Trailer trucks have carried the first coaches for HCMC’s Metro Line No. 1 from a port in District 4 to the depot in District 9. 

On Friday night, three trailer trucks are at the port of Khanh Hoi in District 4 to deliver three of 51 Japanese-made coaches meant for HCMC’s first metro line. The coaches arrived at the port on Thursday morning after being shipped from Japan. From Khanh Hoi Port, they were transported to Long Binh Depot in District 9, around 25 kilometers away.

Before departure, Japanese metro experts and around 30 employees of the transport firm, HCMC-based logistics service provider Gemadept Corportion, check all technical details once more.

At midnight Saturday, amid heavy rainfall, the trailer trucks leave port.

Each truck comprised a tractor connected to a hydraulic trailer of 12 axles and 96 wheels, with a towing capacity of 250 tons. Each metro coach measures 21 m in length, three meters high, four meters wide, and weighs 37 tons.

In order to let the truck through the port gate, workers had to use a pole to lift the power cable, with the metro coach nearly two meters above ground once placed on the trailer.

Along the route of 25 km (15.5 meters) from port to depot, staff were assiged to help clear any possible obstacles, including power lines and tree branches.

Locals stand along Nguyen Tat Thanh Street in District 4 to watch and record the metro coaches passing by. "I’ve been following all the news about city’s first metro line. It’s already late, but I still had to come here to see for myself how the coaches actually look. I really hope people in HCMC could ride the metro as soon as possible," said Vo Minh Tan (L).

The 19.7-km metro route No. 1 from Ben Thanh Market in District 1 to Suoi Tien theme park in District 9 will operate 17 trains. Construction is expected to cost VND43.7 trillion ($1.89 billion), with the line to have 14 stations, 11 elevated and three underground.

Trailer trucks cross Khanh Hoi Bridge, leaving District 4. The trucks moved at the speed of 5-10 kph, taking three hours to reach Long Binh Depot.

Workers at the Ba Son underground station watch and take photos of the coaches on Ton Duc Thang Street in District 1.

At the turn to Thu Thiem Bridge to reach District 2, a staff member helps the driver navigate.

The trucks move along Thu Thiem Bridge to Mai Chi Tho Boulevard. They are escorted by four traffic police officers on two motorbikes, one fire truck, and eight Japanese experts.

The fleet move along deserted Mai Chi Tho Boulevard in District 2 at 2 a.m. on Saturday.

They arrived at the depot at 3 a.m.

All three coaches have been installed along a track of 200 m.

The much-delayed construction began in August 2012, and work is now 76 percent complete. The city hopes to complete 85 percent this year and begin commercial operations by the end of next year. Six engineers had arrived from Japan on September 18 to work on track installation and equipment maintenance.

Hoang Mai, a Vietnamese engineer of the project that works for the HCMC Management Authority for Urban Railways said from now until the year end, the first train of the metro line formed by the three coaches would be tested at Long Binh Depot for assessment later.