Philippine National Railways

Philippine National Railways
A Hyundai Rotem diesel multiple unit of the Philippine National Railways.
Background
Locale	Philippines
Transit type	Railway
Number of lines	2 (with three spur lines and six future expansion)
Number of stations	127
Daily ridership	10,000-30,000
Website	Official
Operation
Began operation	1892
Operator(s)	Department of Transportation and Communications
Technical
System length	1,140 km (708 mi)[citation needed]
Track gauge	1,067 mm (3 ft 6 in) (narrow gauge)
System map

The Philippine National Railways (Filipino: Pambansang Daangbakal ng Pilipinas), or PNR, is a state-owned railway company in the Philippines, operating a single line of track on Luzon. As of 2010, it operates one commuter rail service in Metro Manila and a second in the Bicol Region. PNR restored its intercity service to the Bicol region in 2011. The Bicol Express runs on a daily basis between Manila and Naga.

PNR began operations on June 26, 1875 as the Ferrocarril de Manila-Dagupan, during the Spanish colonial period, and later becoming the Manila Railroad Company (MRR) during the American colonial period. It became the Philippine National Railways on June 20, 1946 by virtue of Republic Act No. 4156. The PNR is an agency of the Department of Transportation and Communications.

PNR used to operate over 479 km (298 mi)^{[citation needed]} of route from La Union up to Bicol. However, continued neglect in past decades reduced PNR's efficiency and railroad coverage. Persistent problems with informal settlers in the 1990s contributed further to PNR's decline.^{[citation needed]} In 2006, Typhoons Milenyo and Reming caused severe damage to the network, resulting in the suspension of the Manila-Bicol services.

In 2007 the Philippine government initiated a rehabilitation project aiming to remove informal settlers from the PNR right-of-way, revitalize commuter services in Metro Manila, and restore the Manila-Bicol route as well as lost services in Northern Luzon. In July 2009, PNR unveiled a new corporate identity and inaugurated new rolling stock.

History

Passengers posing in front of the "Ferrocarril de Manila a Dagupan" (ca 1885)

On June 25, 1875, under a royal decree issued by King Alfonso XII of Spain, the required Inspector of Public Works of the Philippine Islands was requested to submit a railway system plan for Luzon. The plan, which was submitted five months later by Don Eduardo Lopez Navarro, was entitled Memoria Sobre el Plan General de Ferrocarriles en la Isla de Luzón, and was promptly approved. A concession for the construction of a railway line from Manila to Dagupan was granted to Don Edmundo Sykes of the Ferrocarril de Manila-Dagupan on June 1, 1887.

The Ferrocarril de Manila-Dagupan which constitutes much of the North Main Line today, began construction in July 1887 with the laying of the cornerstone for Tutuban station. The railway was 195 kilometers long at the time of its opening on November 24, 1892, running from Manila to Dagupan City in Pangasinan.

The maiden voyage of the Bicol Express was on September 13, 1931. The track from Dagupan to Legaspi was completely connected on May 8, 1938.

Later the Ferrocarril de Manila-Dagupan became the Manila Railway Company. It was nationalized and its assets were acquired by the Philippine government, which expanded the rail network, only to have most of those improvements lost during World War II. Of the 1,140 route-kilometers before the war, only 452 route-kilometers were operational after it. The extensive damage to the system took several years to repair. During the 1950s the Manila Rail Company fleet of trains was converted from steam to diesel engines. The Manila Rail Company was given a new charter under Republic Act No. 4156, and the company changed its name to Philippine National Railways.

The old Philippine National Railways logo, which has been in use since the 1960s.

Natural calamities such as the 1973 and 1975 floods disrupted services and forced the closure of several parts of the main lines. On July 23, 1979, President Ferdinand Marcos issued Executive Order No. 546, which designated the Philippine National Railways as an attached agency of the Department of Transportation and Communications. In 1988, during the administration of Corazon Aquino, the North Main Line was closed, with trains unable to reach various provinces in the country. Even the South Rail was also closed due to typhoons and floods, and the eruption of Mayon Volcano in 1993, in which ash flows and lava destroyed the rail line and its facilities. However, jeeps, buses and taxis were popular, and many people are swayed from the present service until 2009. The previous administration of Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo was actively pursuing the rehabilitation of the Philippine National Railways through various investments and projects designed to revive Philippine rail transport, despite the numerous problems involved. Total reconstruction of rail bridges and tracks, including replacement of the current 35-kilogram track with newer 50-kilogram tracks and the refurbishing of stations, were part of the rehabilitation and expansion process. The first phase, converting all the lines of the Manila metropolitan area, were completed in 2009. On July 14, 2009, Philippine President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo presided over the launch of the new diesel multiple-units of the Philippine National Railways. As part of its new image, a new brand name, PNR Filtrack was added.

The San Cristobal bridge in Calamba, Laguna was rebuilt in May, 2011. The Bicol Express train service was inaugurated on June 29, with a maiden voyage between Manila and Naga City plus a return trip back to the terminus on July 1. This inaugural trip was marred by the collapse of the embankment at Malaguico, Sipocot. It was discovered before the train passed through and was repaired. The restored Bicol Express intercity service is offered nowadays on a daily basis, running mostly during night time.

Network

Main article: List of Philippine National Railways stations

PNR Orange Line
Legend Tutuban Blumentritt Dapitan España Santa Mesa Crossing above Pasig River Pandacan Paco San Andres Vito Cruz Buendia Pasay Road EDSA Nichols FTI Bicutan Sucat Alabang Muntinlupa San Pedro, Laguna Pacita MG Golden City 1 Biñan

Rolling stock

Four types of rolling stock run on PNR's lines: the locomotives, the Commex express cars, baggage cars and DRC railcars. All services were operated by GE Universal Series locomotives and DMUs. There were 14 locomotives, 18 Commex express cars, 2 baggage cars and 8 DRC railcars currently operating. Surplus sleeper coaches from Japan Railways were recently acquired by PNR, and were delivered on November 2010. More used rolling stock from Japan Railways was recently acquired by PNR, and are set to arrive in 2011 which included some 203-series EMU,Kiha 52 and Kogane Train(Kiha 59)^{[citation needed]}

Rolling stock	General Electric locomotives	Diesel multiple units	Baggage cars	DRC railcars
In operation	14	18	2[citation needed]	8
Support equipment	Rail Mounted Crane	Rail Mounted Crane	Rail Mounted Crane	-
Support equipment capacity	.5 tons	30 tons	10 tons	-

Operations and services

The PNR currently operates in the Manila metropolitan area and the provinces of Laguna, Quezon, Camarines Sur. In the past, the PNR also used to serve the provinces of Bulacan, Pampanga, Tarlac, Nueva Ecija, Pangasinan and La Union on the North Main Line, and Albay and Batangas on the South Main Line.

Passenger services

Previously, Commex runs were performed exclusively by PNR locomotives.

At present, Hyundai Rotem DMUs are the primary trains used on Commex runs.

A PNR train, GE locomotives with JR series 12 passenger cars, at Tutuban Station, which is likely suspended.^{[citation needed]}

Commuter Express

The Commuter Express (also Metro Commuter), commonly called the Commex, serves as the commuter rail service for the Manila metropolitan area, extending as far south as Calamba City, Laguna. The PNR uses GE locomotives hauling Commex passenger cars, as well as newly-procured Hyundai Rotem DMUs and KiHa 52 for this service.

Commex service using the new DMUs is currently offered between Tutuban and Alabang in Muntinlupa City, while a daily Commex run between Manila and Biñan City, Laguna runs using GE locomotives. Currently, Commex trains make 50 daily trips, 25 in each direction.

Bicol Commuter

The Bicol Commuter service is a commuter rail service in the Bicol Region, between stations in Tagkawayan^{[citation needed]}, Quezon and Ligao City, Albay, with Naga City in Camarines Sur acting as a central terminus. The service was launched on September 16, 2009, in time for the feast of Our Lady of Peñafrancia. The trains make seven trips a day, alternating between Tagkawayan, Sipocot, Naga and Ligao as the terminus. Five trips run using a Commuter Express DMU, while two trips use GE locomotives.^{[citation needed]}

Bicol Express

The PNR has been working for some years on restoring this intercity service. On May 22, 2011, a test run from Tutuban to Naga proved successful. Services are set to resume on June 29, 2011, with an inaugural run to Naga from Tutuban. A return trip from Naga to Manila was also successful. After this success, Bicol Express was reintroduced on a daily basis. A trip takes approximately 10 hours. The train travels mostly during night-time, leaving Tutuban at 18:30 and arriving Naga at 04:00 next day.

Defunct services

Intercity services

Three trains traveled between Manila and southern Luzon before all intercity service was suspended in 2006 because of damage by Typhoon Xangsane (Milenyo): the Mayon Limited, the Peñafrancia Express (previously the Prestige) and the Bicol Express. Prior to the 1970s and 1980s, several trains served points north of Manila, most notably the Ilocos Special and the Dagupan Express.

Mayon Limited

The Mayon Limited was hauled alternatively by French Alsthom locomotives and General Electric locomotives,^{[citation needed]} and ran northward from Legaspi railway station up the steep gradient leading to Camalig railway station in the foothills of the Mayon Volcano with another locomotive pushing from the rear. The Manila-Legaspi route was also served by the Mayon Limited service, using the Mayon Limited Special (Train T-577), the fastest train operating on the South Main Line.

Prestige and Peñafrancia Express

The old Prestige used Japanese-built self-propelled coaches and was the only train not to be hauled by General Electric locomotives.^{[citation needed]} It was frequently the first of the three express trains to arrive. With priority over all other trains on its route, and calling only at Daraga, Ligao, Naga, Lucena, and Paco, it normally arrived in Tutuban railway station, Manila's Grand Central, making it a popular service with businessmen. The 48-seater air-conditioned coaches of the Prestige were somewhat narrower and lower than those built in Madras, which also contributed to the faster run.^{[citation needed]}

The Peñafrancia Express, a similar service which served as the replacement for the Prestige service, ran the same self-propelled Japanese coaches. The Peñafrancia Express called at Naga, Lopez, Pagbilao, San Pablo City and Sampaloc. The Peñafrancia service ran at a lower speed than the Prestige did.

Express services

The PNR also operated several express services. Some of these services were discontinued for financial reasons. The first express service for Luzon was the Baguio Express, which operated from Manila via San Fabian, Pangasinan to Camp One, where the motor vehicles, namely the Stanley and De Dion steamers, of the Benguet Auto Line transport passengers proceeding to Baguio. Another express service was the Ilocos Express, which lasted until the 1980s. This began operating in 1930 and had a dining car with catering provided by the Manila Hotel. Following the modernization program of the Manila Railway Company in 1955, the Ilocos Express featured a 7A class "De Luxe" coach until 1979, when the lack of operable air-conditioned coaches caused a switch to a "Tourist"-class coach. The company also operated the Paniqui Express in the 1930s, but that was eclipsed by the Ilocos Express.^{[citation needed]}

The fastest train operated by the PNR on the North Main Line was the Ilocos Special (Train 26) during the 1970s. This DMU train took four hours to run the 195 kilometres between Manila and Dagupan. In addition to these express trains, the PNR introduced the Amianan Day Express (Train 74) in February 1974 and the Amianan Night Express (Train 72), the last train to depart Manila for any destination on both lines. The Amianan Night Express runs faster than its day counterpart, the Amianan Day Express, making the 260-kilometre run to San Fernando City, La Union in five hours. Another express service was the Bicol Express, which has operated since 1938. Like the Amianan express service, the Bicol Express has two express services: the Bicol Day Express (Train No. T-511) and the Bicol Night Express (Train No. T-515). The Isarog Express, operating from Manila to Naga City, also has two express services, the Isarog Day Express (Train T-521) and the Isarog Night Express (Train T-519).^{[citation needed]}

The PNR used to offer freight services, using General Electric U15C 900-series locomotives bought by the company in 1974. There was also a limited mobile hospital service.

Stations

Buendia railway station in Makati City. The station was rehabilitated as part of Phase 1 of the Northrail-Southrail Linkage Project which began in 2007.

The newly refurbished Pasay Road railway station.

The Philippine National Railways used to operate two different rail lines, namely the North Main Line and the South Main Line, along with the three spur lines, which served various parts of Luzon with its 127 (once) active stations.

Station layout

All PNR stations were and are presently at-grade, using a side platform layout. Most have only basic amenities, platforms and ticket booths. Rehabilitated stations along the Metro Manila line have been fitted with ramps for passengers using wheelchairs. Several stations have extended platforms, having an upper platform catering to DMU services, and a lower platform for regular locomotive-hauled services.

Future plans

The expanded network of rail transport in the Philippines.

Plans to rehabilitate and expand the railway network have been made by various administrations. South Korea and the People's Republic of China have offered to help rehabilitate the Philippine railway system, the former assisting with the rehabilitation and modernization of the South Main Line and the latter helping to finance, build, and operate a rationalized North Main Line service as well as helping to rehabilitate and modernize the South Main Line. The Korean-funded section covers the Southrail line from Manila to Calamba City, although present funding covers only the Southrail line from Caloocan City to Muntinlupa City, which serves as the Green Line-Orange Line connection. The Chinese-funded section covers the line from Calamba to Legazpi and further on to Matnog, Sorsogon. The Korean-funded Southrail project was originally expected to cost some US$50 million but costs have risen to around $70–100 million. No figures have been released for the Chinese-funded portion of Southrail.

The Northrail project involved the upgrading of the present-day single track to an elevated dual-track system, converting the rail gauge from narrow gauge to standard gauge, and linking Manila to Malolos City in Bulacan and further on to Angeles City and the Clark Special Economic Zone, as well as Diosdado Macapagal International Airport. This project is estimated to cost around US$500 million, with China providing some US$400 million in concessionary financing, since much of the right-of-way on Northrail will be brand new. Construction began in early November 2006. and was expected to have been operational in 2010. Due to delays in the construction work, it is currently being renegotiated with the Chinese government. Construction temporarily continued in January 2009 with the support of the North Luzon Railways Corporation. Again, the project was cancelled in March 2009, due to a series of delays, work stoppages, a controversy and anomalies with the foreign contractor.^{[citation needed]} No plans and foreign substitute support (Japan for example) to continue the project. The cancellation of the project was contributed to the arrest and detention of Arroyo from a controversy and questioning funds from the construction company Sinomach.

Citations

Further reading

• Uranza, Rogelio. (2002). The Role of Traffic Engineering and Management in Metro Manila. Workshop paper presented in the Regional Workshop: Transport Planning, Demand Management and Air Quality, February 2002, Manila, Philippines. Asian Development Bank (ADB).
• World Bank (May 23, 2001). Project Appraisal Document for the Metro Manila Urban Transport Integration Project. World Bank. http://www-wds.worldbank.org/external/default/WDSContentServer/WDSP/IB/2001/06/27/000094946_01060804031083/Rendered/PDF/multi0page.pdf. 

• Japan International Cooperation Agency Official Page "Revitalization of Main Line South Project(1989)"

http://www.jica.go.jp/english/operations/evaluation/oda_loan/post/2000/pdf/02-16.pdf

See also

• Department of Transportation and Communications
• Rail transport in the Philippines
• Strong Republic Transit System

External links

• Philippine National Railways (official website)
• The Railways and Industrial Heritage Society of the Philippines (RIHSPI)
• Philippine Railway Historical Society
• Railroad and ships in the Philippines