In the sixth part of our series, we will take a look at what was in Caloocan Railway Workshops during a visits a decade, and more, ago.
Much of the passenger rollingstock has since been scrapped, while others still survive in 2020.
Thank you to the 'Philippine National Railways' for your ongoing support. Most especially, PNR General Manager Mr Junn Magno.

Please support the PRHS by checking out some of our website advertisers here. All we do is done voluntarily and checking out the ads helps a little with the costs.
Salamat Po.

  We shall also take a look at some rollingstock there back in 2004 and 2007.

3 Feb 2010
Class	Numbers	Type	Notes
_12	_801	Dining	From Japan and not yet used at this time.
_900	906 911 913 914 917	Loco
_900	920 921	Loco	920 Bent Underframe
_2500	2535 2540	Loco
_5000	5003 5004 5006 5007 5008	Loco
_5000	5008 5010	Loco	5010 last locomotive in red livery
BC	507 561 580 588 590	Freight	Boxcar
CMC	_374	DMU
CTC	_154	DMU	Being scrapped
FL	44 542 3070	Freight	Flat wagons, both outside
GC	_120	Freight	Gondola Car (Open Wagon)
IC	_888	DMU	Inspection Car
MCBP	_4	DMU	Pieces following scrapping
PC	_286	Passenger	Presidential Car (Marcos)
TA	_5	Passenger	Last of her class
	Copywrite 2020		Compiled By Brad Peadon (Philippine Railway Historical Society)

Inspection car. Only saw outside the workshops on my first trip in 1999.
Following that first sighting, it found itself in the dark blue livery, but was stored by the time of my visit in 2004.

The 7C was becoming a rarity even in 2007.

MCBP-4 was the last of her type and would be scrapped three years later.

12 801 is a dining car that was donated by Japan.
It had not seen use at the time of these 2007 photos.

Above two shots show CMC railcars in the smaller workshop building back in 1999.

PART 1

The railway workshops in Caloocan is believed to have been built around the 1910s, or 1920s, with a refurbishment in 1989 (reopening in 1990). This refurbishment is thought to be mostly external, with signs of the original structure, most notably the round windows,  still being visible.


Photographer Unknown - From Defunct RIHSPI Group.

I first went to the workshops during a visit to Manila in 1999. At the time, my main interest was still in the locomotives, the obsession with Philippine rollingstock, and infrastructure coming in later visits. Each time I have returned to the country, I have made an effort to drop in and record what is there.
Late in 2018, I was made aware that the whole workshop complex was to be redeveloped for use as car stabling siding related to the new north line (currently being built), with the workshop being transfer somewhere south of Manila.
It was this news that spurred me on to, not only get as many last shots as possible, but to do this multi-part article covering the workshops over the last two decades.

The inspiration for this project, which will likely run over the next few months, is with immeasurable thanks (maraming salamat) to 'Philippine National Railways' General Manager, Sir Jun Magno. Mr Magno inspires with both a passion for the future, and for the heritage, of the local railways.
Thanks also go to the many members of PNR management and staff who have helped me over the years.

In coming parts, we shall look at the workshops, locomotives and rollingstock, listings and other items related to the workshop.

Can You Help?

We are seeking photos, notes and documents related to the Caloocan Workshops for adding in this project.
Did you work at Caloocan? Were you a visitor to the workshops?
Please email us, we would love to hear from you.

Kogane was undergoing an extensive refurbishment and would be released in the newest livery, along with a new glass that would allow the wire grills to become a thing of the past.

Probably the most important car in the workshop would be PC-286, President Marcos's 'Presidential Car'. Originally numbered 777, the 286 number reflects the date he was removed from power.
Today the car remains locked up, but internally it is empty. To date, not photos of the car in use have been found.

Machine Shop - January 26th 1972

TA-5, by this time she was the last survivor of her class.

Like the author, these were Australian made. :-)

Thanks to Dirk Paul Celoso, Mark Chua and Sir Jun Magno (PNR GM).

NAGA STATION / YARD / DEPOT

Video Overview

A visit was made to the Naga station and depot area back on January 6th, 2019. Attached is a two part video covering this visit and what was there on the day.

Part 1 - Station Area.

Part 2 - Locoshed.

PNR ROLLINGSTOCK 

A PRHS Special Series.

Got a thing for Philippine National Railways freight rollingstock?

It is an area mostly overlooked by railfans worldwide, resulting in very little information often being recorded.

Over the next six months or more, along with the immense help of my good friend Mark Chua, we will be covering freight rollingstock here on the blog, as well as compiling a photographic database of rollingstock existing this century for the PRHS website.

With massive changes coming to the Philippine National Railways in the near future, we felt it was time that this was all covered. You never know when you will blink and it will be gone.

To ensure you don't miss out, you can subscribe via email (see the column at right).
Or become a member of our rapidly growing PRHS Facebook Group.

Brad Peadon & Mark Chua

GC-??? (Formerly FL-261)   Tutuban July 2019 - Mark Chua

PHILIPPINE FUEL TANKERS

Fuel tankers, whether in Australia, or the Philippines, hold a fascination for me.

As part of my efforts to photographically record every item of rollingstock in the Philippines since the year 2000, I have caught up with a number of tankers.
All tankers are normally captive in yards nowadays, at the moment these yards being Tutuban, Calamba and Naga. However, recently TF-71 went for a mainline trip, this being covered further down in this posting.

 TF-71 has been a Tutuban resident for as long as I can remember, however July of this year saw her transferred to Calamba.
I suspect I know why this has occurred, but I shall leave it to be revealed in due course.

 TF-76 remains allocated to the Commex shed.
The 'H' on the underframes of 71 and 76 is a leftover from the days of the RIHSPI group that we first set up to preserve rail heritage in the Philippines. While that effort was none to successful, we are currently involved in other heritage ideas being evaluated for the future. 

 The above two sat here at the start of the century, and are still there today.

 TW-75 was allocated to Calamba shed when I dropped by in 2009, but is believed to have been scrapped not long after. The shed itself has since gone on to be rebuilt itself. 

 USA-19440 is allocated to Naga depot, but it is not known if it is still used.
A post Typhoon Reming PNR inventory listing shows it as USA-19440, however it is suspected that it has carried a old TF/TC number that has just disappeared over the years.

TF-71's BIG ADVENTURE

Tutuban - Calamba

A few days ago TF-71 managed to break free of her Tutuban yard confinement and take a mainline run south to Calamba, where it has taken up residence in the lovely new locomotive shed there.
Our very own 'PRHS' roving reporter, Mark Chua, was on the scene again and covering this important event. We thank Mark once again for his generously  sharing of this quite historic event.

Above shot taken at Sucat, others on arrival at Calamba.

To finish up we have a few more random shots of tankers at Tutuban. All taken by my friend Mark Chua. Thanks for your continued help mate.