Whether or not you are happy about 'the big change', it has started and the coming years are going to see massive differences along the traditional 'Philippine National Railways' line from Manila to Calamba.
In 2023 we saw the section from Alabang to Calamba close and the removal process began. This action strangely left the system around Manila isolated, resulting in no way to rail out all the locomotives and rolling stock for use south of Calamba now that it has closed.
The closure has now taken place and reports of track removal are being made by members of the PRHS forum.
We would like to cover this change, for the benefit of historians in the future, using our site to post occasional updates.
We are after photos and information covering:
1) The transferring of trains after closure.
2) Tracks following the closure.
3) The removal of tracks, stations, and other infrastructure from Manila to Calamba.
4) The construction of the new elevated railway.
You will be acknowledged for your work, and contributions can be either sent by email or posted on the 'PRHS Group'.
CMC-201 has undergone yet another livery transformation, it now wearing the orange livery of the locomotives, but with the more attractive addition of white striping.
The white stripe does a lot to improve the plain orange.
Photos: Mark Chua
It seems that the locomotives are also undergoing a bit of a repaint in preparation for their move south.
Other examples can be found in Roberto Go's photos below.
Photo: Mark Chua
913 and 902 in the revised livery at Tayuman shed..
Photo: Roberto Go
5001 at Tayuman shed.
Photo: Roberto Go
5007 913 902 at Tayuman shed..
Photo: Roberto Go
5001 913 5007 at Tayuman shed.
All have had their paint restored before their road trip south to rejoin what's left of the Philippine National Railways narrow gauge system.
Photo: Roberto Go
914 at Tayuman shed..
Photo: Roberto Go
921 at Tayuman shed..
Photo: Roberto Go
5003 made an interesting arrival from Caloocan Workshops, wearing a hybrid livery of the old dark blue with red lining, plus the new orange livery along the hood.
Photos: Roberto Go
INKA DMU sitting at Tutuban station.
Photo: Mark Chua
Transportation Secretary (Department of Transport of the Philippines) Jaime Bautista inspects the 'Hybrid Train' in Calamba.
Photos: Department of Transport.
Transportation Secretary (Department of Transport of the Philippines) Jaime Bautista inspects the 'Hybrid Train' in Calamba.
Photos: Department of Transport.
Correction: Should be San Pedro on the photo captions.
Similarly sounding San Pablo being still open
San Pedro (Laguna) with the tracks all removed.
Hopefully the promised ground based tracks will return once the elevated line is constructed.
Photo: Alldrich Jay Augustin.
San Pedro (Laguna) with the tracks all removed.
Hopefully the promised ground based tracks will return once the elevated line is constructed.
Photo: Alldrich Jay Augustin.
San Pedro (Laguna) with the tracks all removed.
Hopefully the promised ground based tracks will return once the elevated line is constructed.
Photo: Alldrich Jay Augustin.
Commex Shed in Tutuban yard. Rotem set #5
Inka sets 8102 and 8104.
Photo: Mark Chua.
Three photos taken just south of FTI and showing the local track removal progress.
Photos: John Gabriel Ibay.
Above & Below.
While not part of the recently closed section from Tutuban to Manila, it does show work alongside the former Antipolo line near Guadalupe.
The yellow squares show some surviving railway telegraph poles that appear in danger of disappearing with the nearby development.
Hopefully the right of way itself will not be obliterated by this work.
Photos: Rafael Serapio.
CAR-2 sitting at Tutuban station.
Since putting this post together it now turns out this is a 2014 photo. But shall add it anyway :-)
Modern railcars are not my greatest interest when it comes to railways, whether in the Philippines, or down here in Australia.
However, I was very privileged to have been invited to be part of the early days of the ROTEM railcars around Manila, including the unloading off the ship and testing around Pasay Road.
Since then, I have aimed to photograph each power and trailer car while they were still in good condition.
This decision has turned out to be a good one, with only one of the six sets (Set 5: DMR-02 ITR-05 DMR-10) still in operation.
Considering it's age at the time, it is surprising that the first, DMR-11, was written off within a year of these photos following a collision with a Coca Cola truck. Despite talk that a new front was coming, it does not appear to have ever arrived. The car has sat around ever since.
In 2010 there was also talk of more Rotem sets, of a differing design, to be delivered to PNR. These also never eventuated.
The years since have not been kind to the six Rotem sets, collisions and derailments taking their toll, with the vast majority of the fleet laying idle around Manila at the time the local operations were suspended for five years.
At this time it is expected that the surviving operational set will be transferred by road to be used on the remaining l\narrow gauge line from Calamba to Legaspi.
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I didn't get all the ITR type trailer cars on this trip, however some can be found by searching this website, while many other shots will appear in the future.
ITR-03 - Espana Station.
Photo: Brad Peadon
ITR-04 - Espana Station.
Photo: Brad Peadon
ITR-04 - Tutuban Station.
Photo: Brad Peadon
ITR-06 - Tutuban yard.
Photo: Brad Peadon
Rotem set arrives at Paco station.
Photo: Brad Peadon
David 'MrX' Xuereb gunzelling the near new Rotem sets at Tutuban.