PNR South Long Haul

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PNR South Long Haul project
PNR South Long Haul Map.png
The South Long Haul project map as of April 2021. This does not include some minor stations such as Banlic or Ibaan.
Overview
StatusApproved
OwnerDepartment of Transportation
LocaleSouth Luzon
TerminiSucat
Stations35
Service
TypeInter-city rail
SystemLuzon Rail System
Services3
Operator(s)Philippine National Railways
Depot(s)San Pablo, Tagkawayan and Daraga
Rolling stockDiesel multiple units
HXN diesel locomotives
Daily ridership100,000
History
Opened1916 (PNR South Main Line)
Closed2014
Reopened2022
Technical
Line length639 km (397 mi)[a]
Track length639 km (397 mi)[a]
Number of tracksSingle-track[b]
CharacterGrade-separated[c]
Track gauge1,435 mm (4 ft 8+1⁄2 in) standard gauge
1,067 mm (3 ft 6 in) narrow gauge[d]
Minimum radius400 m (1,300 ft) (critical)
1,200 m (3,900 ft) (standard)
ElectrificationNone
Operating speed160 km/h (99 mph)[e]
SignallingETCS Level 1
Highest elevation110 m (360 ft)
Maximum incline20‰
Average inter-station distance17.24 km (10.71 mi)
Route map

Legend
 To Tutuban  NSCR 
Sucat
 NSCR 
Other NSCR stations
Metro Manila
Calabarzon
 Other NSCR stations
Mamatid  NSCR 
Banlic
Banlic Railyard  NSCR 
To Calamba  NSCR 
San Cristobal River
San Juan River
Los Baños
Bay viaduct
Batangas branch
San Pablo
San Pablo Railyard
Iyam River
Lucena
Dumacaa River
Agdangan
Gumaca
Sumulong River
Tagkawayan
Tagkawayan Railyard
Calabarzon
Bicol Region
 Sabang River
Lohong River
Libmanan River (Lupi crossing)
Sipocot
Libmanan
Libmanan River (Libmanan crossing)
Bicol River
Naga
Pawili River
Pili
Waras River
Iriga
Antipolo/Libis River
Agos River
Polangui
Tobgon River
Ligao
Cabilogan River
Daraga
Daraga Railyard
Legazpi branch
Legazpi
This diagram:
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The PNR South Long Haul Project or PNR Bicol is an upcoming inter-city rail line in southern Luzon, Philippines.[1] It is part of the larger Luzon Rail System,[2] a network of long-distance standard-gauge lines being built by the Philippine National Railways throughout Luzon. It is one of the two lines that will reconstruct the historic PNR South Main Line, along with the electrified North–South Commuter Railway South section to Calamba, Laguna.

The line will initially begin at Banlic station in Calamba, Laguna and terminate at Daraga, Albay. There will also be additional extensions, infill stations, and branch lines. The masterplan line shall connect passengers from Sucat station in Muntinlupa to either the Batangas International Port, Legazpi, Albay, or Matnog, Sorsogon. Freight trains will also serve the line and there will be an eventual extension of the line to the Port of Manila.

The project is estimated to cost ₱175 billion (US$3.45 billion) and financing for the line will be supported by Chinese official development assistance. Construction for the line has been delayed for various reasons, with the latest expected start of construction being in March of 2022. The line will be partially operable by second quarter of 2022, and will be fully opened by 2025.[3]

History[]

Background[]

Main article: PNR South Main Line
The Manila Railroad celebrated the first Manila–Legazpi Bicol Express on May 8, 1938.

The South Main Line was first proposed in 1875 as part of the plan for the Luzon railway network.[4] The line was first opened as the Main Line South in 1916 and its first named service was the Lucena Express to Lucena, Quezon.[5][6] The Bicol Express opened three years later in 1919.[citation needed] Several more segments were constructed into Quezon province and the Bicol Region, including a new line called the Legazpi Division. The two sections were then connected by a train ferry.[7] On May 8, 1938, the two sections were officially linked with President Manuel L. Quezon hammering the golden spike at Del Gallego, Camarines Sur.

During its peak in 1941, the line also had branches in Batangas as the Batangas City line and eastern Laguna province as the Pagsanjan line. The line was also known to carry mixed trains as late as 1968, when PNR operated a short-lived refrigerated car service carrying produce with the 1968 eruption of the Mayon Volcano being the cause of its cancellation.[8] According to the PNR, post-war services peaked between the late 1960s and the early 1970s, and the South Main Line enjoyed a daily ridership of 7,560 passengers being carried by 36 passenger railcars.[5]

Ridership eventually declined as buses were the favored transit mode out of Metro Manila. The new Maharlika Highway system was being built around the country starting in the 1970s which accelerated the demise of rail travel. Its northern counterpart was closed in 1988, and the South Main Line continued to operate as the sole inter-city rail line in the Philippines. After a derailment in Padre Burgos, Quezon in 2004 made the Philippine National Railways to cancel all intercity services until 2011,[9] when both the Bicol Express to Legazpi and the Isarog Limited to Naga returned to service. The services were short-lived and were terminated again the following year after a derailment in nearby Sariaya, and services were intermittent since then.[10] The Aquino administration purchased rail ties to rehabilitate the rails in the area of Hondagua station in 2015 as part of the first South Main Line rebuild, but the ties were left to rot on the yards of a train station in Muntinlupa by 2019.[11]

During the Enhanced community quarantine in Luzon, the South Main Line was used to carry so-called locally-stranded individuals or people stranded outside their hometown during the lockdowns. They were sent home on express trains to the Bicol Region under the Balik Probinsya, Bagong Pag-asa (lit. Return to the Country Side, New Hope) program.

Development[]

The first mention of an extension of the South Main Line to Sorsogon province in contemporary times was in 1996 when the Japan International Cooperation Agency mentioned an extension of the line to Matnog.[12]

By 2015, a proposal was presented to PNR and will be built as-is. The narrow gauge line would have had a maximum speed of 75 km/h (47 mph) and was eventually rejected.[13] In 2017, another proposal was presented as a standard-gauge line and was promoted by president Rodrigo Duterte. The new standard-gauge line was announced in 2018 and would have had a maximum speed of 120 km/h (75 mph).[14] In 2019, the line is announced to have a maximum speed of 160 km/h (99 mph) and the new Bicol Express train will have an average speed of 107 km/h (66 mph). The line was initially set to fully open by 2026.[15]

In December 2019, PNR ordered 3 diesel multiple unit trainsets from CRRC Zhuzhou Locomotive, expandable to 21.[16] The order was cancelled in February 2021 due to the latter's failure to submit post-bid documents.[17]

Construction[]

Construction is yet to begin on the system. On March 3, 2021, AECOM Philippines requested the local governments that occupy the project's right-of-way to provide information for their environmental impact assessment which will be conducted between March and June 2021.[18] On April 21, the Presidential Commission for the Urban Poor-Luzon along with the Department of Transportation and local governments held a conference regarding the identification of affected private property and resettlement of households whose houses are located on the right-of-way of the line.[19] On May 7, the Philippine Railways Institute published the latest map for the project that was initially approved by the Department of Transportation on March 31. This changed the separation point of the Batangas branch line from Tiaong, Quezon to somewhere between Calauan and Bay, Laguna.[20]

According to a May 22 update by Motoring Today, a partial operations section between San Pablo, Laguna and Pagbilao, Quezon has been announced.[21] The area shall open by June 2022, the same time the Duterte administration ends.[22]

Phases[]

Construction will be divided into five phases and construction on the first phase will start by 2021:

  • Phase 1 is the reconstruction of the bulk of the old South Main Line. It will be between Banlic in Calamba, Laguna and Daraga in Daraga, Albay. It will have 23 stations and the total line length will be between 380.4 km (236.4 mi) to 414.3 km (257.4 mi), depending on the source. The line's main railyard and maintenance depot will be located near San Pablo station in Laguna,[23] while according to ArcGIS, smaller railyards will be built in Tagkawayan and Daraga. Construction is expected by May 2021 and completion is set by the second quarter of 2022.[24]
  • Phase 2 will be the expansion of Phase 1 to Legazpi, Albay and Matnog, Sorsogon. Legazpi station will be served by a dedicated branch line from the new Daraga station located outside the town center, while the new main line will have 5 stations ending in Matnog. The combined length of the lines will be 117 kilometers (73 miles).[25]
  • Phase 3 will be the reconstruction of the Batangas branch which was deactivated before 1986.[26] A new right of way will be used since the old line was planned for the NSCR South Phase 2 to Batangas City.[27] As of June 4, 2021, the branch will separate from the mainline at San Pablo station, where the line will become double-track until the branch leads to the direction of Batangas.[28] It will pass through Lipa City and the towns of Rosario and Ibaan before terminating at the Batangas International Port with at least 5 stations and a length of 44.8 kilometers (27.8 miles).
  • Phase 4 will be from Sucat to Banlic. There will be no intermediate stations and will have a total length of 38 kilometers (24 miles). This will also see the construction of Bucal infill station in Calamba.
  • A future reconstruction of the PNR Metro Commuter Line's South section between Tutuban and Sucat will happen after the construction of the NSCR South. It will have a total length of 25 kilometers (16 miles). Although passenger services shall terminate at Sucat, freight services shall be extended to Tutuban. This is particularly due to the planned freight services between the Port of Manila and the Batangas International Port to be served by the Batangas branch line.[29]
  • An extension to Daet, Camarines Norte is also considered. Trains will travel southeast towards the direction of Matnog.[29] Its length is yet to be determined since it is not part of the present South Long haul proposal.

The completed line will be around 639 kilometers (397 miles) long including the Tutuban–Sucat reconstruction of the Metro Commuter Line but not the Daet branch line.

Services[]

The first proposal in 2018 mentioned that the South Long Haul would have four types of services: a limited express service to be known as the Bicol Express, a regional express service between Quezon and the Bicol Region, regular commuter services, and freight services.[15] This also coincided with an announcement that PNR's ex-JNR stock will be transferred to the Bicol Region after all its existing trainsets have been refurbished, leaving only INKA and Rotem stock on the PNR Metro Commuter Line.[30] This has since been revised, though details were not published until June 30, 2021 when China Railway Design Corporation made its Basic Design Report public.[31]

Passenger services[]

The 2021 CRDC report further detailed the kind of services that will be used on the line including its frequencies and termini. It is expected by 2022 that there will be 9 trains per day, increasing to 12 by 2025, 18 by 2030 and 25 by 2040. Passenger trains shall operate between 5:00 AM and 12:00 midnight Philippine Standard Time, and the last trains of the day are expected to depart from their termini by 6 PM. The following are the categories of passenger services allotted for the line:[31]

  • Express trains — The sixth Bicol Express [f] will be the flagship service on the line. It initially starts at Banlic and stops at very few stations, being San Pablo, Lucena, Naga and Daraga. Once the system is complete, the service will begin at Sucat and will add in Sorsogon City and . However, Banlic will be closed and only local trains will stop there.
    • A proposed Quezon–Bicol Regional Express was mentioned in the 2018 report that would have made the Bicol Express a limited express service.[15] However, this was removed from the 2021 Basic Design Report.
  • Local trains — There will be regional rail services that will stop at all stations along the line. It will be subdivided into two types:
    • Long-distance trains — For Phase 1, these services will be end-to-end from Banlic to Daraga. By Phase 2 [sic], which CRDC defines to the completion of Phases 2 to 4 by 2030, there will be long-distance services from Sucat to Daraga and Matnog.
    • Short-distance trains — For Phase 1, there will be a service from Banlic to Lucena, replacing the now-defunct service between Tutuban and Lucena in the 1970s. Once the system has been finished, there will be services from Sucat to Lucena and to Batangas City.

Freight services[]

The new South Main Line aims to connect major seaport cities in southern Luzon,[32] and freight trains are also expected to serve the new South Main Line.[33] It will have a maximum speed of 100 km/h (62 mph).[15] Three known freight services have been identified:

  1. A service from the Manila International Container Terminal to a facility owned by International Container Terminal Services (ICTSI) in Calamba, Laguna was originally proposed in 2016 by both ICTSI and Meralco subsidiary MRail, which also supervised the maintenance of the PNR 900 class. The proposed service also hoped for the operation of 180 freight cars and six locomotives. Negotiations between PNR and the two private operators as late as 2019 but no plans have been implemented as of 2021.[34]
  2. A service to and from the Batangas International Port will also be included as part of the proposal. Originally proposed to decongest the highways leading to Manila, it has been confirmed that the PNR will reintroduce freight services on the branch line by February 2021.[29] The PNR is conducting cost reassessment with the National Economic and Development Authority, environmental impact studies and land surveys as of March 2021.[24][32]
  3. A service between San Pablo and Daraga has also been allotted for Phase 1. Due to a relatively low amount of traffic in the area, such services on the line will be initially restricted to one freight train per day and to be eventually increased. Once the line achieves its designed passenger capacity in the long-term, freight trains shall only be allowed to travel during the nighttime.[31]

Design[]

The new South Main Line will be generally built at-grade as with the defunct but still extant Manila–Legazpi line. Unlike the old line however, there will be no level crossings in favor of full grade-separation with 397 of such interchanges between Alabang and Legazpi stations will be eliminated as a result. For Phase 1 alone, 652 crossing points have been identified and all of these will either be bridges or underpasses. Bridges and viaducts comprise a total length of 51.3 km (31.9 mi) or 12.94% of the proposed right-of-way. Embankments will take a majority of the right-of-way of up to 332 km (206 mi), except where cuttings will be constructed or along stations.[31]

The right-of-way is 30–40 meters (98–131 feet) wide, which would allow for double-tracking as well as future catenaries on embankment zones.[31]

The line shall be equipped with the European Rail Traffic Management System and ETCS Level 1 will be adopted on the line. Additionally, there will be two different rail types on the South Long Haul with 60 kilograms per meter (40 pounds per foot) rails for the mainline and 50 kilograms per meter (34 pounds per foot) rails for the passing sidings.[28]

Rolling stock[]

See also: List of Philippine National Railways rolling stock § Future

Passenger stock[]

A scale model of the 3-car design for express train services.

As of June 2021, CRRC will provide two classes of diesel multiple units for the passenger services. One will be a 3-car trainset while the other will be an 8-car trainset. A total of 81 railcars are expected to be ordered for the line's full operations by 2025. Both the 3-car and 8-car designs are capable of reaching 160 km/h (99 mph).[31]

The three-car trainset design is planned to be used for the upcoming Bicol Express service. It was once again submitted for bidding by CRRC Zhuzhou Locomotive on June 11, 2021. This happened five months after the PNR cancelled this order due to lack of post-bidding documents.[35] Three trainsets will be ordered for a total of 9 railcars, down from 21 trainsets or 63 railcars.[36] These trainsets can accommodate 168 passengers each, and would feature a class arrangement similar to China Railway and the Railjet service of Austria; 36 seats for business class, 50 for first class, and 80 for second class.

Meanwhile, the use of an eight-car trainset was announced by the PNR through a press conference with Legazpi City mayor Noel Rosal on March 5, 2021.[28] This happened after the cancellation of the 3-car trainsets in January.[17] Sixty-four railcars were initially set for order, to be arranged into 8 trainsets.[24]

By June 30, CRDC made its basic design report public and specified that the 8-car trainsets will be used for both long and short-distance local train services. The trainsets will be arranged in a Tc–M–M–T–T–M–M–Tc layout and will have a seating capacity of 650 passengers. In the same report, CRDC increased the allotted passenger trainsets for the line to 9 trainsets or 72 railcars. However, only 7 trainsets will be active while the remaining two will be kept in San Pablo for maintenance or for emergencies. For reference, the report used an image of the MŽ series 711, based on the MŽ series 411 electric multiple units. These trainsets were also built by CRRC Zhuzhou Locomotive for the North Macedonian Railways.[31]

Freight stock[]

China Railway's HXN series diesel locomotives has been proposed for the line's freight services according to the June 2021 report. An image of the FXN3C Fuxing locomotive was used for reference. It is a dual-ended cab forward design based on the China Railway HXN3, although the actual units may vary. Four units will be ordered with 3 units in active service while one will be stored for maintenance or emergency use. The maximum design speed for these locomotives would be at 120 km/h (75 mph). Accompanying them are 43 freight cars which will be either boxcars or flatcars. 36 units will be active while 7 units will be stored for the same purposes as the locomotives. Two internal combustion shunting machines were also allotted, and are distinct from switcher locomotives. Both units are expected to be in active service.[31]

Types[]

Rolling stock types[31]
Local train Express train Freight train
Name TBD TBD HXN locomotive P7D boxcar NX7D flatcar
Year 2022–25 TBD
Manufacturer CRRC CRRC Zhuzhou Locomotive CRRC
Units to be built 72 cars 9 cars 4 locomotives 43 cars total
Cars per train 8 3 Not applicable 12 to 36
Length 202 m (663 ft) TBD 23 m (75 ft 6 in) 17.07 m (56 ft 0 in) 13.93 m (45 ft 8 in)
Width 3.3 m (10 ft 10 in) 3.18 m (10 ft 5 in)
Height 4.2 m (13 ft 9 in) TBD
Empty weight TBD 150 t (330,000 lb) 24.6 t (54,000 lb) 23.8 t (52,000 lb)
Capacity 650 passengers 168 passengers:
 2 drivers 70 t (150,000 lb) 70 t (150,000 lb), or
Two 20 ft. or one 40 ft. container
Doors TBD 4 4 2 Not applicable
Traction power Diesel-electric Unpowered
Power output Four 735 kW (986 hp) TBD 3,500 kW (4,700 hp) Unpowered
Coupling Type H Tightlock
Top speed 160 km/h (99 mph) 120 km/h (75 mph) 100 km/h (62 mph)
Status To be ordered Ongoing second round bidding To be ordered

Electrification[]

The line shall be initially built for diesel trains, though allowances have been made for electrification as of June 2021.[28] Documents published in 2018 also stated a specialized structure gauge of 5.7 by 3.8 meters (18 feet 8 inches by 12 feet 6 inches) will be used for tunnels and overpasses. This shall allow the placement of overhead lines.[15] There were also much earlier plans in 2014 to electrify the proposed Batangas branch line once the North–South Commuter Railway's southward extension (NSCR South Phase 2) has been approved.[37] However, a later document stated that the NSCR South and South Long Haul will not share the same tracks. The existing Metro South Commuter right-of-way shall be rebuilt for the NSCR and the South Long Haul tracks will be built up to 10 meters (33 feet) off the present main line.[38]

The electrification system is yet to be determined. This is due to the differences between Chinese (25 kV AC) and Japanese (1.5 kV DC) standards, the latter being adopted on the NSCR.

High-speed capability[]

According to a 2015 Japan International Cooperation Agency study, the demand for intercity rail is expected to only reach 25,000 one-way trips per day by 2039. This is only a fraction of the 700,000 one-way trips per day for the North–South Commuter Railway by the same target year. This means that there is not enough passenger traffic in the area to justify the construction of an electrified line in the level of the NSCR, let alone high-speed rail in the near-future.[39]

However, the South Long Haul project shall be constructed to make the PNR competitive against air travel and proposed South Luzon Expressway extensions that lead to the Bicol Region. Trains will travel at a maximum speed of 160 kilometers per hour (99 mph), comparable to higher-speed rail or semi-high-speed rail in other countries.[40] In 2019, DOTr Undersecretary for Railways Timothy John Batan stated that projects such as the South Long Haul were developed with eventual HSR construction in mind.[41]

Station layout[]

Most stations in the South Long Haul project will be built at-grade. Based on publicly available information regarding Phase 1 however, three stations will be built elevated: Banlic, and Lucena. Bucal station will be built over two roads while Lucena station will be built at its current location near its Poblacion. Some parts of Banlic station and its northward extension to Sucat under Phase 4 will be built over private property, which is caused by the present Metro Commuter right-of way being superseded by the NSCR South.[42] Some stations were also relocated to avoid downtown areas. The new Naga station for example was built 1.77 km (1.10 mi) southeast of it old location in Barangay Tabuco both to avoid causing traffic in its city center and to loosen its railway curvature.

Some will also feature island platforms, particularly on major stations such as San Pablo. Other mostly smaller stations will use side platforms. Additionally, smaller stations between Los Baños and Naga will have two passing sidings, one for each platform. This will allow express trains to pass by the middle mainline track. Each platform will be 200 m (660 ft) long for the 8-car trainsets, expandable to 250 m (820 ft) which is akin to the Metro Manila Subway's eventual platform extension.[28]

Maintenance facilities[]

There are five maintenance facilities for the system. The following are:[24][28]

  1. San Pablo rolling stock depot — It will be the primary rolling stock depot for the system. Aside from storing passenger multiple units and freight locomotives, it will also store maintenance-of-way equipment such as ballast regulators, inspection cars, railgrinders and tamping machines. The station will also host the system's sole heavy maintenance facility being located at the junction of the South Main Line and the Batangas branch.
  2. Daraga rolling stock servicing workshop — Located on the junction point of the Legazpi branch and the South Main Line, it will be the larger of the two medium-maintenance bases. Some maintenance-of-way equipment may be stored here.
  3. Tagkawayan maintenance work area and rescue base — It will be the smaller of two medium maintenance bases.
  4. Agdangan facility — It will be one of two light maintenance bases, which will only store track materials and not rolling stock.
  5. Naga facility — Located beside the new Naga station, it will be the second of two light maintenance bases.

Interchanges[]

As of 2021, the only confirmed rail-to-rail interchanges are Sucat and Banlic. Both of these stations will connect with the North–South Commuter Railway.[28]

Additionally, DZGB-AM Legazpi journalist Al Armario reported that there will be a connection from Daraga station to a so-called "Legazpi Tram".[43]

Route[]

Main Line and Legazpi branch[]

The following are the stations of the new South Main Line.[28] Trains bound for (initially) Banlic station will travel on the top lanes on the station layout diagrams below, while trains bound for (initially) Daraga station will travel on the bottom lanes. This is because trains in the Philippines travel on the right-hand side on multiple-track areas along stations.

Main Line
Station Coordinates Town/City Province Character Tracks Station Layout Transfers Services
Local Express
BAN–LEG BAN–LC
Sucat[g] 14°26′58″N 121°03′06″E / 14.44944°N 121.05167°E / 14.44944; 121.05167 Muntinlupa Metro Manila TBD TBD TBD  NSCR  ● ● ●[h]
Banlic 14°13′26″N 121°08′56″E / 14.22389°N 121.14889°E / 14.22389; 121.14889 Calamba Laguna Elevated 4
Layout
  NSCR  ● ● ●[i]
[g] 14°11′17″N 121°10′08″E / 14.18806°N 121.16889°E / 14.18806; 121.16889 Calamba Laguna Elevated 3
Layout
 None ● ● ｜
Los Baños 14°09′56″N 121°15′21″E / 14.16556°N 121.25583°E / 14.16556; 121.25583 Los Baños Laguna At-grade 3
Layout
 ● ● ｜
San Pablo 14°02′53″N 121°18′33″E / 14.04806°N 121.30917°E / 14.04806; 121.30917 San Pablo 5–6
Layout
 ● ● ●
13°55′27″N 121°26′22″E / 13.92417°N 121.43944°E / 13.92417; 121.43944 Candelaria Quezon 3
Layout
 ● ● ｜
Lucena 13°55′36″N 121°36′53″E / 13.92667°N 121.61472°E / 13.92667; 121.61472 Lucena Elevated 4
Layout
 ● ● ●
13°57′20″N 121°40′57″E / 13.95556°N 121.68250°E / 13.95556; 121.68250 Pagbilao At-grade 2
Layout
 ● ｜ ｜
Agdangan 13°52′35″N 121°55′04″E / 13.87639°N 121.91778°E / 13.87639; 121.91778 Agdangan 3
Layout
 ● ｜ ｜
Gumaca 13°54′15″N 122°05′16″E / 13.90417°N 122.08778°E / 13.90417; 122.08778 Gumaca 3
Layout
 ● ｜ ｜
13°53′23″N 122°15′12″E / 13.88972°N 122.25333°E / 13.88972; 122.25333 Lopez 3
Layout
 ● ｜ ｜
13°57′14″N 122°18′08″E / 13.95389°N 122.30222°E / 13.95389; 122.30222 Calauag 3
Layout
 ● ｜ ｜
Tagkawayan 13°58′03″N 122°31′36″E / 13.96750°N 122.52667°E / 13.96750; 122.52667 Tagkawayan 3
Layout
 ● ｜ ｜
13°48′58″N 122°45′41″E / 13.81611°N 122.76139°E / 13.81611; 122.76139 Ragay Camarines Sur 2
Layout
 ● ｜ ｜
13°46′19″N 122°51′32″E / 13.77194°N 122.85889°E / 13.77194; 122.85889 Lupi 3
Layout
 ● ｜ ｜
Sipocot 13°45′44″N 122°58′40″E / 13.76222°N 122.97778°E / 13.76222; 122.97778 Sipocot 3
Layout
 ● ｜ ｜
Libmanan 13°42′04″N 123°03′09″E / 13.70111°N 123.05250°E / 13.70111; 123.05250 Libmanan 2
Layout
 ● ｜ ｜
Naga 13°36′27″N 123°11′49″E / 13.60750°N 123.19694°E / 13.60750; 123.19694 Naga 4–5
Layout
 ● ｜ ●
Pili 13°33′45″N 123°15′57″E / 13.56250°N 123.26583°E / 13.56250; 123.26583 Pili 2
Layout
 ● ｜ ｜
Iriga 13°24′14″N 123°23′55″E / 13.40389°N 123.39861°E / 13.40389; 123.39861 Iriga 3
Layout
 ● ｜ ｜
Polangui 13°17′07″N 123°29′34″E / 13.28528°N 123.49278°E / 13.28528; 123.49278 Polangui Albay 2
Layout
 ● ｜ ｜
Ligao 13°14′32″N 123°32′42″E / 13.24222°N 123.54500°E / 13.24222; 123.54500 Ligao 3
Layout
 ● ｜ ｜
13°09′55″N 123°35′54″E / 13.16528°N 123.59833°E / 13.16528; 123.59833 Guinobatan 2
Layout
 ● ｜ ｜
Daraga 13°07′45″N 123°40′41″E / 13.12917°N 123.67806°E / 13.12917; 123.67806 Daraga 4
Layout
 "Legazpi Tram"[43] ● ｜ ●
[j] TBD Castilla Sorsogon At-grade TBD TBD None ● ｜ ｜
[j] Sorsogon City ● ｜ ●
[j] Casiguran ● ｜ ｜
[j] Irosin ● ｜ ｜
[j] Matnog ● ｜ ●
Legazpi Branch
Legazpi[j] TBD Legazpi Albay At-grade 2 TBD "Legazpi Tram"[43] ● ｜ ●

Batangas branch[]

The Batangas branch will be built by Phase 3. The line branches off at San Pablo station before heading towards the direction of San Antonio, Quezon and into the province of Batangas, terminating at the Batangas Passenger Terminal in Batangas City.

Batangas branch
Station Town/City Province Character Tracks Banlic/Sucat–Batangas
Local service
San Antonio Quezon At-grade TBD ●
Rosario Batangas ●
Ibaan ●
Batangas City ●
●

PNR Metro Commuter Line rehabilitation[]

A portion of the present PNR Metro Commuter Line shall be rebuilt so that the Bicol-bound line can reach Metro Manila and suburban Laguna.[44] Phase 4 is the last phase of the original line and expects for the construction of new track to Sucat, which shall serve as the passenger terminus. Additionally, even though South Long Haul and NSCR trains will overlap on the present PNR right-of-way between Muntinlupa and Calamba, the two lines will not share tracks.[45] Therefore, northbound passengers must transfer to an NSCR train at either Sucat or Banlic station.

With the transfer of commuter services to the NSCR, the present line shall be repurposed for freight trains. PNR general manager Junn Magno stated in an February 2021 interview with Motoring Today that he intends to use the line to connect the Manila North Harbor and the Batangas International Port. This will free truck traffic from the highway network in the process.[29] On April 8, JICA's design team published their detailed design of the NSCR alignment and showed PNR Future Freight Track labels in the technical drafts to distinguish the South Long Haul's Manila extension to the Manila North Harbor.[46] From the new freight terminus, the line will connect with its northern counterpart, which will connect the old Metro Commuter Line to the Subic–Clark Railway. The first of these being the Balagtas Dry Port Project, which will be a single-track freight line to traverse beside NSCR North to Balagtas, Bulacan.[47]

Meanwhile, there were also plans in 2019 to continue using the line for passenger services as a transport redundancy measure. This is due to the arrival of new trainsets from PT INKA that were received between 2019 and 2020.[48]

Dual gauge[]

The April 2021 JICA report included a rendered image of a PNR 8100 class passing through FTI station. This means that the Metro Commuter extension will support both 1,067 mm (3 ft 6 in) and standard gauge ones, also known as the use of dual gauge track.[46]

Additionally, the PNR expects 8 narrow-gauge flatcars to augment with its few remaining FL class, primarily as part of its maintenance fleet and railroad police unit of the Philippine National Police. This will further necessitate the support for such equipment.[49] The flatcars are expected to enter service on or before 2026.[50] With a standard lifespan for flatcars fluctuating between 30 and 65 years,[51] the use of the dual gauge will continue for the foreseeable future.

Areas where dual gauge track will be installed are yet to be determined.

Notes[]

  1. ^ Jump up to: a b Total line length, including Phases 2 to 5 but not the Daet branch.
  2. ^ With passing sidings at stations and future allowances for double-track.
  3. ^ With tunneled sections in Quezon and Camarines Sur and elevated viaduct sections in Laguna
  4. ^ Refer to the Metro Commuter rehabilitation section for more information.
  5. ^ Operational speed for the Bicol Express train. Up to 120 km/h (75 mph) for commuter services and 80–100 km/h (50–62 mph) for freight.
  6. ^ First opened to Quezon in 1916, then to Albay in 1938, then reopened in 1949, 1998 and 2011.
  7. ^ Jump up to: a b Shall only be built by Phase 4.
  8. ^ This will be the new terminus of express services upon completion of Phase 4.
  9. ^ Express service here will be eventually replaced by Sucat station.
  10. ^ Jump up to: a b c d e f To be constructed by Phase 2.

References[]

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  2. ^ "Railways Sector". www.dotr.gov.ph. Retrieved July 19, 2021.
  3. ^ Neil (August 29, 2021). "Work on China-funded railway to start in March". BusinessWorld. Retrieved September 10, 2021.
  4. ^ "Ferrocarril de Manila a Dagupan – Plan General de Ferrocarriles de la Isla de Luzón – Filipinas". Spanish Railway (in Spanish). November 13, 2018. Retrieved April 5, 2021.
  5. ^ Jump up to: a b "Corporate Profile". Philippine National Railways. Retrieved April 3, 2021.
  6. ^ Jerez, Luis (1917). "The Nationalization of the Philippine Railroads". Philippine Review. 2: 259. Retrieved May 9, 2021.
  7. ^ Report of the General Manager for the year ended December 31, 1940. Reports of the General Manager, Manila Railroad Company (Report). 1946.
  8. ^ "Refrigerated car". The Manila Times. June 6, 1967. Retrieved April 5, 2021.
  9. ^ Agence France-Presse (November 25, 2004). "Probe rules out terrorism, sabotage in PNR accident". The Manila Times. Retrieved December 28, 2020.
  10. ^ "PNR eyes revival of Bicol Express by September". July 3, 2014. Retrieved April 3, 2021.
  11. ^ 24 Oras (May 21, 2019). "24 Oras: Libu-libong sementadong materyales". GMA Network. Retrieved April 5, 2021.
  12. ^ Iwata, Shizuo (March 1999). TECHNICAL REPORT No. 3: URBAN / TRANSPORTATION DEVELOPMENT CONDITION IN ADJOINING AREAS (PDF). METRO MANILA URBAN TRANSPORTATION INTEGRATION STUDY (Report). 3. Japan International Cooperation Agency. Retrieved September 6, 2021.
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  32. ^ Jump up to: a b "P175-B South Railway project to start Q2 2019". November 4, 2018. Retrieved April 3, 2021.
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  35. ^ Submission and Opening of Bids for the following PNR Projects (720p 16:9) (Facebook Live). Philippine National Railways. June 11, 2021. Retrieved July 3, 2021.
  36. ^ Laurel, Drei (December 18, 2019). "DOTr: Additional PNR trains by 2021 to cut travel time to Bicol by 80%". www.topgear.com.ph. TopGear Philippines.
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  38. ^ "General Bid Bulletin No. 6: South Commuter Railway Projectt for Packages CP S-04, CP S-05, CP S-06, and CP S-07; Construction of Civil Structures: Viaducts, Bridges, Nine (9) Stations, and Depot" (PDF). Procurement Service - Philippine Government Electronic Procurement System, Department of Finance (Philippines). January 7, 2021. Retrieved April 6, 2021.
  39. ^ Project Information Memorandum (PDF). North-South Railway Project – South Line (Report). Japan International Cooperation Agency and CPCS Transcom Limited. August 2015. Retrieved July 5, 2021.
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  44. ^ "North South Commuter Railway Extension Project". www.dotr.gov.ph. Department of Transportation (Philippines). November 21, 2018. Retrieved May 19, 2021.
  45. ^ "General Bid Bulletin No.6" (PDF). www.ps-philgeps.gov.ph. Department of Transportation (Philippines). January 7, 2021. Retrieved May 19, 2021.
  46. ^ Jump up to: a b The Detailed Design Study of the Malolos–Clark Railway Project and North–South Railway Project — South Line (Commuter) (Report). Japan International Cooperation Agency. April 8, 2021.
  47. ^ Embankment Locations. NSTren Consortium. October 2020. Retrieved May 19, 2020.
  48. ^ Parrocha, Azer (August 14, 2019). "Completed railway assets to ease traffic by 25%: DOTr". Philippine News Agency. Retrieved July 30, 2020.
  49. ^ [August 6, 2021] - Submission and Opening of Bids (Facebook Live). Philippine National Railways. August 6, 2021. Retrieved August 23, 2021.
  50. ^ Procurement of Eight (8) Units Flats Cars (Re-bid) (Report). Philippine National Railways. June 30, 2021. |access-date= requires |url= (help)
  51. ^ "Equipment Insight" (PDF). Equipment Finance. J.P. Morgan & Co. August 2015. Retrieved August 23, 2021.

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