ALBAY TYPHOON TRAGEDY

Want to HELP the victims?
See our site here.

Our thoughts are with all the people of Albay suffering following, what I am told was' the second biggest typhoon in Philippine history.
The photos coming through are just so hard to fathom.

The following photos (Cagsawa Ruins and railway) were taken by Father Joseph Salando and shared via his Facebook page.

Railway shots below from San Francisco, Guinobatan. 

An unidentified boxcar sits deep in the lahar, with, what appears to be, a rail crane in the distance.

The following photo was sent to me by Dirk Paul Celoso (thanks mate) and shows the rare CMC-366 and MC-333 that were likely nearby the location above.

No doubt, the coming days will bring more and more terribly sad stories of this tragedy.

The one thing that is clear is that they need much help.

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BICOL EXPRESS TO RETURN....AGAIN!

  The Bicol Express has been an on again, off again, service for as long as I have been going to the Philippines.
  However, after a break of some years following an accident, the following article suggests that it is to again make a comeback.
  Heres hoping it lasts longer this time round.



Train ride to Bicol ‘bumpy’
By: Delfin T. Mallari Jr., Juan Escandor Jr., Maricar Cinco - 
@inquirerdotnetPhilippine Daily Inquirer / 12:24 AM November 19, 2016

NAGA CITY—It was not a smooth ride for the inspection run of the Philippine National Railways (PNR) train that would ply the Manila-Naga City route by Dec. 15.

The inspection train, made up of three coaches, left the Tutuban station in Manila at 5:15 a.m. on Friday, carrying PNR officials led by Joseline Geronimo, PNR officer in charge. The team had set out to reach Naga City in Camarines Sur province by nightfall Friday.

But it was a slow ride as informal settlers, wet market vendors, trees and sections of houses along the PNR track blocked the route in Laguna province.

Geronimo said the inspection was smooth until the train reached the Mamatid station in Cabuyao City, also in Laguna.

“After Mamatid, there were some interactions, encroachments by informal settlers [near the rail tracks],” Geronimo said.

The train had to stop at some point as PNR personnel remove debris, tree branches and trunks blocking the track or clear canopies of some houses.

In Calamba City, “talipapa” (village wet market) vendors were asked to move out for the train to pass through.

“We’ve fixed this issue (informal settlers) before but they just keep coming back. It’s one of the things we need to ask help from our local governments,” Geronimo said.

“Like in Candelaria (town in Quezon province), nakiraan pa kami (We had to ask permission to pass through). In Los Baños (town in Laguna), the coaches [hit the ground] in some elevated portions,” she said.

The train reached Lucena City at 11:30 a.m., stopping at the abandoned station. The PNR’s safety steel bar at the railroad crossing near the station and warning lights were broken.

As of 5 p.m. on Friday, the train was in Tagkawayan town in Quezon. It was expected to reach Ragay town in Camarines Sur at 6:30 p.m.

A portion of the railway bridge in Ragay that connects the villages of Apali and Apad is undergoing repairs, after it collapsed when a flash flood washed out one of its support foundations in March this year.

Geronimo said the inspection team would alight from the coaches in Ragay and transfer to another train to bring them to Naga City.

Ricarte Galopa, PNR security chief, said team members did not note any major safety issue along the route in Laguna and Quezon provinces.

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“After the test run, an assessment meeting will immediately follow to discuss some critical areas along the Manila-Bicol route, particularly the conditions of the bridges,” Geronimo said.

Geronimo said she would invite officials from local governments along the route to help the PNR solve local problems, particularly the clearing of houses along the tracks.

* THE BOSS GIVES AN ORDER *

President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo has given orders for train service between the Bicol region and Metro Manila is restored before her term ends in 2010, an official of the Philippine National Railway (PNR) said Wednesday.

Work has already commenced on this important project,but it is unclear whether or not this includes the Sorsogon extension or the Batangas branch.

John Currey Collection!

The view from the original Tutuban station looking towards Tayuman yard.

Legazpi passenger to the left.

22-02-1986

Photo: John Currey

John Currey Collection!

Here is a wonderful shot of shunting movements at Legaspi.
Look at the condition of the rollingstock, it is absolutely spotless.
An absolutely classic shot.

2518, Legaspi, Mon 24/2/86

John Currey Collection!

Howdee,
Recently my good friend John Currey sent me his collection of PNR photos taken in 1986. Most of them were taken during a trip on the train from the original Tutuban station down to Legaspi, only 3 days after the new deviation saw the line reopen following 8-10 years of closure.
In coming weeks we shall be featuring a selection of these shots, the first of which appears above.

2518 has just arrived from Manila and stands at Legaspi station. 23-2-1986
The 7E cars feature heavily in the photo collection. Today they are an almost extinct type.
From the box cars seen on the other platform and the carriages up at the triangle, Legaspi seemed to be quite a busy place back in 1986 following the lines reopening.\

Brad