Laguna Railways

MRR Images from US Achives 350-MR Collection

2008-05-14T17:28:00.001-07:00

Picture taken between km 169 and 184 showing new floodways during heavy rains ending July 1913.
Lake Paco September 1913.
Paco Station, November 28, 1915. Paco Station is one of oldest building constructed by the US government during the American colonial period.

US Sidetrip Sample Shots

2008-05-01T18:48:00.001-07:00

Newly delivered Dineyland Mark VII Monorail being tested last April 24, 2008. The yellow submarine below the train is Disneyland's newest attraction Finding Nemo.
Port of Los Angeles Waterfront Red Line Car.
The Metro at Transit Mall Station, Downtown Longbeach, California.
Night time Metro Rail photo snapshots
The MBTA Red Line about to stop at Andrews Station.

The MBTA Green Line 3640.

Mattapan-Ashmont High Speed Line about to stop at Central Avenue Station. Picture taking is no longer allowed according to the PCC driver.
The old PCC about to stop at Ashmont Station elevated station and loop.
The new elevated loop at Ashmont station. The line and the loop reopened last December 31, 2007.

MRR Caloocan Workshop

2008-03-28T05:05:00.000-07:00

MRR Caloocan Workshop, date unknown.

Hondagua Visit

2008-03-25T05:05:00.000-07:00

American period MRR building at Hondagua.
Hondagua Station.
PNR Engineering Department, Area V, Hondagua Division.
Old MRR gate at Hondagua.
Philippine Flour Mill, Hondagua, Lopez, Quezon.
Barangay Bagacay, Lopez, Quezon. Hondagua was once part of Barangay Bagacay.
An old MRR observation car.
More MRR stuff.
A Buda at Hondagua.

More pictures of Hondagua here.

Work on a Maundy Thursday

2008-03-19T19:40:00.000-07:00

A small group of Hanjin workers were seen working on a Maundy Thursday. Kudos to Project Manager Kim Il Hwan for making this possible and for rushing the rehabilitation of the Manila Belt Line in time for the 100th anniversary this coming March 25, 2008. Photo above shows the team working and already reached the curve near the South Super Highway.

Lake Paco No More!

2008-03-08T00:06:00.000-08:00

Hanjin workers started the rehabilitation of the rails beside the Paco Railroad Station last Tuesday March 4, 2008.

Photo above shows the fast progress of the rehabilitation work. The whole stretch above was done by the crew in only four days. The stagnant water was also drained by the same crew. Bye bye Lake Paco.

More crooked rails to be fixed by this small crew. The south bound rail is closed from 10 am to 4 pm. During this period, only the north bound rail is open for both north and south bound traffic.

MRR Medal Collection

2008-01-20T15:18:00.001-08:00

Laguna Railways will feature within the next few weeks MRR medals. The medal above is the Carlos Garcia Sorsogon Railroad Extension commemorative medal dated September 10, 1961. The plan was to build a railroad to Sorsogon. The railroad existed only as a law and commemoratives.

Megatren Transportmer

2008-01-07T04:42:00.001-08:00

Megatren Transportmer will attend the next Philippine Senate hearing on rail transport to tell the Senators to cancel all investigations about his cousin, NorthRail Transportmer. This is to fast track the completion of this line which is badly needed by the residents of Northern Philippines.

Cebu Train

2008-01-03T06:30:00.000-08:00

Cebu Railway is now history like the photo above but if the two congressmen and their constituents will have their way, a new Light Rail Transport System will be constructed along the eastern part of the island. House bill no. 310 was filed by Congressman Eduardo R. Gullas while House Bill no. 432 creating the the Cebu Light Rail Transport was filed by Congressman Raul V. Del Mar.

Intramuros Tram

2008-01-03T06:03:00.000-08:00

The Intramuros Administration already restored 90% of the walls around the old city. When will they bring back the trams like the one in the photo above?

The railways in Philippine history

2008-01-01T00:59:00.000-08:00

By Augusto V. de Viana, Ph.D
National Historical Institute

Most countries—rich and poor—take pride in their railways system. The train provides a fast, inexpensive and comfortable system of transportation. It helps reduce road traffic and contributes to cleaner air. Developed and developing nations have also found the railways to be a great national unifying force and a solvent for class divisions.

The Philippines is one of the rare countries that has not built a strong, reliable and modern railways system. Blame it on poor government planning, skewed priorities and the automotive-bus lobby. The service has deteriorated through the years, beginning in the sixties and seventies. Yet the first Philippine train service started in the Spanish colonial era, about 115 years ago, when Filipinos could travel from Manila to La Union, and back. Today, one is lucky to reach Malolos, Bulacan, by train.

We asked Dr. Augusto de Viana of the National Historical Institute to write this paean—and lament—to the national railways service to commemorate the launching of the first Luzon railways service on November 24, 1892.

ONE of Spain’s tangible legacies to the Philippines was the introduction of the railroad. Compared to the churches in the country, the first railroads in the Philippines were not initiated by the religious orders or the Spanish government but were funded by private capital.

Manila-Malabon line

The first railway was a short one, the Manila-Malabon railway. It was owned and operated by the Compaña de Tranvias under Jacobo Zobel Zangroniz. Consisting of four German-made locomotives and eight nine-passenger coaches, it was formally inaugurated on October 20, 1888.

The rail line served Malabon, which was already prosperous because of its cigar-making factories, bangus culture and a large sugar mill owned and managed by British businessmen. The end of the line was Tondo, then the country’s commercial capital. Its terminal was a simple two-story wooden structure with the first floor serving as waiting area. The Malabon end was located at the roadside under an acacia tree where the conductor sold tickets. The trains had three classes: first class, for 20 centavos; second class, 10 centavos, and third class, 5 centavos.

The colonial government decided to hop on the railway bandwagon as early as 1875 when Madrid sanctioned a project for the Philippines. A committee headed by Eduardo Lopez Navarro called for the building of three railway lines. The first was the Manila-Dagupan line which crossed the fertile central plain of Luzon through the Bulacan, Pampanga, Tarlac and Pangasinan. This could be extended far north to Laoag, Ilocos Norte.

Manila-Bicol line

The second was the Bicol line which was to pass through the southeastern coast of Laguna de Bay to the abaca and coconut-growing regions of Tayabas (Quezon province), the two Camarines provinces and Albay. The third line was the Manila-Batangas route which ended in the town of Taal. The three lines totaling 1,730 kilometers of track could be built by the Spanish government or by a Spanish-owned private company. Foreign companies could also participate in the projects.

Manila-Dagupan line

Of the three lines, the Manila-Dagupan route received the greatest attention. Invitations for tenders were drawn and advertised and the Spanish government offered a subsidy of $7,650. In 1885 a British consortium headed by George Noble Taylor successfully bid in Madrid. Called the Manila Railway Company, the British capitalists demanded a very high guaranteed interest clause considering the risks. They also demanded fiscal control in the management of the concession.

The Spanish government granted these demands. Under the agreement, the British company was to operate the line for 99 years beginning January 21, 1887. All the risks were to be borne by the Spanish government which would be certainly be passed on to the consumers. If the project turned out to be unprofitable, the British could back out.

Construction of the rail line began in December 1887. Building was done by Filipino laborers. The locomotives, coaches, freight cars and rails were manufactured in England. By March 24, 1891, the first length of track covering 43.8 kilometers was completed followed by the completion of an additional 40 kilometers. On February 19, 1892, a section of track from Bagbag, Bulacan, to Mabalacat, Pampanga, totaling 186.7 kilometers was finished. By June 1892 the tracks reached Tarlac.

Problems dogged the project. There were changes to be made in the structural designs and frequent floods washed away embankments. Numerous compensation claims from the landowners had to be settled. A particularly difficult section was the construction of the Calumpit Bridge. This delayed the project for about 18 months. The turbulent river during the rainy season made crossing almost impossible. According to popular lore, the English engineers had to defer to their Filipino laborers who wanted to perform rites to appease the local spirits and to hasten construction. The bridge with its piers remain standing today.

Corruption in 1892

The worst delays however were caused by the colonial officials who had to be paid off with bribes. Some officials, even those in Madrid, had to be greased with shares in the company. Gov. Eulogio Despujol went to Tarlac and scolded his officials for their dilatory tactics. With the officials whipped into line, the last section of the railway from Tarlac to Dagupan finally opened. The line became operational in November 1892.

The Manila-Dagupan line cost P7,899,000. This was more than double the original estimate of P3 million. It was also the largest single infrastructure project in the country during the Spanish period. It had 29 stations and 16 bridges. A short spur line was built to connect the Tutuban terminal to the quay at Binondo along the Pasig River. This line was used to export goods overseas or to bring in foreign products for the Filipinos.

The rail line reduced travel time from Manila to Central Luzon. Though it took eight hours to travel from Manila to Dagupan, travel to Pangasinan took longer as the province had to reached by boat via the Lingayen Gulf or through the camino real through the Central Plains. Among the early beneficiaries of the Manila-Dagupan railway was Jose Rizal who took the train to see Leonor Rivera in Tarlac.

More goods could be ferried from the provinces to Manila or vice versa. The railway opened new areas for development. Isolated areas in the interiors of Pangasinan and Tarlac were developed. The railway also hired hundreds of laborers, blacksmiths, conductors and engineers. A more far-reaching effect was the increased migration of rural folk to Manila. It broke down regional barriers caused by cultural isolation and natural obstacles.

As a business enterprise, the Manila-Dagupan railway was not very profitable. Inflation during the last decades of Spanish rule and rigidity of tariff regulations stifled its growth. This was also the reason why the other rail projects were not pursued. During the second phase of the Philippine Revolution, regular commercial operations of the trains were threatened. Parts of the railroad were destroyed during the Filipino-American War. The state of the Manila Railroad Company however started to improve with the coming of the Americans.

The American period

In 1917 the American colonial administration took ownership of the railroad from its British owners by nationalizing the entire network. Additional lines were added, including the Manila-Legazpi line. New lines started serving Nueva Ecija, Cavite, Rizal and Batangas. The original Manila-Dagupan line was extended up to San Fernando, La Union, where Baguio-bound passengers could take the bus to the summer capital. Later, this line was extended up to Bacnotan, La Union. There were plans during the American period to build a railway line up to Baguio itself and the terminal would be where the old Benguet Auto Line used to be. Rail lines were also built in Cebu and Panay.

Period of deterioration

Now government-owned, the Manila Railroad Company was renamed the Philippine National Railways in 1964. Though it enjoyed a measure of popularity, from the time of President Ramon Magsaysay to the government of Ferdinand Marcos, ridership started to decline. The causes were competition from bus lines, the auto lobby and inefficiency of the company itself. Squatters started building shanties along the railroad tracks. This led to accidents, unsafe train travel and pollution on the rails.

La Union line abandoned

By the mid-1980s the Manila-La Union Line was abandoned. What are left today are the abandoned tracks, bridges and stations which were taken over by the squatters. Access and the right-of-way were taken over by interlopers. Organized professional squatters grabbed large tracts of land. The politicians encouraged squatting for votes. Service to Legazpi was interrupted by the eruption of Mayon Volcano. The rail service has not been restored.

Today the country’s railway service is a sorry shadow of its old self. The railways of Cebu and Panay are long gone. The challenge to the government or the private sector is how to restore the railway service which has always been the workhorse of all modern and developing countries all over the world.

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

2007-12-21T04:59:00.000-08:00

Cabuyao Extension Railway Overpass Now Being Demolished!

2007-12-04T03:40:00.000-08:00

Cabuyao Extension Railway overpass bridge along South Expressway is currently being demolished. Another Phlippine railway heritage that will be gone forever. This photo taken last July shows a still intact Cabuyao Extension railway overpass.

Escolta Tram Images

2007-12-02T04:12:00.000-08:00

Escolta Tram and Clarkes Ice Cream House, Calle Escolta corner Calle Rosario, Manila, Philippines.

PNR Inspection Car

2007-11-28T06:56:00.001-08:00

PNR Inspection Car, Los Banos, Laguna. October 2007. Photo courtesy of Cealwyn Tagle.

Paco Station - Then and Now

2007-11-28T06:05:00.000-08:00

Paco Station, 1924.

Paco Station, November, 2007.

Paco Station and PNR 909. November 2007.

The last passenger train to Bicol left several years ago.

PNR 909

2007-11-26T06:53:00.001-08:00

PNR 909, Paco Station, November 2007.

Ugly Marikina Train

2007-11-26T06:22:00.000-08:00

Horror Train, Marikina Riverbanks, November, 2007. Undocumented Diesel Train.

Northern Negros Logging Circa 1924

2007-11-23T05:53:00.000-08:00

Northern Negros Circa 1924. Click on image for larger view.

Tutuban Station Circa 1924

2007-11-23T05:35:00.000-08:00

Tutuban Station Circa 1924. Click on image for larger view.

Meralco Tram 520

2007-11-22T04:57:00.001-08:00

Meralco Tram 520 at MMLDC, Sumulong Highway, Antipolo City, Philippines.

Malabon Steam Tram

2007-11-17T05:57:00.000-08:00

Hinulugang Taktak MRR Train Station

2007-11-17T03:04:00.000-08:00

Antipolo extension.-(40 kilometers.) The first section of this line was opened to public traffic from the Manila station to Pasig, 16 kilometers, on December 22, 1905. The second section, from Pasig to Rosario Junction and thence to Taytay, at 25 kilometers, was opened February 22, 1906, and the third section, from Rosario Junction up the left bank of the Mariquina River to Mariquina, a distance of 4.5 kilometers, was opened March 17, 1906. On this line there are 5 steel bridges, 5 pile bridges, and 39 cement and masonry culverts. The San Juan River is crossed by a steel bridge of four 66-foot spans in concrete cylinder foundations, and the Mariquina River is crossed by a similarly constructed bridge but consisting of five 100-foot spans. A ferry has been constructed between Fort McKinley station and the military wharf on the other side of the Pasig for the transportation of quartermaster wagons and military supplies. A request has been made for the construction of a rack railroad of the " strub system," not to exceed 2 kilometers in total length, on the last section of 7 kilometers to Antipolo. This type of construction was deemed the best method of securing ascent of the difficult hills in the climb to Antipolo. This matter is still pending. On May 15, the company was granted an extension of time from May 23, 1906,until December 31, 1906, for the completion of the whole line. The number of passengers carried on this line during the first half of 1906 was 258,612, or more than a third of the number carried upon the main line for the same period. The line is to be double tracked up to the Santa Mesa station and a spur line of 3 kilometers will be constructed to and across the Pasig River for connection with the proposed lines through the southern provinces.

Source:
Title: Annual report of the Directory of Lands. [1905]
Author: Philippines. Bureau of Lands.
page 188

Hinulugang Taktak Train Station posts currently being preserved inside Hinulugang Taktak National Park.

The Taytay to Antipolo line was abandoned on February 21, 1918 (Act No. 2748)

Tranvias de Filipinas Pictures

2007-11-16T03:56:00.000-08:00

Compañia de los Tranvias de Filipinas, was converted to a steam-operated street railway system in 1887 and served the commuting public starting 1888. The steam-powered tramway lines were later replaced by an electric railway system operated by Manila Electric Rail and Light Company in 1905. (source)

Manila Railroad Company Logos

2007-11-10T05:00:00.000-08:00