The PNR 900 class is a class of 21
GE Universal Series
The GE Universal Series are a series of diesel locomotives intended for the export market introduced by General Electric in early 1956. General Electric had previously partnered with Alco, producing locomotives for export using Alco’s 244 engin ...
diesel–electric locomotive
A diesel locomotive is a type of railway locomotive in which the prime mover is a diesel engine. Several types of diesel locomotives have been developed, differing mainly in the means by which mechanical power is conveyed to the driving wheels ...
s operated by the
Philippine National Railways
The Philippine National Railways (PNR) ( fil, Pambansang Daang-Bakal ng Pilipinas and es, Ferrocarril Nacional de Filipinas) is a state-owned railway company in the Philippines which operates one commuter rail service between Metro Manila an ...
since 1973. The locomotives comes with 3 different types: U14CP (1973), U14C (1979), and U15C (1991). Initially used for
long-distance
Long distance or Long-distance may refer to:
*Long-distance calling
* Long-distance operator
* Long-distance relationship
* Long-distance train
*Long-distance anchor pylon, see dead-end tower
Footpaths
* Long-distance trail
*European long-d ...
express services throughout
Luzon
Luzon (; ) is the largest and most populous island in the Philippines. Located in the northern portion of the Philippines archipelago, it is the economic and political center of the nation, being home to the country's capital city, Manila, as ...
, they were relegated to hauling
commuter trains within
Metro Manila
Metropolitan Manila (often shortened as Metro Manila; fil, Kalakhang Maynila), officially the National Capital Region (NCR; fil, link=no, Pambansang Punong Rehiyon), is the capital region, seat of government and one of three List of metrop ...
, a task previously done by PNR's diesel multiple units fleet. This was further exacerbated by the closure of the
PNR South Main Line
The PNR South Main Line ( fil, Pangunahing Linyang Patimog ng PNR, also known as Southrail and formerly the Main Line South) is one of the two trunk lines that form the Philippine National Railways' network in the island of Luzon, Philippines ...
's intercity section in 2012 after an accident in
Sariaya
Sariaya, officially the Municipality of Sariaya ( tgl, Bayan ng Sariaya), is a 1st class municipality of the Philippines, municipality in the Philippine Province, province of Quezon, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a populatio ...
,
Quezon
Quezon, officially the Province of Quezon ( tl, Lalawigan ng Quezon), is a Provinces of the Philippines, province in the Philippines located in the Calabarzon Regions of the Philippines, region on Luzon. Kalilayan was the first known name of th ...
.
History
The GE U14C and U15C are second-generation Universal Series road switchers specially built by
GE Transportation
GE Transportation is a division of Wabtec. It was known as GE Rail and owned by General Electric until sold to Wabtec on February 25, 2019. The organization manufactures equipment for the railroad, marine, mining, drilling and energy generation ...
for the Philippine National Railways. These were ordered in the 1970s to augment and eventually replace the aging diesel locomotive fleet purchased by PNR's predecessor, the
Manila Railroad Company
The Manila Railroad Company (MRR) was a Filipino state-owned enterprise responsible for the management and operation of rail transport in the island of Luzon. It was originally established by an Englishman named Edmund Sykes as the private Manil ...
.
The locomotives to be replaced include the 1000 class
streamliner
A streamliner is a vehicle incorporating wikt:streamline, streamlining in a shape providing reduced air resistance. The term is applied to high-speed railway trainsets of the 1930s to 1950s, and to their successor "High-speed rail, bullet trai ...
s and the
2000 class roadswitchers, the latter being a first-generation Universal Series locomotive and both entered service in 1956. Despite the earlier diesel locomotives initially having 4 digits, the numbering scheme for the new 900 class has three and seems to follow the numbering scheme of the
Manila Railroad 800 class ''USA'' locomotives built 30 years prior.
The first batch of five GE U14C Prototype locomotives was ordered in 1973 for ₱10 million (equivalent to US$9.07 million in 2021) and were constructed by GE in
Erie, Pennsylvania
Erie (; ) is a city on the south shore of Lake Erie and the county seat of Erie County, Pennsylvania, United States. Erie is the fifth largest city in Pennsylvania and the largest city in Northwestern Pennsylvania with a population of 94,831 a ...
. The last two units were delivered in February 1974. A second order of ten U14C locomotives were ordered in the late 1970s and were also built in Pennsylvania. They arrived between January and February 1979.
The locomotives were used on various express services throughout the PNR network such as the ''Amianan Express'' and the ''Bicol Express''.
Locomotives used on the North Main Line locomotives are distinguishable from its southern counterparts by the color of the "whiskers" on the cab, with the former being colored white and the latter being colored light yellow. At the same time, the long-distance coaching stock were given a dark green and yellow livery to suit the locomotives.
The last six locomotives were built by GE in the former
Montreal Locomotive Works
Montreal Locomotive Works (MLW) was a Canadian railway locomotive manufacturer which existed under several names from 1883 to 1985, producing both steam and diesel locomotives. For a number of years it was a subsidiary of the American Locomotive ...
plant in
Montreal
Montreal ( ; officially Montréal, ) is the List of the largest municipalities in Canada by population, second-most populous city in Canada and List of towns in Quebec, most populous city in the Provinces and territories of Canada, Canadian ...
,
Quebec
Quebec ( ; )According to the Canadian government, ''Québec'' (with the acute accent) is the official name in Canadian French and ''Quebec'' (without the accent) is the province's official name in Canadian English is one of the thirtee ...
,
Canada
Canada is a country in North America. Its ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, covering over , making it the world's second-largest country by tot ...
. They entered service in 1992 together with the ten
5000 class locomotives, and had a red paint that will be later incorporated into the Philippines 2000 livery.
At the same time, earlier locomotives such as 902 were repainted in the same paint scheme. These locomotives were mostly used for ''Metrotren''
commuter rail
Commuter rail, or suburban rail, is a passenger rail transport service that primarily operates within a metropolitan area, connecting commuters to a central city from adjacent suburbs or commuter towns. Generally commuter rail systems are con ...
services in the 1990s until the late 2000s.
Rehabilitation
In 2014, PNR signed a contract consortium deal with Miescorrail (now MRail), a subsidiary of Meralco and Desco Inc. to upgrade its locomotives. It is PNR's first upgrade to its 26 locomotives since its acquisition in 1992. The deal involves the disassembly of two of the three locomotives in the first quarter of 2015. The diesel engines will be shipped to a
GE facility for a complete upgrade including the installation of the GE Bright Star (BSS) engine control system, a micro-processor based computerized system to provide reliable and efficient performance of the engine. Meanwhile, the brakes and alternators will be repaired by Desco and MRail. The refurbishment started in 2015, and Desco and MRail handed over the two locomotives in February 2017.
From 2019, PNR repainted the locomotives to an orange livery in anticipation of the arrival of the new trains from
PT INKA
PT Industri Kereta Api (Persero), abbreviated as INKA, is a state owned rolling stock manufacturer.
Profile
INKA Ltd was established in 1981 to serve as the national rail locomotive and rolling stock manufacturer for the Indonesian Railway ...
. 6 locomotives are currently in the orange livery as of November 2022.
Since 2020, Desco Inc. is the company carrying out rehabilitation in the 900 class locomotives, with two units currently under rehabilitation.
Design
GE U14C
The U14CP and the U14C were the same, but the difference is the batch number, engine block, radiator grills, and date of arrival. U14CP were the 1st batch while the U14C were the 2nd batch. The U14Cs don't have numbering signage but when they were rehabilitated, they now have number signs with lights and wipers were working again.
GE U15C
Compared to the U14Cs, the U15cs features number signs. When they were rehabilitated, they feature number lights.
Build Numbers
Status
As of October 2022, 6 units are active, 2 units are inactive, 2 units are undergoing rehabilitation, 3 units are declared under beyond economical repair, and 8 were scrapped.
Incidents and accidents
The PNR 900 class locomotives has been involved in various incidents such as derailments, engine problems, collisions, and even attacks by the NPAs during the
Ferdinand Marcos
Ferdinand Emmanuel Edralin Marcos Sr. ( , , ; September 11, 1917 – September 28, 1989) was a Filipino politician, lawyer, dictator, and kleptocrat who was the 10th president of the Philippines from 1965 to 1986. He ruled under martial ...
administration.
*Del 901 was involved in a derailment in 1979. The locomotive was the first to be built yet the first to be scrapped.
*On December 31, 1982, DEL 905 and 910 collided between
Hondagua and Calauag Stations at
Quezon Province
Quezon, officially the Province of Quezon ( tl, Lalawigan ng Quezon), is a province in the Philippines located in the Calabarzon region on Luzon. Kalilayan was the first known name of the province. It was later renamed Tayabas. In honor of the ...
. Both drivers were given Line Clear Certificate by the Station Masters in both stations (905 was heading Northbound while 910 was heading Southbound).
*DEL 908 reportedly hit Bim Bassman (Jian Garcia)'s son sometime in the mid 1980s. The officer retaliated by targeting Unit 908 on several occasions, throwing stones, firing bullets, and even hurling a grenade which detonated and injured crew members. PNR officials have renumbered 908 as 916 to avoid further attacks on the locomotive.
*DEL 912 was bombed by the New People's Army during the tenure of the late President
Ferdinand Marcos
Ferdinand Emmanuel Edralin Marcos Sr. ( , , ; September 11, 1917 – September 28, 1989) was a Filipino politician, lawyer, dictator, and kleptocrat who was the 10th president of the Philippines from 1965 to 1986. He ruled under martial ...
in the 1980s. The locomotive was written off.
*DEL 920 collided with a dump truck in
Iriga
Iriga, officially the City of Iriga (Rinconada Bikol: ''Syudad ka Iriga''; bcl, Siyudad nin Iriga; fil, Lungsod ng Iriga), is component city in the province of Camarines Sur, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 11 ...
while travelling to
Legazpi in 2001. The locomotive's chassis was twisted, causing the locomotive beyond economical repair. PNR planned to revive 920 by placing 904's cab to 920.
*DEL 922 was involved in the Sariaya derailment on November 12, 2004. The
Manila
Manila ( , ; fil, Maynila, ), officially the City of Manila ( fil, Lungsod ng Maynila, ), is the capital of the Philippines, and its second-most populous city. It is highly urbanized and, as of 2019, was the world's most densely populate ...
-bound ''Bicol Express'' train derailed and fell into a ravine, killing 10 people and injuring 160 more. This later ordered for a total halt for all intercity services of the PNR until 2011.
*On October 26, 2012, 922 hauling coaches servicing as ''Bicol Express'' Train 611 rolled over while traveling on a rainy weather in Sariaya, Quezon. The bridge was washed out, causing the coaches to roll over. The rainfall was caused by
Typhoon Son-Tinh
Typhoon Son-Tinh (transliterated from Vietnamese Sơn Tinh), known in the Philippines as Tropical Storm Ofel, was a powerful, late-forming typhoon that devastated the Philippines with tropical storm strength, and battered Northern Vietnam with hur ...
(known as Tropical Storm Ofel). As a result of the incident, 5 passengers were injured, and the ''Bicol Express'' was suspended indefinitely although intercity services continued until 2013.
*On October 12, 2015, MSC 1300 performed by the 914 and a
203 series
The is an electric multiple unit (EMU) train type operated in Japan between 1982 and 2011 by Japanese National Railways (JNR) and later by East Japan Railway Company (JR East), and currently operated by KAI Commuter and Philippine National Rai ...
EMU
The emu () (''Dromaius novaehollandiae'') is the second-tallest living bird after its ratite relative the ostrich. It is endemic to Australia where it is the largest native bird and the only extant member of the genus ''Dromaius''. The emu' ...
stopped near
Nichols station due to engine overheating caused by 914. DEL 2535 was sent to rescue the breakdown train.
*On July 7, 2017, five people, including a pregnant woman, was hurt when an ambulance was hit by 916 near
Blumentritt Station in Manila. The ambulance, which came from Barangay 167 Ilano in
Caloocan
Caloocan, officially the City of Caloocan ( fil, Lungsod ng Caloocan; ), is a 1st class highly urbanized city in Metropolitan Manila, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 1,661,584 people making it the fourth-most ...
, was on its way to a hospital to bring the pregnant woman when the accident occurred.
*On June 23, 2018, 919's cab was damaged after colliding a truck at a level crossing near
Paco Station
Paco station is a railway station located on the South Main Line in the city of Manila, Philippines. It was originally opened by the Manila Railroad Company in 1908 as a major hub in the southern half of Manila, where trains toward Cavite provin ...
.
*On September 11, 2019, 916 hauling a
203 series
The is an electric multiple unit (EMU) train type operated in Japan between 1982 and 2011 by Japanese National Railways (JNR) and later by East Japan Railway Company (JR East), and currently operated by KAI Commuter and Philippine National Rai ...
EMU
The emu () (''Dromaius novaehollandiae'') is the second-tallest living bird after its ratite relative the ostrich. It is endemic to Australia where it is the largest native bird and the only extant member of the genus ''Dromaius''. The emu' ...
stopped at
Paco station
Paco station is a railway station located on the South Main Line in the city of Manila, Philippines. It was originally opened by the Manila Railroad Company in 1908 as a major hub in the southern half of Manila, where trains toward Cavite provin ...
. A few moments later, 916's engine started overheating.
*A man got run over by DEL 917 at the Abad Santos Triangle in
Tondo, Manila
Tondo is a district located in Manila, Philippines. It is the largest in terms of area and population of Manila's sixteen districts, with a Census-estimated 631,313 people in 2015 and consists of two congressional districts. It is also the seco ...
on October 2, 2019. The man died as a result of the incident.
*On April 13, 2020, amidst the
Enhanced community quarantine in Luzon
The enhanced community quarantine in Luzon was a series of stay-at-home orders and ''cordon sanitaire'' measures implemented by the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID) on the island of Luzon a ...
due to the
COVID-19 pandemic
The COVID-19 pandemic, also known as the coronavirus pandemic, is an ongoing global pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The novel virus was first identif ...
, a group of residents barricaded a portion of the rail tracks in
Calamba, Laguna
Calamba, officially the City of Calamba ( fil, Lungsod ng Calamba), is a 1st class Cities of the Philippines#Legal classification, component city in the Provinces of the Philippines, province of Laguna (province), Laguna, Philippines. According ...
that prevented DEL 921 from entering a
Barangay
A barangay (; abbreviated as Brgy. or Bgy.), historically referred to as barrio (abbreviated as Bo.), is the smallest administrative division in the Philippines and is the native Filipino term for a village, district, or ward. In metropolitan ...
that was under total lockdown.
*On April 12, 2022, a 9-to-12-year-old child died after being run over by DEL 921 hauling a 203 series EMU train at the intersection of Antipolo Street and Ipil Street in Sta. Cruz, Manila.
Liveries
The PNR 900 class, as well as the
PNR 2500 class and the
PNR 5000 class
The PNR 5000 class are Diesel-electric locomotives of the Philippine National Railways acquired in 1992.
Operational history
The 5000 class locomotives were acquired in 1992 to haul dead-motor CMC diesel multiple units. These were eventually ...
, were painted in various liveries.
Green livery (1973-1980)
The first livery of the 900 class was the Green livery. The livery has two variations:
Locomotives with White whisker are designated for northern trips (
La Union
La Union (), officially the Province of La Union ( ilo, Probinsia ti La Union; Kankanaey'': Probinsyan di La Union;'' Ibaloi'': Probinsya ne La Union;'' pag, Luyag/Probinsia na La Union; Tagalog'': Lalawigan ng La Union),'' is a province in th ...
) while locomotives with Yellow whiskers are designated for southern trips (
Bicol). There are locomotives with white whiskers running on the
PNR South Main Line
The PNR South Main Line ( fil, Pangunahing Linyang Patimog ng PNR, also known as Southrail and formerly the Main Line South) is one of the two trunk lines that form the Philippine National Railways' network in the island of Luzon, Philippines ...
even though they are designated on the
PNR North Main Line
The PNR North Main Line ( fil, Pangunahing Linyang Pahilaga ng PNR, simply known as PNR North or Northrail) is one of the two trunk lines of the Philippine National Railways in the island of Luzon, the other being the PNR South Main Line. The ...
. This is due to lack of available locomotives for southern trips. The livery lasted until 1980.
Yellow livery (1980-1990)
The 2nd livery of the 900 class is the Yellow livery. It features a green whiskers and PNR logo. The livery lasted until 1990.
Red Philippines 2000 livery (1991-2000)
Prior to the arrival of the
PNR 5000 class
The PNR 5000 class are Diesel-electric locomotives of the Philippine National Railways acquired in 1992.
Operational history
The 5000 class locomotives were acquired in 1992 to haul dead-motor CMC diesel multiple units. These were eventually ...
and the last batch of the 900 class in 1991, the U14C locomotives and the
PNR 2500 class locomotives were repainted in Red Philippines 2000 livery. Unlike the newer locomotives which features a black cowcatcher and lining, the old locomotives were yellow. The 2500 class features a Metrotren signage at the front. The livery lasted in 2000. DEL 5010 was the last unit in Red livery.
Blue livery (2001-2010)
Dubbed as ''Blue whale'', all locomotives were repainted in Blue livery. The livery was used until 2010 when the
PNR Hyundai Rotem DMUs arrived in the
Philippines
The Philippines (; fil, Pilipinas, links=no), officially the Republic of the Philippines ( fil, Republika ng Pilipinas, links=no),
* bik, Republika kan Filipinas
* ceb, Republika sa Pilipinas
* cbk, República de Filipinas
* hil, Republ ...
in 2009. All locomotives that are under Beyond Economical Repair in Caloocan workshop were still painted in Blue whale livery except for 5010.
Filtrack and Blue-Gold liveries (2011-2013)
Before the reopening of the Bicol Express, the locomotives were repainted in Filtrack livery. Locomotives with Filtrack livery were designated for the Bicol commuter line. The locomotives were repainted into Blue-Gold livery when the Bicol Express was reopened. The livery lasted until 2013 when intercity services on the
PNR South Main Line
The PNR South Main Line ( fil, Pangunahing Linyang Patimog ng PNR, also known as Southrail and formerly the Main Line South) is one of the two trunk lines that form the Philippine National Railways' network in the island of Luzon, Philippines ...
were suspended after the derailment of the Bicol Express on October 26, 2012.
DEL 2538 was the last unit wearing the Blue-Gold livery.
Blue orange livery (2013-2021)
When the
203 series
The is an electric multiple unit (EMU) train type operated in Japan between 1982 and 2011 by Japanese National Railways (JNR) and later by East Japan Railway Company (JR East), and currently operated by KAI Commuter and Philippine National Rai ...
entered service on the
PNR Metro South Commuter Line
The PNR Metro Commuter Line is a commuter rail line operated by the Philippine National Railways. It was first inaugurated as the Metro Manila Commuter Service in 1970, and originally served the North Main Line and the South Main Lines, as wel ...
, the locomotives were repainted in Blue-Orange livery in 2013. They were repainted in 2015 when PNR closed their commuter services due to the Derailment of DMU set 3.
Some locomotives rehabilitated by MRail and DESCO retained the blue-orange livery until some locomotives were repainted into the current Blue-orange,
Orange livery (2019-present)
In August 2019, 917 was repainted in Orange livery. The repainting is also part of the rehabilitation of the old rolling stocks of PNR and the arrival of new INKA trains. 917 was the first locomotive to wear the Orange livery, followed by 921 in May 2021. 922 was repainted in Orange livery in June 2021, but without PNR logos yet. 902 and 913 were repainted in Orange livery after their rehabilitation in DESCO. 914 and 916 are now under rehabilitation and will receive the new livery. 919 is the last units wearing the Blue-orange livery. In January 2022, 913 underwent test runs after staying in the PNR Caloocan workshops for finishing touches. It re-entered service as an MSC hauler in February 2022.
Gallery
File:916 at Posadas Crossing.png, 916 (formerly 908) wearing the Blue-orange livery at Posadas Crossing near Sucat station.
File:PNR EMU train (Santa Mesa, Manila)(2019-04-25).JPG, 921 wearing the MRail Blue livery hauling 203 series
The is an electric multiple unit (EMU) train type operated in Japan between 1982 and 2011 by Japanese National Railways (JNR) and later by East Japan Railway Company (JR East), and currently operated by KAI Commuter and Philippine National Rai ...
coaches near Santa Mesa station
Santa Mesa station is a railway station located on the PNR South Main Line, South Main Line in the city of Manila, Philippines. It is one of two stations (the other is Pasay Road station, Pasay Road) in the line to have its own access road.
The ...
. Currently, 921 is wearing the Blue whale livery.
File:PNR DEL 917 at España.jpg, 917 wearing the Blue-orange livery (nicknamed ''Blue Whales'' by local railfan
A railfan, rail buff or train buff (American English), railway enthusiast, railway buff or trainspotter (Australian/British English), or ferroequinologist is a person who is recreationally interested in trains and rail transport systems.
Rail ...
s) at España station.
File:Pnr trains - locomotive and dmu (santa mesa, manila)(2015-0815).JPG, 916 and a Hyundai Rotem DMU meet up near Santa Mesa Station
Santa Mesa station is a railway station located on the PNR South Main Line, South Main Line in the city of Manila, Philippines. It is one of two stations (the other is Pasay Road station, Pasay Road) in the line to have its own access road.
The ...
.
File:921 at Sucat, Muntinlupa.png, 921 at Posadas crossing.
File:922 alone.JPG, 922 parked at Tutuban Station
Tutuban station (also known as Manila station or Divisoria station) is the central railway terminus of the Philippine National Railways (PNR) network located in the city of Manila, Philippines.
The name refers to two stations: the original T ...
.
File:919 at Posadas Crossing.png, 919 at Posadas crossing.
File:03301jfInterchange Pasay Road railway station Makati Cityfvf 10.jpg, 914 at Pasay Road station
Pasay Road station is a railway station located on the South Main Line in Makati, Metro Manila, Philippines. It is one of two stations (the other is Santa Mesa) in the line to have its own access road. It is named after Pasay Road, the old name ...
.
File:PNR railtrack with 203 series train (Dimasalang, Sampaloc, Manila)(2017-07-13).jpg, 902 at Laon-laan. 902 is the oldest operating locomotive.
File:03724jfMagallanes Interchange Park SLEx PNR Railway Bangkal Makati Cityfvf 03.jpg, 918 wearing the MRail Blue-orange livery at EDSA Station
EDSA station is an elevated Manila Light Rail Transit (LRT) station situated on Line 1. The station is located on the intersection of Taft Avenue and Epifanio de los Santos Avenue, or EDSA, one of Metro Manila's major thoroughfares. The statio ...
.
See also
*
PNR 2500 Class
*
PNR 5000 Class
The PNR 5000 class are Diesel-electric locomotives of the Philippine National Railways acquired in 1992.
Operational history
The 5000 class locomotives were acquired in 1992 to haul dead-motor CMC diesel multiple units. These were eventually ...
*
INKA CC300
The INKA CC300, also known in the Philippines as the PNR 9000 Class, is a multipurpose Diesel-hydraulic locomotive owned by and built by Indonesian state-owned rolling stock manufacturer PT INKA. Launched in 2013, it is the first railway locomo ...
*
South African Class 35-000
The South African Railways Class of 1972 is a diesel-electric locomotive.
Between March 1972 and May 1973, the South African Railways placed seventy Class General Electric type U15C diesel-electric locomotives in branch line service.
Manufac ...
– another diesel-electric locomotive based on the
GE U15C model
Notes
References
{{GE diesels
Philippine National Railways
Rolling stock of the Philippines
Railway locomotives introduced in 1973
3 ft 6 in gauge locomotives