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Welcome one and all to the 'Philippine Railway Historical Society' blogsite. This site was set up to share photos, historical pieces, comment and virtually anything else pertaining to transportation in the Philippines, with a special emphasis on rail. Occasional we vary from topic, but this is the less serious side of the hobby shining through - cause sometimes, in this miserable and uptight world, we just take ourselves a little too seriously.
Since 1999, the Philippine Railway Historical Society has regularly published items, FOR FREE, of railway interest on our PRHS Website. These include locomotive, rollingstock and transit updates, as well as our occasional magazine, 'Along Da Riles'.
 Our interest base has grown over the years with our main Facebook railway group expanding to include groups interested in other Philippine Transport, modelling of Philippine transport and even a group for Philippine railfans interested in overseas railways.
 If it sounds interesting, come join in the fun of the oldest, and most diverse, group dedicated to Philippine railways and other transport.
 We look forward to meeting you.

If you have a question Philippine railway related, just drop us a line, maybe we can help.
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Showing posts with label MRT3. Show all posts
Showing posts with label MRT3. Show all posts

Monday, August 3, 2026

2011 - MRT3 VISIT





Well, well, well... here we are again.

It has been quite some time since I last inflicted another instalment from one of my entirely official (at least in my own mind) expeditions along Metro Manila's MRT-3. A curious combination of factors managed to derail the series: the increasingly spectacular antics of a handful of intellectually-challenged local railfans, the previously documented theatrical performances of certain overzealous security guards, and, if I'm being fair, a period where my enthusiasm for Philippine railways took a back seat to rather more important personal matters.


Of course, there remains the occasional expert who confidently declares that looking back at older photographs serves no purpose because "it's all exactly the same." An interesting theory, particularly considering the countless changes that have taken place over the years. Thankfully, I maintain a rather obsessive filing system that ensures the same photographs never appear twice on this site. Imagine the horror of accidentally recycling old material.

Then again... perhaps I should simply upload the same galleries every few months. It would certainly save me the countless hours spent sorting, researching and preparing these articles for what is, let's face it, an audience that occasionally appears to regard such efforts with all the enthusiasm of a three year old Balut.

Anyway... enough of the pleasant conversation.


Opened in December 1999, the MRT-3 was built to provide rapid transit along the perpetually congested Epifanio de los Santos Avenue (EDSA), Metro Manila's busiest arterial road. Stretching almost 17 kilometres between North Avenue and Taft Avenue, the line quickly became one of the city's most heavily used transport corridors, carrying hundreds of thousands of passengers each day. Despite enduring years of overcrowding, maintenance controversies and enough political drama to fill several television series, the MRT-3 remains one of the most important pieces of transport infrastructure in the Philippines and an endlessly fascinating subject for railway enthusiasts.

Today's journey takes us from one end of the line to the other, pausing at several stations that caught my attention along the way. This trip also marked my second—and, sadly, final—Philippine railway adventure with the legendary Mr X, who, unlike myself, never quite succumbed to the incurable disease known as Philippine railway enthusiasm. Nevertheless, it was an excellent day out, soaring backwards and forwards above EDSA like a startled dog that had just discovered, rather too late, that sitting on a hot barbecue plate was perhaps not one of life's better decisions.

Map: Sumitomo Corporation

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050 at Ayala station. 
Photo: Brad Peadon


View from Ayala MRT3 station. 
Photo: Brad Peadon


070 at Ayala station. 
Photo: Brad Peadon


052 waiting for departure from Taft Avenue railway station. 
Photo: Brad Peadon


Inside 052 before departing Taft Avenue. 
Photo: Brad Peadon


018 leads across Manila's 'Sydney Harbour Bridge'.
 :-)
Photo: Brad Peadon


Take note PNR Security Guards. 
See the security guard here?
He notices me taking a train photo.
He realises I am just taking a photo.
He decides to mind his own business
Be like him!
Photo: Brad Peadon


009 takes on passengers at Guadalupe. 
Photo: Brad Peadon


Manila's mini 'Sydney Harbour Bridge' over the Pasig River at Guadalupe.. 
Photo: Brad Peadon


009 and 071 pass at Guadalupe station. 
Photo: Brad Peadon


Above and below.
027 and 069 on various other runs stopping at Guadalupe station. 
Photos: Brad Peadon



Class leader 001 at Araneta -Cubao station. 
Photo: Brad Peadon



012 in the same spot. 
Photo: Brad Peadon


Above and below.
035 and 040 at Aranteta-Cubao station. 
Photos: Brad Peadon



Now it is 064 at Araneta-Cubao station. 
Photo: Brad Peadon


009 leads another train into Araneta - Cubao Station. 
Photo: Brad Peadon


It takes a bit of patience, but if you wait long enough it is possible to get an LRT2 over an MRT3.
Araneta - Cubao Station 
Photo: Brad Peadon


Above and below.
035 and 036 at North Avenue station, the lines northernmost station at the time. 
Photos: Brad Peadon


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Monday, May 25, 2026

MRT3 DEPOT VISIT - 2011

 



Way back in the golden age of 2011—back when things were so much easier for people who like poking around and taking photos of trains—the Philippine Railway Historical Society got the dream invite: a guided tour of the MRT-3 depot up at North Avenue.
For me, this was a total first. Before then, getting access to take photos there was about as easy as finding an empty seat during rush hour—basically unheard of. It was honestly fascinating, though; this is still the only fully covered elevated railway depot in the whole Philippines, and back then it was a rare chance to see exactly how it all worked behind the scenes.
Our guide was the wonderful Lysa (last name sadly lost to the fog of time—my bad!), who walked us through every corner and very kindly let us snap away to our hearts’ content, preserving it all for posterity.
Fun fact: this was way before the arrival of the infamous Class 3100 trains from Dalian, China—you know, the ones that turned out to be such a spectacular “investment.” Fast forward a whole decade, and those trains are still mostly a mystery. I’ve only ever spotted one set actually running. Even Wikipedia confirms it: right now, only one set works properly, and it only comes out to play when it’s nice and quiet, off-peak. Truly the definition of “value for money.”
I might share the very rare sightings I’ve caught in future updates on the website… that is, assuming I can muster up enough enthusiasm to keep documenting things in an environment that feels just a little bit, shall we say, hostile to anyone with a camera and an interest in history.


A quick recap of the star of the show:
The MRT-3 is Metro Manila’s famous elevated railway, running the length of EDSA from North Avenue all the way down to Taft Avenue. Dreamed up back in the 90s to save us all from the legendary Manila traffic (ambitious, right?), construction kicked off in 1996 and it finally opened fully in 2000. It was built as a joint project between the government and private firms, with plenty of Japanese expertise and tech thrown into the mix.
Over time, it became one of the busiest rail lines in Southeast Asia, ferrying millions of commuters every single day. By the 2010s, though, years of being overworked and, let’s be honest, under-maintained really started to show. Thankfully, a major rehabilitation finished in 2021 gave it a full overhaul—new tracks, upgraded trains, better signals and stations—and miraculously, it actually works properly now. Progress!

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029 025 sitting over maintenance pits at the depot.
Photo: Brad Peadon


Above and four below.
006 and 011  elevated off their bogies for other maintenance.
Photos: Brad Peadon






017 elevated off it's bogies.
Photo: Brad Peadon


053 005 also sitting over maintenance pits at the depot.
Photo: Brad Peadon


Above and below.
Ms Lysa was are MRT3 guide on the day. We cannot thank her enough for her kindness and generosity.
Photo: Brad Peadon



Bogie off a MRT3 1G set.
Photo: Brad Peadon


MRT3 1G 004.
Photo: Brad Peadon




MRT3 1G 053.
Photo: Brad Peadon


MRT3 1G 031.
Photo: Brad Peadon


Above and below.
Class leader 001 sits in the depot.
Now renumbered 3001, she was noted operating at Kamuning during May 2026.
Photo: Brad Peadon



Above and below
MRT3 1G 005 makes a move around the depot.
Photo: Brad Peadon



Class leader MRT3 1G 001 again.
Photo: Brad Peadon


MRT3 1G 042.
Photo: Brad Peadon


And we finish up the first part of this story with MRT3 1G 060.
Photo: Brad Peadon

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Lysa from MRT3.
Brian Young for organising.
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