PNR North Main Line

Last updated

PNR North Main Line
PNR Solis Station Platform 3.jpg
Solis station in 2011
Overview
Native namePangunahing Linyang Pahilaga ng PNR
StatusOperational [lower-alpha 1]
OwnerPhilippine National Railways
Locale Metro Manila
Central Luzon
Ilocos Region
Cordillera (until 1945)
Termini
Continues as PNR South Main Line
Stations6
Website www.pnr.gov.ph
Service
Type Commuter rail
System PNR Luzon
Services2
Depot(s)Caloocan
Rolling stock PNR Hyundai Rotem DMU
8100 class DMUs
History
OpenedNovember 24, 1892;130 years ago (1892-11-24)
Closed1997;26 years ago (1997)
ReopenedAugust 1, 2018;5 years ago (2018-08-01)
Technical
Line length6.4 km (4.0 mi)
Track length12.8 km (8.0 mi)
Number of tracks Double-track
Single-track with sidings (former)
CharacterAt-grade
Track gauge 1,067 mm (3 ft 6 in)
Operating speed40 km/h (25 mph)

The PNR North Main Line (Filipino : Pangunahing Linyang Pahilaga ng PNR, simply known as PNR North or Northrail) is one of the two trunk lines of the Philippine National Railways in the island of Luzon, the other being the PNR South Main Line. The line during its maximum extent led to various cities and municipalities in Central Luzon and the Ilocos Region.

Contents

The project was originally proposed in 1875 during the Spanish era, and was constructed in stages between the 1880s and the 1890s as the Ferrocarril de Manila a Dagupan (lit.'Manila–Dagupan Railroad'). The line was opened to Dagupan, Pangasinan on November 24, 1892. Further extensions to the line reached as far as Bacnotan, La Union with passenger trains terminating at San Fernando U station in the provincial capitol. It also briefly reached Sudipen near the provincial border with Ilocos Sur during World War II but was later dismantled in 1945.

Services peaked in the 1960s and the early 1970s until several factors such as fierce competition with the national highway system, increasing maintenance costs, natural disasters and the 1997 Asian financial crisis eventually led to the closure of the line in the late 1990s. The line only served as a connection for trains returning to the Caloocan depot. After 21 years of inactivity, services on the North Main Line resumed on August 1, 2018, with the reopening of Solis station in Tondo, Manila. More stations opened for the next few months with the latest being Governor Pascual on December 3 that year.

Like its counterpart to the south, the line is also slated to be rebuilt. The North–South Commuter Railway (NSCR) is being constructed in the area of Bulacan. Once completed, it will connect Tutuban station with Clark International Airport in Pampanga, and New Clark City in Tarlac. To its west of the line is the Subic–Clark railway which will initially be built for freight trains between the Subic Special Economic and Freeport Zone and Clark Airport with an extension to New Clark City. Other railroad lines that are separate from the NSCR are collectively referred as the PNR North Long Haul. Currently, this last project is still being proposed.

History

The railroad network in Luzon, predecessor to today's Philippine National Railways, was first proposed on August 6, 1875. To the north of Manila are two main lines, one leading to Laoag, Ilocos Norte and the other leading to Tuguegarao, Cagayan. The system was approved by the Spanish East Indies government in 1880, but construction did not commence until 1887 due to the lack of a concession operator. [1] Unlike the South Main Line which was built to its planned terminus in Legazpi, Albay, the North Main Line network never reached its intended termini in Laoag for the northwestern line and Tuguegarao for the northeastern line.

Spanish era

One of the early trains of the Ferrocarril de Manila a Dagupan, taken c. 1880s. Ferrocarril Manila-Dagupan 1885.jpg
One of the early trains of the Ferrocarril de Manila a Dagupan, taken c. 1880s.

The Manila Railway Company, Limited was created on June 1, 1887, and construction began. [1] Initial site inspection was presided by Lieutenant Colonel José Gago y Palomo (1849–1908), who was renowned for building fortifications and trails in Mindanao for Spanish Army General Valeriano Weyler. [2] According to Gary Satre on an investigative article in 1999, the use of 3 feet, 6 inches gauge was made both as a cost-cutting measure and to allow tighter curves in order to suit the island's mountainous terrain. [3] One of the main obstacles in the construction stage is crossing the Rio Grande de Pampanga, after which a box truss bridge was built. [1]

At the same time, several tank locomotives were ordered by the Manila Railway. This began with an order for 2 Manila Railway Manila class locomotives in 1886 from English manufacturer Hunslet Engine Company. These were later named Manila and Dagupan after the line's two planned termini. [4] Between 1888 and 1890, thirty Manila Railway Dagupan class locomotives were ordered from Neilson and Company and Dübs and Company. [5] Various passenger railcars and boxcars were also ordered from unknown British manufacturers.

Prior to the opening of the full length of the line to Pangasinan, José Rizal was one of the most popular commuters of the early Ferrocarril de Manila a Dagupan. He used the line to recruit potential La Liga Filipina members prior to his exile. On February 23, 1892, he took a train to San Fernando station in Pampanga. [6] He then commuted to various other locations in Central Luzon, until he took his last train with a 120 km (75 mi) trip to Tarlac on June 26. He wrote that the trip took 5 hours, 40 minutes. This was 2 weeks prior to his exile to Dapitan. [3] On November 24, 1892, the line to Dagupan was inaugurated. [7]

Revolutionary and American era

Aguinaldo's railcar c. 1898. The train was one of Aguinaldo's ways to retreat. Aguinaldo Train 1898.png
Aguinaldo's railcar c. 1898. The train was one of Aguinaldo's ways to retreat.

Manila Railway trains were used by both the Philippine Revolutionary Army and the United States Army forces during the Philippine–American War. President Emilio Aguinaldo and his cabinet ministers used First Class car Z4 as their primary method of travel on the railroad, especially during their retreat to northern Luzon. [8] On the other hand, the advancing American forces used the Manila Railway to carry freight and Army soldiers. Trains were also used as mobile hospitals, carrying soldiers who were either injured or killed during the fighting. [9] A river bridge in Bamban, Tarlac was destroyed along with one of the Dagupan class locomotives used by the US Army. This is to prevent the American advance to Central Luzon. [10] However, the efforts to sabotage the network were futile as Filipino forces were eventually defeated and President Aguinaldo was captured in 1901. [11]

After the war, the network was repaired and expanded. The British owners were still allowed to operate for the following years, having reorganized into the Manila Railway Company (1906) Limited. [12] Meanwhile, an American operator named the Manila Railroad Company (MRR) Corporation was established in New Jersey that same year. [13]

By 1909, the Manila Railroad took control of the system, although Horace L. Higgins still leads as its general manager in the country and the Annual Report was still prepared with British conventions. [13] New lines were defined by Insular Government Act No. 1905 as the Northern Lines. This include the Manila–Dagupan main line, the Antipolo branch of the Southern Lines, the Cabanatuan branch, the Fort Stotsenburg branch, and shortline railroads serving the Port of Manila and within Dagupan. [14]

The Baguio Special, the Philippines' first named express train service, was inaugurated in 1911. Originally only stopping at Damortis in Rosario, La Union with a luxury car service heading for the hill station of Baguio, this train started the scramble for a direct rail service. [15] Construction for the Aringay–Baguio line started in 1914 but was never finished and the tunnel leading to the city was never completed, citing British involvement in World War I as the reason. [16] This later made the Manila Railway's remaining Philippine unit to be absorbed into the Manila Railroad on January 8, 1917, with general manager Horace L. Higgins replaced by Colonel Henry Bayard McCoy. [17]

Under McCoy's leadership, the Manila Railroad modernized its locomotive fleet with the purchase of several American-built tender locomotives over the next few years. Meanwhile, the American Car and Foundry provided both regular passenger and sleeping cars, starting with the new Baguio Night Special service. [18] After his death in 1923, he was then succeeded by Jose Paez, the first Filipino general manager of the company. Paez continued the fleet modernization started by McCoy as well as expanded the network to its established termini at San Fernando, La Union on March 16, 1929, and a seamless network to the Bicol Region was opened on May 8, 1938. [19]

World War II and Japanese occupation

Although the line was damaged after the First Philippines campaign during World War II, the Japanese briefly extended it to Sudipen near the La UnionIlocos Sur border, some 41.6 kilometers (25.8 miles) north of San Fernando. After the Second Philippines campaign, the line has been closed. The line was eventually dismantled so that track materials would give way for the reconstruction of the Main Line South's network. [20] Additionally, the Aringay–Tuba section of the Baguio line was closed and the 300 class rack tank locomotives used for this service were scrapped in 1945. [21] However, the tracks remained by as late as the 1960s and were built over by paddy fields. [16]

Post-war era

Only over a third of the Manila Railroad system was usable after the war, amounting to 452 km (281 mi). [22] Around eighty percent of its rolling stock were also destroyed. [23] The system was eventually rebuilt, but not all branch lines were restored.

In 1951, Ramon Magsaysay was appointed as general manager of the Manila Railroad. Under Magsaysay's term as general manager despite being only three months, made the company extend its network to Bacnotan. He would also preside the beginning of the Cagayan Valley extension. [3] Magsaysay later became the President of the Philippines in 1953 and under his term, the Manila Railroad underwent another fleet modernization. Its entire steam locomotive fleet will be replaced by diesel locomotives starting in 1954. In August 1956, the modernization has been completed and all steam locomotives were relegated to maintenance work or retired altogether. [24] Yards along the North Main Line in Pampanga became the storage location of these locomotives until they were all scrapped in the 1960s and onwards. [25]

PNR era

Construction on the North-South Commuter Railway in Malolos, Bulacan. Originally proposed in 1978, the project's previous forms were repeatedly constructed and abandoned by as late as 2011. 0766Hagonoy Baliuag Malolos City, Bulacan 01.jpg
Construction on the North–South Commuter Railway in Malolos, Bulacan. Originally proposed in 1978, the project's previous forms were repeatedly constructed and abandoned by as late as 2011.

By 1964, the Manila Railroad was reorganized and renamed into the present Philippine National Railways. The renaming took inspiration from the Japanese National Railways. The early days of the PNR was also claimed to be the agency's golden years. While operations were smaller in scale to its southern counterpart, the North Main Line was still a popular means of travel leading out of Metro Manila. The line sought an estimated daily ridership of 3,000 passengers. [22]

Decline and closure

Abandoned Northrail rail tracks along Caloocan in January 2014 Abandoned Northrail rail tracks along Caloocan city, Philippines.JPG
Abandoned Northrail rail tracks along Caloocan in January 2014

The 1970s were the beginning of the decline of operations on the North Main Line. The Cagayan Valley extension was never fully realized and PNR trains only terminated at San Jose, Nueva Ecija. The tunnel boring machines were then sold-off as debt payment for the project, and track work has been reverted into roads. A later investigation found that the Marcos government transferred the funds to the construction of the Maharlika Highway. [3] The 1980s started the closure of the line due to decreasing ridership. A bridge collapse in 1984 ordered the closure of the services to the Ilocos Region. The line was then reduced to Caloocan in 1988, leaving the South Main Line the only operational intercity line at that point. [22] There was a brief return of a commuter rail service to Malolos as part of the Metrotren program between 1990 and 1997. [26]

Since then, the Ramos administration took advantage of the recently closed North Main Line to revitalize plans to electrify the commuter rail service in Metro Manila. The project was originally proposed by the Japan International Cooperation Agency in 1978. [27] This was named as the Manila–Clark rapid railway project with the assistance of Spain. [28] [29] Construction continued as the Northrail project during the presidency of Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, but stopped during the presidency of Benigno Aquino III due to disagreements with its Chinese backers. The project was never completed and ended like the failed Hopewell Project of Bangkok, Thailand. [30] It was not until the 2010s when the present form was realized as the North–South Commuter Railway.

The Silangan Railway Express 2000 project would have connected northern Quezon with Metro Manila. Silangan Railway Express Map.png
The Silangan Railway Express 2000 project would have connected northern Quezon with Metro Manila.

Another railway project was also proposed during the late 1990s as part of the Philippines 2000 program under President Ramos. In 1995, the Manila–Rizal–Laguna–Quezon Growth Corridor (MARILAQUE) was proposed and the MARILAQUE Commission was established for the development of the area. They were tasked by the national government to implement the Silangan Railway Express 2000 project. The 95 km (59 mi) line would have connected the northern half of Metro Manila to Rizal similar to the pre-war Antipolo and Marikina lines. It would then be extended eastward towards eastern Rizal province and northern Quezon, both more rural than the areas once plied by the two aforementioned lines. [31] While plans continued under the term of President Joseph Estrada with the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) by as late as 1999, it never materialized and was not considered to be built by future administrations. [32]

Reopening and contemporary history

There were no services on the North Main Line during much of the 2000s, although the line was still used for trains heading to PNR's maintenance facility in Caloocan. Trial service on the North Main Line were planned later on. Between 2009 and 2010, PNR stations were renovated including a number of stations on the North Main Line. Some second-hand 12 series coaches were also acquired from the East Japan Railway Company as the NR class. These coaches were later reassigned to the South Main Line. [33] Despite these initial plans not continuing as planned, the line was eventually reactivated. A Shuttle Service was opened from 10th Avenue station in Caloocan to Dela Rosa station in Makati on August 1, 2018. [34] Since then, a regular Metro North Commuter service has been opened and the Shuttle Service was expanded to Bicutan station in Parañaque. [35] Since 2020, the newly purchased PNR 8000 class diesel multiple units were then assigned to the line and replaced second-hand KiHa 350s and KiHa 52s DMUs. [36]

Station list

The North Main Line currently only has stations within northern Metro Manila, though it previously had stations in Bulacan, Pampanga, Tarlac, Pangasinan and La Union. Branch lines also led to Nueva Ecija, while tracks and track bed were already placed in Isabela and Cagayan prior to the Cagayan Valley extension project's cancellation in the 1970s.

Services

Only two commuter rail services run on the North Main Line, both of which only operate within Metro Manila. This is unlike its counterpart to the south that would have some trains lead to neighboring Laguna province during rush hour. [35]

Active

There are only two services that run on the North Main Line as of 2019: [35]

Defunct

The North Main Line hosted both intercity and commuter trains like its southern counterpart. While its intercity services have been discontinued since 1988 and much of the right of way has been converted to roads, its commuter service was reconstructed and reopened in 2018. However, not all of its historic commuter operations are in active service and these are set to be replaced within the 2020s either by rapid transit or the NSCR.

Commuter rail

There were several commuter rail services leading in and out of Manila on the North Main Line during its history. Some of the lines were eventually closed, and their reconstruction were later deemed unnecessary to restore because of existing rapid transit infrastructure from other systems.

  • The first known commuter rail branch on the North Main Line was the Antipolo line. Inaugurated in 1908, it connected Antipolo, Manila province to downtown Manila via Santa Mesa. Services on this line were hauled by specialized tank locomotives due to its steep gradients such as the Manila Railroad 160 class KitsonMeyer locomotives. This was however closed in 1917 after a Supreme Court of the Philippines ruling that ordered the closure of the line. [37] The return of train services to Rizal were proposed later on, the latest being the LRT Line 2 eastward extension to Antipolo (Masinag). The extension opened on July 5, 2021, replacing the old Antipolo line.
    • The Marikina branch was finished earlier than the Antipolo line in 1906 to Marikina, but was closed much later. The line branched off the Antipolo line in Marikina and led to Montalban. After the Antipolo line was closed in 1917, the line was closed in 1936 at the same time with the Naic line to Cavite. [38] The section up to Marikina is also set to be replaced by the LRT Line 2 eastward extension.
    • The Guadalupe line was the 13 km (8.1 mi) reconstruction of the old Antipolo line in the 1970s from Santa Mesa, Manila to Mandaluyong. It terminated at Guadalupe station, but it was located on the other side of the Pasig River as its namesake district in Makati. [39] The line was closed in 1983 after only 9 years of operations, and the rail bridge that carried the line was destroyed in 1991. The area in which the Guadalupe line operated has now been covered by the LRT Line 2 and the MRT Line 3.
  • There was also a once-a-day service between Tutuban and San Fernando. It was opened on January 21, 1968. The service took around 2 hours in 1976, in which it was extended to Angeles. [40] The service was closed in 1988 with the closure of the entire North Main Line outside of Metro Manila. This service in particular shall be superseded by the NSCR North, which will extend services further to New Clark City in Capas, Tarlac.
  • The last commuter service on the line out of Metro Manila was the Metrotren Tutuban–Malolos service. Inaugurated not long after the closure of the commuter service to Pampanga in 1990, the service led to Malolos, Bulacan. However, it was short-lived and was closed amidst the 1997 Asian financial crisis. [26] This service shall also be superseded by the NSCR North with Malolos as the terminus of Phase 1.

Intercity rail

The North Main Line was first opened when the Manila–Dagupan Railway was opened in 1892. At its height between the 1950s and 1960s, the line went from Tutuban to Dagupan and also served until San Fernando, La Union. The line also boasted several rail yards. It also had branch lines to various areas in Central Luzon. However, its services severely deteriorated in the 1980s. All regular operations outside Metro Manila first ended in 1988, [41] and the line was closed in 1997.

Amianan Express

The Amianan Express was a night train service that opened in 1974. It left Manila by 11 PM and arrived in San Fernando by 4:30 AM the next day. It was serviced by then-new PNR 900 class diesel-electric locomotives and five coaches capable of seating 912 people. After ending in San Fernando station, commuters would take the bus to Ilocos Norte and Sur, and Benguet. Later, it was expanded into two services, the Amianan Day Express and the Amianan Night Express. The Amianan Night Express ran faster than its day counterpart, the Amianan Day Express, making the 260 km (160 mi) run to San Fernando, La Union in five hours. [42]

Baguio train-road services
1912 Stanley Motor Carriage Model 88 Mountain Wagon similar to the Benguet Auto Line vehicles traveling Kennon Road in the early 20th century. Stanley-1912-Mountain Wagon.jpg
1912 Stanley Motor Carriage Model 88 Mountain Wagon similar to the Benguet Auto Line vehicles traveling Kennon Road in the early 20th century.

The difficulty of terrain to build new train lines prevented both MRR and PNR to have direct train services to Baguio City, then a small hill station in the Cordillera Region. There were already plans for a rail line to the town, but was ultimately cancelled in 1917 due to lack of funding.

  • The first train service was the Baguio Special (Spanish : Manila a Baguio Especial, lit. 'Manila–Baguio Special' [43] ). It was inaugurated in 1911 and was the country's first flagship service. The train initially stopped in Pangasinan until the line was later extended to Damortis station in Santo Tomas, La Union. [44] From here, limousines would take travelers to Baguio. This service was extremely popular that Damortis went through an overhaul in 1938 to support the demand of travelers. [45]
  • A second service was inaugurated by the MRR by around 1955. Passengers would ride the train from Tutuban to Damortis station in Santo Tomas, La Union, then will ride a limousine service of Chevrolet Bel Airs to Pines Hotel in Baguio. It costed ₱45 (equivalent to $217 in 2020 US Dollars) for this package. [47]
  • The third and last service was opened during the PNR era with a bus service leading to Baguio, with buses provided by Hino Motors. This service operated until all provincial services on the North Main Line were suspended by late 1984, when all trains to the Ilocos Region were suspended. [48]
Dagupan Express

The Dagupan Express opened on February 10, 1979. It was serviced by the MCBP class diesel multiple units, the intercity version of the MC-300 multiple units of 1968. Like the Amianan Express, the Dagupan Express also ended in 1984 after all North Main Line services terminated in Tarlac. [49]

Ilocos Express

The Ilocos Express was inaugurated on March 15, 1930. The services includes a dining car with catering provided by the Manila Hotel. Another variant of the service was the Baguio-Ilocos Express. 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. There were two accidents involving the service, one in 1939 and another in 1959. [50]

It was also known as the Ilocos Special on Spanish language promotional material. Such services were intended to connect Tutuban and Manila within 6 hours using newly-refurbished locomotives that burn fuel oil instead of coal. [51]

Rolling stock

Due to the North Main Line only running a few kilometers north to Malabon, the line runs relatively few trains. The line currently uses PNR Hyundai Rotem DMUs, 203 series and PNR 8000 class trainsets. [36] Ex-JNR rolling stock such as KiHa 35 and KiHa 52 have been out of service for the line. [52]

Reconstruction

PNR North Luzon Railways Program
Overview
StatusUnder construction (NSCR)
OwnerPhilippine National Railways
Locale Metro Manila
Central Luzon
Termini
Stations20 (NSCR)
Service
Type Urban rail transit (S-train)
Inter-city rail
System PNR Luzon
Services5
Operator(s)Philippine National Railways
Daily ridership490,000 [lower-alpha 3]
History
Opened2024 (NSCR)
Technical
Line length721 km (448 mi) [lower-alpha 4]
Track lengthAt least 812 km (505 mi)
Number of tracks Double-track (NSCR)
Single-track (SCRP)
CharacterGrade-separated
Track gauge 1,435 mm (4 ft 8+12 in) standard gauge
Electrification 1,500 V DC OHLE
Operating speed160 km/h (99 mph)

The Build! Build! Build! Infrastructure Program provided an overview of the planned system in northern and central Luzon. All new lines are standard-gauge railways.

NSCR North

The North section of the North–South Commuter Railway, also known as NSCR North and PNR Clark, is a 91 km (57 mi) section that shall rebuild the historic commuter services to Malolos in Bulacan, as well as San Fernando and Angeles City in Pampanga before terminating at Clark International Airport. The line shall also be extended to New Clark City, [53] with a targeted opening date between 2023 and 2025. [54]

Development started after the old Northrail project was cancelled when the Department of Transportation and Communications attempted to reactivate the construction of a new electrified commuter rail line. Canadian firm CPCS Transcom Limited was commissioned to conduct a feasibility study for a Malolos–Los Baños commuter line as part of a larger effort to reform Metro Manila's public transport system. [55] [56] This was eventually approved as the North–South Railway Project (NSRP) in 2014. [57] In August 2015, the track gauge for the NSRP was changed from standard gauge to 1,067 mm (3 ft 6 in) narrow gauge so there will be no need of an overhaul of the existing network. [58] This was later reverted to standard gauge after the North–South Commuter Railway in its present form was announced on June 1, 2018. [59]

Construction

Pre-construction work such as clearing of the right of way was started on January 6, 2018. The groundbreaking and construction from Tutuban to Malolos started on February 15, 2019. [60] The contract for the construction of NSCR North 1 was awarded to the Filipino-Japanese consortium of DMCI Holdings and Taisei Corporation on May 21, 2019. [61] [62] The contract for the construction of the railway viaduct from Tutuban to Bocaue was awarded in December 2020 to Swiss firm VSL International, a subsidiary of French conglomerate Bouygues. [63] NSCR North 2 was then awarded starting in August 2020 to various consortiums of local and international companies. [64] [65] [66] [67]

On April 12, 2021, clearing works began for the new Calumpit station in Barangay Iba Oeste (West), Calumpit, Bulacan. The three-floor building will be the first station to be constructed for the NSCR North Phase 2. [68] Prior to May, construction work for Apalit station commenced. As of May 1, concrete pouring has been completed on some of the piers while geotechnical engineering work are still ongoing. [69]

Electric stock

The NSCR will be the PNR's first electrified mainline. With this move to electrification, the DOTr has allotted a total of 360 electric multiple units for this service. The first batch of 104 Sustina Commuter EMUs commuter trains were already ordered from the Japan Transport Engineering Company. Another batch of 200 commuter EMUs and 56 airport express trains are also being procured. [70] [71]

Northeast Commuter Line

PNR requested a feasibility study for the reconstruction of the old Cabanatuan branch line in January 2019. Once approved, this will become the Northeast Commuter Line. It will start on NSCR tracks in Makati and will branch off the main line at Balagtas station in Bulacan. The line proper will continue for at least 92 km (57 mi) northeast towards Nueva Ecija, ending at the city of Cabanatuan. [72] There are also plans for an extension to San Jose, Nueva Ecija, sealing a loop with the NSCR northward extension there. [73]

The Environmental Protection Division (Enro) of Cabanatuan held a stakeholders' consultation meeting on July 29, 2020. This also announced that the line has 17 stations with the extension to San Jose. At Guiguinto, the line will take a new right-of-way compared to the old Cabanatuan line. [74] At San Rafael, Bulacan, the Northeast Commuter will then follow the old route to Cabanatuan. Another new route will be built towards San Jose. This will join with the Tarlac–San Jose extension of the NSCR (NSCR North 4) towards North Long Haul East, which will then terminate at Tuguegarao. [75]

PNR general manager Junn Magno stated on an interview with local TV show Motoring Today on February 7, 2021, that the agency is still developing proposals for the line. Once completed, it will shorten travel times between job centers in Metro Manila and commuter towns in eastern Bulacan within 55 to 60 minutes. [52]

Freight railroads

Both rail lines shall be interconnected to the North Long Haul via the Subic–Clark Railway, and to the South Long Haul via the overhaul of the existing tracks of the PNR Metro Commuter Line. [80]

Freight stock

The diesel-electric locomotive to be used for the service is yet to be determined. It is expected that there will be four- and six-axle designs capable of at least 80 km/h (50 mph) operational speed. Meanwhile, the freight cars are classified into two categories: containerized and non-containerized. The average train lengths are between 250–350 meters (820–1,150 ft) for the initial phase while 650 meters (2,130 ft) will be the trains' maximum allowable length per the design of the line. [81]

In 2016, promotional images use the China Railways HXN5 as a sample rolling stock for the line. [82]

North Long Haul

The North Long Haul project shall revive the intercity section of the North Main Line north of New Clark City station in Capas. It shall also expand into regions that were not served by railways. The line is set to be connected to the South Main Line through the NSCR, the SCRP and the North Dry Port projects. [52]

A majority of the project's main lines have been proposed since 1875, long before intercity services were opened in 1892. The Cagayan Valley Extension, predecessor to the North Long Haul East, initially had some of its right of way built in the 1950s and 1960s. However, construction was cancelled after 1966 and the equipment used was later sold. [3] Contemporary efforts to reviving the North Main Line were first announced in 2017 during a DOTr's presentation to the South Korean Ministry of Foreign Affairs. [83] It is expected that the system will be electrified with 1.5 kV DC electrification, being future extensions of the NSCR North and the SCRP. The upgrades shall happen once enough traffic has been reached to justify their implementation. [77]

The system consists of two lines:

Notes

  1. Only a short portion of the North Main Line is operational as part of the PNR Metro Commuter Line.
  2. Subic–Clark Railway would ends at the Port of Subic, North Long Haul would ends either at San Fernando, La Union or Tuguegarao.
  3. NSCR North only, deducted the total daily ridership of 830,000 with NSCR South's ridership of 340,000. [52]
  4. 91 km (57 mi) for the NSCR North, 92 km (57 mi) for the Northeast Commuter Line, 71 km (44 mi) for the Subic–Clark Railway and 467 km (290 mi) for the North Long Haul.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Philippine National Railways</span> Railway company in the Philippines

The Philippine National Railways (PNR) is a state-owned railway company in the Philippines which operates one commuter rail service between Metro Manila and Laguna, and local services between Sipocot, Naga and Legazpi in the Bicol Region. It is an attached agency of the Department of Transportation.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rail transportation in the Philippines</span> Overview of rail transport in the Philippines

Rail transportation in the Philippines is currently used mostly to transport passengers within Metro Manila and provinces of Laguna and Quezon, as well as a commuter service in the Bicol Region. Freight transport services once operated in the country, but these services were halted. However, there are plans to restore old freight services and build new lines. From a peak of 1,100 kilometers (680 mi), the country currently has a railway footprint of 533.14 kilometers (331.28 mi), of which only 129.85 kilometers (80.69 mi) are operational as of 2023, including all the urban rail lines. World War II, natural calamities, underspending, and neglect have all contributed to the decline of the Philippine railway network. In the 2019 Global Competitiveness Report, the Philippines has the lowest efficiency score among other Asian countries in terms of efficiency of train services, receiving a score of 2.4, and ranking 86th out of 101 countries globally. The government is currently expanding the railway network up to 1,900 kilometers (1,200 mi) by 2022 through numerous projects.

A limited express is a type of express train, and express bus service. It refers to an express service that stops at a limited number of stops in comparison to other express services on the same or similar routes.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Santa Mesa station</span> PNR Railway Station in Manila, Philippines

Santa Mesa station is a railway station located on the South Main Line in the city of Manila, Philippines. It is one of two stations in the line to have its own access road.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Paco station</span> Railway station in metro Manila, Philippines

Paco station is a railway station located on the South Main Line in the city of Manila, Philippines. It was originally opened by the Manila Railroad Company in 1908 as a major hub in the southern half of Manila, where trains toward Cavite province once operated. The old train station building was designed by William E. Parsons and was completed in 1915. Prior to the electrification plan in the late 1970s, Paco was the southernmost double-track station on the line.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sucat station</span> Railway station in Muntinlupa, Philippines

Sucat station is a railway station located on the South Main Line in Muntinlupa, Metro Manila, Philippines. It was originally established by the Manila Railway Company in 1908 as part of the construction of the original Southern Lines to the province of Tayabas, since renamed Quezon. It is also the southernmost area on the PNR Metro Commuter Line to be upgraded to double track as a result of a proposed electrification scheme in 1978.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Guiguinto station</span>

Guiguinto station is a former railway station located on the North Main Line in Bulacan, Philippines. The station was once part of the line until its discontinuation in 1988. It is currently being rebuilt as part of the first phase of the North–South Commuter Railway. As part of the project, the old station will also be restored. The station is parallel to McArthur Highway, and it is near to the San Ildefonso Church and to the Municipal Hall.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tutuban station</span> Train terminal in Manila

Tutuban station is the central railway terminus of the Philippine National Railways (PNR) network located in the city of Manila, Philippines.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Balagtas station</span> A station of the abandoned Northrail line of Philippine National Railways (PNR)

Balagtas station is a former railway station located on the North Main Line in Bulacan, Philippines. It is currently being rebuilt as part of the first phase of the North–South Commuter Railway. It was also the terminus of the defunct Balagtas–Cabanatuan line.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">PNR Metro Commuter Line</span> Commuter rail line in the Philippines

The PNR Metro Commuter Line is a commuter rail line operated by the Philippine National Railways. It was first inaugurated as the Metro Manila Commuter Service in 1970, and originally served the North Main Line and the South Main Lines, as well as the defunct Carmona and Guadalupe branch lines. Since then, it adopted several names such as Metrotrak and Metrotren, before adopting its present name in the late 2000s. The line is also nicknamed the Orange Line due to its designation in the 1970s.

Tutuban station is a proposed Manila Light Rail Transit (LRT) station situated on Line 2. It is part of the Line 2 West Extension project, a 3.02-kilometer (1.88 mi) extension from Recto station to the Manila North Harbor in Tondo. The west extension project calls for the construction of three additional elevated stations: two on Recto Avenue and one on Mel Lopez Boulevard near Pier 4 of the Manila North Harbor. It was approved by the National Economic and Development Authority on May 19, 2015. Ayala Land Inc., will benefit the said station as they already acquired Tutuban Center. Future developments will soon progress at the area the same time with LRT Tutuban Station construction.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Meycauayan station</span>

<span class="mw-page-title-main">North–South Commuter Railway</span> Future commuter railway line in the Philippines

The North–South Commuter Railway (NSCR), also known as the Clark–Calamba Railway, is a 147-kilometer (91-mile) urban rail transit system under construction in the island of Luzon, Philippines. Running from New Clark City in Capas to Calamba, Laguna with 36 stations and four services, the railway was designed to improve connectivity within the Greater Manila Area and will be integrated with the railway network in the region.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">PNR South Main Line</span> Philippine rail line

The PNR South Main Line is one of the two trunk lines that form the Philippine National Railways' network in the island of Luzon, Philippines. It was opened in stages between 1916 and 1938 by the Manila Railroad. Services peaked in the 1940s until the late 1960s, when the system started to decline. Since 1988, it was the only functioning inter-city rail after its counterpart to the north, the North Main Line, was closed. The intercity section of the line in Laguna, Quezon and the Bicol Region was then closed and reopened repeatedly between 2004 and 2014 due to a combination of declining ridership and was closed since then. Currently, only two short sections of the line survive; the PNR Metro Commuter Line between Tutuban station and Laguna, and the Bicol Commuter regional rail service between Sipocot and Naga, Camarines Sur.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">PNR South Long Haul</span> Philippine rail line

The PNR South Long Haul Project, also known as PNR Bicol is a proposed inter-city rail line in southern Luzon, Philippines. It is part of the larger Luzon Rail System, a network of long-distance standard-gauge lines being built by the Philippine National Railways throughout Luzon. It is one of the two lines that will reconstruct the historic PNR South Main Line, along with the electrified North–South Commuter Railway South section to Calamba, Laguna.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rail transportation in the Greater Manila Area</span>

Rail transportation in the Greater Manila Area is a major part of the transportation system in Metro Manila and its surrounding areas. It consists of the Manila Light Rail Transit System, Manila Metro Rail Transit System, and the PNR Metro Commuter Line. The network makes up the majority of active railways in the country and bear the brunt of providing the metropolis with rail as a faster alternative mode of transport other than buses and jeepneys. However, these systems are currently insufficient for the rapidly expanding metropolis; to address this, new lines and line extensions are under construction, which will extend the system far out into neighboring regions.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">PNR EM10000 class</span> Philippine train type

The PNR EM10000 class is an electric multiple unit commuter trainset that will be operated by the Philippine National Railways on the North–South Commuter Railway. Prior to the reveal of its numbering scheme in October 2021, the train was known as the PNR Sustina Commuter. Set to enter service by 2023, it will be PNR's first trainset to be run on standard gauge and powered by electric traction. The trains are also designed to be interoperable with the Metro Manila Subway.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Manila Railway 70 class</span>

The Manila Railway 70 class of 1908 was a class of at least twenty-two 0-6-2 side and well-tank locomotives built by the North British Locomotive Company. These locomotives were first put into service on a mainline during the late 1900s and early 1910s by the Manila Railway Company. Their primary purpose was to support the growing network and replace the aging Dagupan class engines. They were used on all the lines of the Manila Railway and its succeeding incarnation, the Manila Railroad. Over time, some locomotives were either scrapped or given to sugarcane plantations after being withdrawn. The last unit, No. 79, remained in service with the Pampanga Sugar Development Company as late as 1989.

References

  1. 1 2 3 Peris Torner, Juan (November 13, 2018). "Ferrocarril de Manila a Dagupan – Plan General de Ferrocarriles de la Isla de Luzón – Filipinas". Ferrocarriles de España (in Spanish). Retrieved October 21, 2020.
  2. "Gago Palomo, José" (in Spanish). Real Academia de la Historia . Retrieved May 20, 2021.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Satre, Gary. "The Cagayan Valley Railway Extension Project". Japan Railway & Transport Review. No. 22.
  4. Corpuz, Arturo (May 1989). Railroads and regional development in the Philippines: Views from the colonial iron horse, 1875–1935 (Thesis). Cornell University. Retrieved June 20, 2020.
  5. Unson, P. (1947). MANILA RAILROAD CO. MECH. DEPT. DIAGRAMS LOCOS, COACHES, MOTOR CARS 1947. Outlines and Particulars (Report). Manila Railroad Company Mechanical Department. Retrieved April 10, 2021.
  6. "San Fernando train station | San Fernando, Pampanga — Baktin Corporation". Baktin Corporation. January 16, 2012. Archived from the original on September 28, 2020. Retrieved May 26, 2021.
  7. M., Pante (2014). "Mobility and Modernity in the Urban Transport Systems of Colonial Manila and Singapore". Journal of Social History. 47 (4): 855–877. doi:10.1093/jsh/shu023.
  8. Halstead, Murat (April 28, 2014). The Story of the Philippines: The El Dorado of the Orient. Chicago, Illinois, USA: Our Possessions Publishing Co. ISBN   9781499286656.
  9. Train load of injured and dead American troops at Caloocan. University of Michigan, via George Lane on Flickr. 1899. Retrieved May 21, 2021.
  10. Hunslet Bamban. 1900s. Retrieved May 21, 2021.
  11. Linn, Brian McAllister (2000). The Philippine War, 1899–1902. University Press of Kansas. ISBN   978-0-7006-1225-3.
  12. Sammlung eines Mitglieds des Ersten Deutschen Historic-Actien-Clubs e.V. (EDHAC e.V.); (le) . EDHAC e.V. 1907.
  13. 1 2 Annual Report of the Manila Railroad Company for the Fiscal Year Ended December 31, 1913. Annual Report of the Manila Railroad Company (1913-17) (Report). April 3, 1914.
  14. "AN ACT GRANTING THE MANILA RAILROAD COMPANY CERTAIN ADDITIONAL CONCESSIONS FOR RAILROAD LINES IN THE ISLAND OF LUZON". Act No. 1905 of May 19, 1909. Philippine Commission.
  15. Lane, George (1911). Baguio Special at Manila Station. Far Eastern Review. Retrieved May 21, 2021.
  16. 1 2 Sotelo, Yolanda (November 26, 2014). "The saga of Aringay rail line". Philippine Daily Inquirer . Retrieved May 21, 2021.
  17. "DID YOU KNOW: History of the Manila Railroad Company". January 8, 2018. Retrieved May 20, 2021.
  18. Report of the General Manager for the Year Ended December 31, 1922. Reports of the General Manager (Report). Manila Railroad Company. March 25, 1923.
  19. Damian, Johnson; Mabazza, Daniel (2017). "Tracing the History of the Philippine National Railways" (PDF). University of the Philippines Diliman . Retrieved May 21, 2021.
  20. Kratoska, Paul (2001). South East Asia, Colonial History: Imperial decline: nationalism and the Japanese challenge (1920s-1940s). Vol. 4. New York City, USA: Routledge. ISBN   9780415215435 . Retrieved May 21, 2021.
  21. "MANILA RAILROAD COMPANY 1914 SWISS LOCO. & MACHINE NUMBER PLATE". worthpoint.com. Retrieved April 11, 2021.
  22. 1 2 3 "Brief history of PNR". Philippine National Railways (February 27, 2009). Archived from the original on February 27, 2009. Retrieved November 4, 2011.
  23. "Chapter I: Present Conditions". Report of Survey of the Manila Railroad Company and the Preliminary Survey of Railroads for Mindanao (Report). Chicago: De Leuw, Cather & Company. 1951. pp. 1–12.
  24. "The Passing of the Steam Engine". This Week. August 12, 1956. Retrieved January 22, 2021.
  25. Sherron, Dave (1963). Nippon Sharyo No. 302 . Retrieved May 23, 2021.
  26. 1 2 "Metrotren Inaugural". Manila Chronicle. May 11, 1990. Retrieved May 6, 2021.
  27. "REPORT ON STUDY OF THE ELECTRIFICATION OF THE PNR COMMUTER SERVICE" (PDF). Japanese International Cooperation Agency (JICA). December 1978. Retrieved February 15, 2021.
  28. Romero, Purple. "Off track: Northrail timeline". ABS-CBN News. Retrieved February 17, 2019.
  29. Inquirer, Philippine Daily (January 17, 2019). "WHAT WENT BEFORE: The Northrail Project". newsinfo.inquirer.net. Retrieved February 16, 2019.
  30. "Philippines: China-funded Northrail project derailed". Financial Times. Retrieved February 17, 2019.
  31. "CREATING AN EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE TO OVERSEE THE BOT/BOO IMPLEMENTATION OF THE PROPOSED SILANGAN EXPRESS 2000 RAILWAY SYSTEM CONNECTING METRO-MANILA AND QUEZON PROVINCE". Administrative Order No. 214, s. 1995 of August 30, 1995. Office of the President (Philippines) . Retrieved May 28, 2021.
  32. TECHNICAL REPORT NO. 3: URBAN / TRANSPORTATION DEVELOPMENT CONDITION IN ADJOINING AREAS (PDF). METRO MANILA URBAN TRANSPORTATION INTEGRATION STUDY (Report). Japan International Cooperation Agency. 1999. Retrieved May 28, 2021.
  33. Peadon, Brad. "April 2020". Philippine National Railways Rolling Stock Update. Philippine Railways Historical Society. 3.
  34. "PNR reopens Caloocan to Makati route". Manila Standard. August 1, 2018. Retrieved May 21, 2021.
  35. 1 2 3 Metro North Commuter SHUTTLE TRAIN SERVICE. Philippine National Railways. December 16, 2019. Retrieved May 21, 2021.
  36. 1 2 PNR PT INKA DHMU CLASS 8000 SET #02 (8002) IN ASISTIO STATION. May 10, 2021. Retrieved May 21, 2021.
  37. "EN BANC - G.R. No. L-10624 - March 24, 1916 THE MANILA RAILROAD COMPANY, Plaintiff-Appellee, vs. THE INSULAR COLLECTOR OF CUSTOMS, Defendant-Appellant". www.chanrobles.com. Retrieved October 26, 2020.
  38. "Railways of old in Manila and Rizal". d0ctrine.com. November 8, 2011. Retrieved May 22, 2021.
  39. 1974 0911 PNR Schedule. Times Journal. September 11, 1976. Retrieved May 22, 2021.
  40. Belen, Gorio (January 20, 1968). To Fulfill Another Commitment. Times Journal. Retrieved May 22, 2021.
  41. "Manila North Line". When There Were Stations: Asia. April 13, 2011. Retrieved March 8, 2020.
  42. 1974 0215 PNR Amianan Express Trains. Flickr . February 15, 1974. Retrieved March 8, 2020.
  43. Swiss luxury watch brand Omega featuring Manila Railroad's Baguio Special train in a 1915 advertisement. Omega SA, via Philipine Train Enthusiasts and Railfans Club. 1915. Retrieved November 7, 2021.
  44. Baguio Special at Manila Station c. 1911. September 1912. Retrieved May 26, 2021.
  45. Report of the General Manager for the Year Ended December 31, 1938. Reports of the General Manager (Report). Manila Railroad Company. March 17, 1939.
  46. Report of the General Manager for the Year Ended December 31, 1922. Reports of the General Manager (Report). Manila Railroad Company. March 25, 1923.
  47. "1955 0916 MRR Package Tour ad". Flickr . September 16, 2010. Retrieved March 11, 2020.
  48. "1984 PNR MOTOR SERVICES". Flickr . June 22, 1984. Retrieved March 11, 2020.
  49. "1974 0215 PNR Amianan Express Trains". Flickr . January 12, 2012. Retrieved March 8, 2020.
  50. "Official Week in Review: April 12 – April 18, 1959". Official Gazette of the Republic of the Philippines. April 20, 1959. Retrieved March 11, 2020.
  51. 1930 MRR Ilocos Express Special Ad. March 15, 1930. Retrieved November 14, 2022.
  52. 1 2 3 4 5 The Status of PNR Projects and Plans in 2021: Motoring Forum (16:9) (YouTube) (in Tagalog). February 7, 2021. Retrieved May 25, 2021.
  53. "Project Details – Build". Build.gov.ph. Department of Transportation (Philippines). June 1, 2018. Retrieved January 9, 2020.
  54. Department of Transportation The Republic of the Philippines (October 2018). "FEASIBILITY STUDY ON THE NORTH SOUTH RAILWAY PROJECT-SOUTH LINE (COMMUTER)(NORTH-SOUTH COMMUTER RAILWAY EXTENSION PROJECT) IN THE REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES" (PDF). jica.go.jp. Japan International Cooperation Agency.
  55. "DOTC eyes elevated railway from Malolos to Los Banos". ABS-CBN News. July 22, 2013. Retrieved April 23, 2019.
  56. "Govt eyes elevated rail project in Luzon - Manila Standard Today". Archived from the original on January 2, 2014. Retrieved January 1, 2014.
  57. Main Points of the Roadmap (PDF) (Report). Japan International Cooperation Agency. September 2014. Archived from the original (PDF) on October 11, 2014.
  58. "North-South Railway Project" (PDF). Department of Transportation and Communications. August 2015. Retrieved May 23, 2021.
  59. "North South Commuter Railway" (PDF). June 1, 2018. Retrieved May 23, 2021.
  60. "Department of Transportation – Philippines". Facebook. Retrieved February 18, 2019.
  61. Pateña, Aerol John. "DOTr awards contract to DMCI Consortium for PNR North Phase 1 Project". www.ptvnews.ph. Retrieved May 10, 2019.
  62. "DMCI, Japanese partner bag P54-B contract for North-South Commuter Railway project". GMA News Online. May 21, 2019. Retrieved May 28, 2019.
  63. "Viaduct contract awarded for Philippines' NSCR". International Railway Journal. December 22, 2020. Retrieved May 17, 2021.
  64. Manuel, Pilar (September 21, 2020). "Megawide, 2 Korean firms secure construction for part of Malolos-Clark Railway". CNN Philippines. Retrieved May 5, 2021.
  65. Loyola, James (September 21, 2020). "Megawide, Korean partners win P28-B railway project". Manila Bulletin. Retrieved May 5, 2021.
  66. Amojelar, Darwin (May 4, 2021). "Megawide signs P2.9-b concrete supply contract for Malolos-Clark railway". Manilastandard.net. Manila Standard . Retrieved May 5, 2021.
  67. "Philippines awards North-South Commuter Railway contracts". International Railway Journal. August 4, 2020. Retrieved May 17, 2021.
  68. Padilla, Omar (April 12, 2021). "Clearing works sa itatayong 'airport train' ng Pinas, sinimulan" [Clearing works began for the first ‘airport train’ in the Philippines]. Pilipino Star Ngayon (in Tagalog). Retrieved May 26, 2021.
  69. "ARE YOU READY FOR THE MASSIVE, SEAMLESS, AND MODERN RAIL LINE NETWORK OF THE COUNTRY?". Facebook. Department of Transportation (Philippines). May 24, 2021. Retrieved May 26, 2021.
  70. "1 local, 5 foreign firms bid for P50.8-B PNR Clark Phase 2". GMA News. October 16, 2019. Retrieved February 15, 2020.
  71. Environmental Impact Assessment (PDF). Proposed Multitranche Financing Facility Republic of the Philippines: South Commuter Railway Project (Report). Department of Transportation (Philippines) and the Asian Development Bank. July 1, 2020. Retrieved May 17, 2021.
  72. Villanueva, Joann (January 22, 2019). "PNR asks for feasibility of Cabanatuan-Makati line" . Retrieved May 25, 2021.
  73. "Feasibility Study for the Northeast Commuter Line". November 26, 2019. Retrieved May 25, 2021.
  74. Project Alignment (Bulacan). Stakeholders' Consultation 2020 (Report). Cabanatuan Enro. July 29, 2020.
  75. Project Alignment (Nueva Ecija). Stakeholders' Consultation 2020 (Report). Cabanatuan Enro. July 29, 2020.
  76. 1 2 "SCRP Eligibility Documents". November 3, 2020. Retrieved May 24, 2021.
  77. 1 2 Arellano, Mark (January 15, 2018). "PNR to be extended to La Union, Tuguegarao, Subic Freeport" . Retrieved May 25, 2021.
  78. 1 2 "BIDDING DOCUMENTS – CONDUCT OF FEASIBILITY STUDY OF THE NORTH PHILIPPINE DRY PORT CONTAINER RAIL TRANSPORT SERVICE". www.neda.gov.ph. National Economic and Development Authority. October 2018. Retrieved May 25, 2021.
  79. 1 2 "North Philippine Dry Port Container Rail Transport Service" (PDF). January 2020. Retrieved May 25, 2021.
  80. Matias Pizarro, Shirley (May 4, 2021). "P50-B Subic-Clark Railway Project on track" . Retrieved May 26, 2021.
  81. Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) (PDF). Proposed Subic-Clark Railway Project (SCRP) (Report). Bases Conversion and Development Authority. August 2021. Retrieved November 7, 2021.
  82. "Project Details". www.build.gov.ph. October 20, 2016. Retrieved May 26, 2021.
  83. 1 2 "RAILWAY PROJECT ROADSHOW: MINDANAO RAILWAY (TAGUM‐DAVAO‐DIGOS SEGMENT)". Department of Transportation (Philippines), presented to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (South Korea). December 13, 2017. Retrieved May 24, 2021.