Philippine Railway Historical Society News and History!

~~ HISTORY REDISCOVERED ~~

G'day one and all.

Last weekend I started a extensive cleanup/downsizing of the railway collection in preparation for a pending move of residence. Have also collated all the records of the RIHSPI(ANZ) for disposal as parted of a long drawn out process to wind up everything officially.

In one box I found a number of long misplaced shots that I have been looking for. Their disappearance leaving a big gap in my early photography of the Philippine railways.

Below are a few shots from this collection that may interest.

Ooooh so much has changed.

2532 had the distinction of being the very last in the reverse version of green and yellow.

Her days are certainly numbered in this shot at Caloocan Workshops.

2509 also had seen better days by the time I came across her. Wearing the more standard green/yellow scheme, this bunch of scrapping wiped out all but one wearing these colours, the survivor still exists to this day.

921 (919 at other end) is seen at Tayuman station. They were being used on the shorted Caloocan and Espana shuttle services. The early 2000s would see both the livery and these services end.

Argueably one of the better liveries worn by PNR diesels, the red with yellow lining was not a long survivor. Introduced around the time of the new 5000s, it was worn also by a few 2500 class and all surviving 900s.

At this time, only 5010 survives in the livery, but is stripped at Caloocan workshops and the first of her class considered beyond economical repair.

When I took this shot I had no idea it would lead to many years of trying to find out the history behind 916. No builders lists include her, no record of her having actually been delivered actually exists.

2007 finally revealed the answer we had been looking for. She was originally U14C 908 and had been renumbered after the killing of an army persons son. This sad occurance leading to revenge attacks on the locomotive whenever seen.

Interestingly enough this discover lead us to another, as yet unsolved, mystery of why there was still a 908. While we know the second one was 904, we are not sure how she came to be renumbered. Yet....

The second 908 (originally 904) during her final moments of life. She would soon go to Caloocan, where she would sit of many years, slowly being robbed of parts, until her rotten carcus was finally scrapped in 2009.

Another photo I have clearly shows here U15C Phase One origin, with the large radiator grill at the end of the long hood. The original 908 had the smaller grills associated with the U14C and Phase 2 U15C of Philippine National Railways.


These were indeed great times to be a fan of the Philippine National Railways.

Employees were friendly and the system so open to those with an interest. Sadly it is not so today and visitors to the main railway yard can be expected to be treated with suspicion by security guards - railfanning still appearing to be considered a highly unusual past time.

However much opportunity still exists to shoot modern railcars around Manila at the local stations, or a more friendly atmosphere down south in Naga. That alone makes the trip still worthwhile.