

“This is the first time Vietnamese train technicians have directly operated metro train No. 1 on the entire route under the supervision of Japanese experts from the NJPT Consulting Joint Venture and is a milestone marking a step closer to the official operation of metro line No. 1” - MAUR assessed.

Vietnamese train driver tests entire metro line 1 in Ho Chi Minh City photo 1

Vietnamese train driver directly operates metro train No. 1 of Ho Chi Minh City on the entire route. Photo: MAUR

According to the investor, metro line 1 is the first urban railway project in Ho Chi Minh City, so training train drivers, operators, and maintenance staff requires a lot of time.

Previously, HURC1's train technicians had 17 months of theoretical training at the Railway College, short-term training in Japan, and training on simulators and operating procedures.

“Practical training on the train is an opportunity for trainees to practice the knowledge they have learned and gain practical experience on the train that will be put into operation to serve the people,” MAUR informed.

According to the plan, the practical training process on the main line for HURC1 employees will end in September 2024. On that basis, employees who have completed the training process will participate in the trial run in October and November 2024 with an independent assessment by the French System Safety Consultant (BVT).

Based on the results of the trial operation assessment and the French Consultant's System Safety Assessment Report, the investor will submit the dossier to the Railway Authority for safety assessment and to the State Acceptance Council to complete the acceptance work, putting the project into operation by the end of this year.