7-Week Trial Operation with 57 Scenarios
On March 12th, the Hanoi Urban Railway Management Board (MRB) announced that the pilot urban railway project in Hanoi, from Nhon to Hanoi station, has officially entered the trial operation phase. This trial operation is the final step in an 8-step testing and system adjustment process before the project goes into operation. The aim of this phase is to verify the operational factors including documentation, operating procedures, as well as the knowledge and skills of the operation and maintenance (O&M) personnel, based on actual operations and comprehensive procedures.
The trial operation simulates the operation of the line without passengers to evaluate the skills and knowledge of the trained operating staff.
The trial operation phase is divided into 3 parts: Stage 1 involves practical operations under normal conditions; Stage 2 involves practical operations under restricted conditions; and Stage 3 involves practical operations under emergency conditions.
The Nhon – Hanoi station train fleet is simultaneously undergoing trial operation on the elevated section for 7 weeks. Photo: MRB provided.
The trial operation will be conducted with 57 scenarios over a period of 7 weeks, starting from March 11th and ending on April 26th. Each scenario will be implemented and evaluated based on an assessment form prepared and implemented by Systra Consulting. This form includes about 22 criteria related to technical and operational factors for evaluation.
The inspection activities include: checking the train schedule; testing services under nominal and restricted operating conditions; verifying the completeness and effectiveness of operation and maintenance instructions, as well as emergency procedures; ensuring that customer service and commercial procedures are well-prepared with well-trained and well-equipped staff, and ensuring efficiency; integrating emergency and safety services in preparation for commercial operation; providing initial operational and maintenance personnel with practical experience by familiarizing them with the equipment to handle nominal and restricted operating modes.
In addition, specific scenarios regarding passenger evacuation, emergency response in explosive conditions, and first aid will be conducted in the last weeks of April 2024, requiring coordination from functional agencies such as the Firefighting Police and the Health Department.
“”Commercial Operation Schedule””
MRB stated that the overall progress of the Nhon – Hanoi urban railway line currently stands at 77.76% (the progress of the elevated section construction is 99.65% and the underground section construction is 37.25%).
According to MRB’s schedule, the elevated section of the Nhon – Hanoi line will complete the trial operation by the end of April 2024. By the end of June 2024, the safety certification, acceptance testing, handover from the investor to the State management agencies for handover to the Hanoi Railway Limited Company for commercial operation will be completed.
According to the plan, the elevated section of the Nhon – Hanoi line will complete the trial operation by the end of April. Photo: MRB provided.
The Nhon – Hanoi urban railway line has a total length of 12.5km, including 8.5km elevated section and 4km underground section. The project includes 10 trains manufactured in France, each consisting of 4 cars with a capacity of 944 – 1,124 passengers, with a density of approximately 6.6-8 passengers/m2.
The passenger compartments of the trains are equipped with a broadcasting system, cameras with direct observation screens in the driver’s cabin for timely handling of emergency situations, and independent fire and smoke detection systems. The LED lights automatically adjust the lighting to match the underground section.
When officially operating, the line will operate at an average commercial operation speed of 35km/h with 8 trains operating simultaneously, 1 reserve train for peak hours when overloaded, and 1 rescue train for emergency cases.
The project has a total investment of 34,800 billion VND, funded by ODA loans from the Central Budget Department of the French Government; the European Investment Bank; the French Development Agency (AFD); the Asian Development Bank; and 218 million euros in corresponding capital from the Hanoi City’s budget.
