Celebrating 20 Great Years

Of The PRHS.

Another look at PNR's heavy haulers, the 900 class.
Both a beautiful looking locomotive, and an amazingly reliable one given the conditions they sometimes find themselves in.

919 thought to be the last operational locomotive to wear the 'Philippine 2000' livery.

My first visit to one of my favourite locations.
Tayuman Locomotive Shed.
921 and 916 still exist and are operational. The later was originally numbered 908.
904 would later carry the 908 number.

917 at the original Alabang station.
It was later replaced by a new station on the other side of the level crossing just visible in the background.
Ones asawa, and her cousin, are seen standing in the middle of the perway.

2017 .1

Over the next few months, I am going to catch up with images from all three Philippine trips in 2017.

I have been holding off as there was the prospect of a fourth visit before the new year, but this now seems quite unlikely.
To start off with we shall look at March, a short one week visit that saw us stay along EDSA in Mandaluyong, an extremely busy location (where in Manila isn't?), but paradise for the transport fan. Request the right room and you can drool over all the road and rail action 24/7.
Our choice of accommodation was the GO Hotel, a reasonably priced hotel that provides for little other than the bed, A/C and shower. No fridge is supplied, in fact, your not supposed to consume anything in your room. Quite a laughable rule in a country that has the biggest eaters in the world :-)
However, besides the abundance of transport (I guess that is not as appealing to others as it is for me), it is situated next to a Robinsons Mall (these are always run down but handy) and, on certain nights, a huge street food setup is 

right behind the hotel.
Totally recommended, though their online booking is the dog's bollocks and you will normally find yourself needing to ring.

Photos are in no particular order.

The Philippine Jeepney.
Smoke producing, traffic causing, gas guzzlers. Who could not love them?
Well, apparently lots don't and there appears to be a constant push to rid them from the streets.
It would be a sad day should they ever be successful.

Awaiting the next Alabang train at Pasay Road.

Pasay Road is a major station on the metro railway south to Alabang. Not only a passenger station but also the location of some railway offices. There were recent rumours of it being closed, but given the distance between the two nearest stations, it would seem unlikely.
U15C #922 is seen arriving with a morning service to Alabang. These big General Electric locomotives see the bulk of passenger work on the PNR, although railcars and smaller GE hauled trains do regularly see use.

U15C #917 and one of the train crew at the main terminal of Tutuban.
Thats one of the train crew on the loco and the main railways head office behind.

DMR-11 picked a fight with a Coke truck many years back. :-(

Now we warp backwards in time to when we sat at Sydney Airport awaiting our Cebu Pathetic flight to Manila. These weird, bug looking, double ended buses haul passengers around the airport.

Vietnam Airlines VN-A864 has been pushed out and will soon be taxiing 

down to the Bay Runway.

The latest version of the QANTAS livery is being towed to the terminal.
A few planes now carry this.

The MRT3, and it's Sydney Harbour Bridge like structure, make for some
great shots at Mandaluyong.
These were all taken quite early in the morning and the lighting was still quite difficult.

If your cup of tea is buses, then a day on EDSA should fill the biggest of SD card.
More metro and provincial operators/buses than you can poke a stick at.

In more recent years the Philippine Railway Historical Society has been branching out into other transport areas like buses. We have a growing group here should you be interested.

OPERATION ADOBO #6

A November 2011 Trip To Manila.

I know I have been slack with my blog posts again.
I've been busy with my Filipino shop since my recent return, along with a couple of new projects to build a PNR database and the long planned HO scale model railway based on Manila.
I have also been working hard to get a new PRHS service up and going to help modellers in the Philippines avail themselves of cheaper modelling options. This being by way of free freight to the Philippines through an occasional Balikbayan box. Obviously every peso counts for the locals, so why not give the chance to help with zero freight cost and the ability to buy second hand models for far less than brand new?

I am always looking for new ways to help my wonderful railfan friends in the Philippines and, along with local British ex-pat Phil Clark, am very proud of this new idea.

ANyway, enough rabbiting on with excuses, below is the first lot of shots from our recent trip.
Sadly the weather was a bit chronic at the start, but they do get better.

The railfan day certainly got off to a dark, gloomy and wet start.

It was a day to meet lots of new friends and catch up with many old ones.
Roberto, Mark, Rodney and Adrian I have know since the last trip, while Phil and Tessie (above), Brian and Michael (Philippine Railways Railfan Group) and many other new people also turned up on the day.

I consider myself extremely lucky to have so many great friends so far away. Many people are lucky to have one or two locally. You guys are all much cared about.

Wooohoo finally got to see one of PNRs new twin-level sleepers.
Great looking beasts and part of the new PNR lineup.
Also got to meet PNR boss Mr Ragragio, Mr Nierva (head of the Transportation division) and the lovely Ms Emma Papa. All do a wonderful job with the nations railways and all true examples of how wonderful Filipino people are.
Thank you so much guys - I miss you.

Heavy rains delayed trains at Pasay Road.

Another highlight, getting CMC-201 out on the tracks on perway duties.

CAR-2 on the Bicol Express. Last time I saw her was 2010 on the Bicol Commuter Train to Sipocot and Ligao.

Tayuman/Tutuban Photo Essay 2007 (Pt3)

*** Tayuman/Tutuban Photo Essay 2007 ***

Howdee,
OK, I have yet again been slack in my duties to update this forum, especially the long promised continuing on the 'Tutuban/Tayuman Photo Essay'.
Seems now days I am getting to the age where funerals are becoming more common than time spent on my beloved Philippine railways. Indeed, that awful work thing also seems to distract me from life's more important duties as well.
Well you need not fret no more my friends, because here is yet another installment in the series, with a fourth one to come soonish.

Enjoy

SOUTH END OF YARD

1- Tutuban station building and PNR headquarters
2- Shed of unknown use. Had carriages stored and was somewhat flooded in 2006
3- Large shed of unknown use. Its on railway land so was likely once used for rail freight purposes.
4- Rakes of stored freight wagons.
5- Squatters on PNR land.
6- Former turntable, now a rather large ands green swimming pool.
7- Station platforms
8- South end of carriage sheds.

Above is two views of 917 outside the Tayuman loco shed. We plan to cover the shed in more detail during future installments.

Something different to model.
The Tayuman yard GUARD GOAT protects a bogie from would be thieves
wishing to get some scrap money.