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 well as the defunct Carmona and Guadalupe branch lines. Since then, it adopted several names such as Metrotrak
and Metrotren,
before adopting its present name in the late 2000s. The line is also nicknamed the ''Orange Line'' due to its designation in the 1970s.
The present line has 36 stations serving Metro Manila and Laguna. It is divided into two sections which meet in
Tutuban station in
Tondo, Manila. The Metro North Commuter section runs from Tutuban to
Governor Pascual station in
Malabon and is colored light green in the system map of PNR. On the other hand, the Metro South Commuter section which runs from Tutuban to IRRI station in
Los Baños, Laguna and is colored orange. Some stations connect to
LRT Lines 1 and
2, and
MRT Line 3.
History
Manila Railroad local trains and Meralco Tranvias
The
Manila Railroad Company, which preceded PNR, operated various local trains between
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 populated ...
and its neighboring provinces. Trains from Tutuban will lead to
Naic in Cavite,
Pagsanjan in Laguna,
Montalban in Rizal, and
Bulacan during the 1920s.
The Manila Electric Railroad and Light Company (
Meralco) also operated electrified ''
Tranvia'' services in what is now
Metro Manila. The
tram system reached
Malabon to the north,
Pasig to the east, and Libertad (now part of
Pasay) to the south, making it one of the longest in Asia in 1924.
Both systems were heavily damaged during the
Battle of Manila in
World War II
World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the World War II by country, vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great power ...
.
PNR commuter services
Metro Manila Commuter Service (1970–89)
The Metro Manila Commuter Service started on April 6, 1970, which started at
Manila North Harbor and ended in
Biñan,
Laguna. During this decade, more stations were opened although some were either closed or relocated. In 1976, the commuter system peaked and extended as far north as
San Fernando, Pampanga, Guadalupe (located in
Mandaluyong
Mandaluyong, officially the City of Mandaluyong ( fil, Lungsod ng Mandaluyong), is a first class Cities of the Philippines#Legal classification, highly urbanized city in the Metro Manila, National Capital Region of the Philippines. According to ...
on the other side of Pasig River) to the east, and
College to the south. There were also services in the now-defunct Carmona branch line.
''Metrotrak'' then ''Metrotren'' (1989–2009)
In 1990, the system was undergoing renovations under the working title Metrotrak.
By May of that year, the system was inaugurated as Metrotren to distinguish it from the
LRT Line 1, then named "Metrorail".
However, the Metrotren system eventually suffered neglect due to lack of funding and maintenance. Plans for expansion and rehabilitation such as the Manila–Clark rapid railway project and Guadalupe line revival was also never realized.
Post-''Metrotren'' and ''Metro Commuter''
The Arroyo administration attempted to modernize the PNR system by rebuilding the lines and purchasing new rolling stock. PNR purchased 6 brand new diesel multiple units from South Korea and became its first order in 35 years. The government was also interested in reviving the Manila to Malolos NorthRail project. However, the line stopped construction in 2011 and only pillars were built. The succeeding Aquino administration rebuilt the stations along the line to accommodate high-floor trains. PNR also acquired second-hand multiple units from Japan as stopgap measures to its train fleet, ending the Metrotren era. However, services were further suspended to
Santa Rosa
Santa Rosa is the Italian, Portuguese and Spanish name for Saint Rose.
Santa Rosa may also refer to:
Places Argentina
* Santa Rosa, Mendoza, a city
* Santa Rosa, Tinogasta, Catamarca
* Santa Rosa, Valle Viejo, Catamarca
*Santa Rosa, La Pampa
* S ...
in 2014, and to
Alabang in 2015 due to safety issues and accidents on the line.
The North Main Line has also been closed.
The Duterte administration,
Department of Transportation Secretary
Arthur Tugade
Arthur "Art" Planta Tugade (born January 9, 1946) is a Filipino businessman and lawyer from Cagayan who served as the Secretary of the Department of Transportation under the Duterte administration from 2016 to 2022. He previously held the pos ...
, and PNR General Manager Junn Magno, all promised to revive and modernize the PNR and its commuter line. In 2017, the
Department of Science and Technology announced its
first Filipino-designed train and started trial services between
Alabang and
Calamba in 2018.
For the present network, Magno announced the purchase of 3 diesel-hydraulic locomotives, 15 coaches, and 6 sets of diesel multiple units from Indonesian rolling stock manufacturer PT
Industri Kereta Api or INKA. The INKA trainsets and 5 of the Hyundai Rotem DMUs will comprise a 14-train fleet that will replace the aging
PNR 900 class
The PNR 900 class is a class of 21 GE Universal Series diesel–electric locomotives operated by the Philippine National Railways since 1973. The locomotives comes with 3 different types: U14CP (1973), U14C (1979), and U15C (1991). Initially use ...
as well as the second-hand rolling stock acquired by the Aquino administration, as these trainsets will be transferred to the Bicol Region for the ''Bicol Commuter'' services after 2020.
The present line will also be rebuilt during and after the construction of the
North–South Commuter Railway as it will serve as an alternate transport mode to the NSCR.
It will be eventually envisioned to revisit and reactivate once abandoned lines and stations in the north that was once operated by PNR.
Route
The existing operational Metro Commuter Line is predominantly aligned and shares the path of the
PNR South Main Line or SouthRail which uses a dedicated right of way of its own. It terminates at Calamba Station despite having rails further towards Legazpi, Albay, but few trains stop at Sta. Rosa and Calamba Stations further to the south. Inter-provincial services such as the Bicol Express and Mayon Limited are not running as of 2015, but plans to revive the services have been presented.
; Legend
* Trains stop at stations marked "●".
* Trains pass those marked "|".
* Only morning and evening trains stop at stations marked "◇".
* Morning and evening trains stopping only on Sundays at stations marked "X".
* Evening southbound trains only load at stations marked "♦".
* Morning and evening trains only unload at stations marked "♠".
* For AA-LA-IRRI, some trains stop at stations marked ∆, while all trains stop at stations marked ✓
* closed stations
* MSC (TU-LA) — Metro South Commuter (Tutuban to Calamba)
*MSC (TU-IRRI) — Metro South Commuter (Tutuban to IRRI)
*MSC (AA-LA-IRRI) — Metro South Commuter (Alabang-Calamba- IRRI)
*MNC (TU-GP) — Metro North Commuter (Tutuban to Governor Pascual)
*MNC (GP-FTI) — Metro North Commuter (Governor Pascual to FTI)
* SS (TU-SU) — Shuttle Service (Tutuban to Sucat)
* SS (SA-SU) — Shuttle Service (Santa Mesa to Sucat)
* PT — Premiere Train
The line is open from 4:29 a.m.
PHT (
UTC+8) until 9:42 p.m. on a daily basis. It operates almost every day of the year unless otherwise announced. Special schedules via the social media pages of the PNR and also in newspapers and other mass media. During
Holy Week, a
public holiday in the Philippines, the line is closed for annual maintenance, owing to fewer commuters and traffic around the metro. Normal operation resumes on
Easter Sunday.
Existing infrastructure
Station layout
All stations are presently
at-grade At-grade may refer to:
*At-grade intersection, a crossing between roads on the same level
* Road junction
*Level crossing, where a road or path crosses a railway on the same level
* Diamond crossing, where two railway tracks cross
* At-grade railway ...
, with most stations using a
side platform layout. Most have only basic amenities, platforms and ticket booths. Rehabilitated stations along the Metro Manila line have been fitted with ramps for passengers using wheelchairs. Several stations have extended platforms, having an upper platform catering to DMU services, and a lower platform for regular locomotive-hauled services. As of August 2017, most of the stations are being extended and equipped with platform-length roofing, better ticketing office, and restrooms.
Signalling
An
automatic block signalling system by
Mitsui was employed in the line as stated in a 1977 magazine by the ''
International Railway Journal''.
However, a presentation published in 2015 by the
Department of Transportation and Communications
The Department of Transportation (DOTr; fil, Kagawaran ng Transportasyon) is the executive department of the Philippine government responsible for the maintenance and expansion of viable, efficient, and dependable transportation systems as effe ...
stated that there is no signalling in the line.
On November 16, 2021, PNR published the bidding documents for the design, installation, and commissioning of the signalling, interlocking, and level crossing systems for the Metro South Commuter section between and . The contract was awarded to PT Len Railway Systems of
Indonesia
Indonesia, officially the Republic of Indonesia, is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania between the Indian and Pacific oceans. It consists of over 17,000 islands, including Sumatra, Java, Sulawesi, and parts of Borneo and New Gui ...
in April 2022, and the contract was signed on May 19. PT Len Railway Systems will supply their SiLSafe 4000
computer-based interlocking system. The project is expected to be completed within 16 months after the contract signing, or until September 2023.
Communications
Prior to the uprade, the communications system backbone consisted of
VHF
Very high frequency (VHF) is the ITU designation for the range of radio frequency electromagnetic waves (radio waves) from 30 to 300 megahertz (MHz), with corresponding wavelengths of ten meters to one meter.
Frequencies immediately below VHF ...
radio
Radio is the technology of signaling and communicating using radio waves. Radio waves are electromagnetic waves of frequency between 30 hertz (Hz) and 300 gigahertz (GHz). They are generated by an electronic device called a tr ...
s, augmented with land and mobile phones. It was a localized system with no repeater stations.
From 2020 to 2022, the communications system was
digitalized and computerized. In 2020, the PNR tapped
Hytera to upgrade the system's communication system to a
two-way radio system. The TETRA digital radio system, which is currently being used in the line, enables faster coordination in depot personnel and has a network management system, allowing tasks to be centralized and handled seamlessly. The upgrade was completed in February 2022.
Tracks
The tracks are built to the
narrow gauge. The existing tracks are
ballasted, with the rails laid on
wooden and
concrete railroad ties. The existing tracks consist of rails.
Rolling stock
The PNR Metro Commuter Line has always used diesel-powered rolling stock since the services were opened in 1970. In 1976, PNR was able to expand its commuter and regional services when it bought 60 CMC railcars which remained in service until 2004. These commuter trainsets however deteriorated in the 1990s and ordered second-hand 12 series coaches in their stead. The 12 series cars were hauled by PNR's diesel locomotives which were previously used in its intercity and freight services. There were no new orders until 2009 when PNR ordered the Hyundai Rotem DMUs, followed by second-hand multiple units and coaches from Japan.
PNR later ordered 2 new trains from Indonesian manufacturer PT INKA on January 22, 2018, followed by an order of 7 more trains on May 28, increasing the total trains ordered to 9.
The
DOST Hybrid Electric Train also entered trial service the same year. The agency then commenced the refurbishment of its entire fleet the following year, which introduced polycarbonate windows that can resist stoning as well as a new livery.
Active
Former
Services
Current
Metro South Commuter
The Metro South Commuter (also known as MSC) is the main and only train service currently being offered by PNR that run along the Metro Commuter Line. The trains that are currently being used for this service are the
900 and
2500 class diesel-electric locomotives, ex-
Joban Line 203 series EMUs donated by
JR East, the South Korean
Hyundai Rotem DMUs, the
PT INKA 8000 class DMUs,
INKA 8100 class DMUs, and the
INKA CC300 locomotives and
8300 class coaches. The 8000 class DMUs occasionally perform MSC trips when the Hyundai Rotem DMUs occupy the Metro North Commuter trips. The trips are reduced upon announcements. On December 2, 2014, the new
Calamba Station was inaugurated. Later that night, the MSC1907 was extended up to the said station. The MSC1937 was also extended, but only up to
Sta. Rosa Station.
As of March 2022, regular MSC services run between and , while some morning and night trips operate until .
Metro North Commuter
On August 1, 2018, Philippine National Railways reinstated commuter train services to
Caloocan station, as preparation for the Tutuban-Malolos railway, the first section of the
North–South Commuter Railway line that will end at
Clark
Clark is an English language surname, ultimately derived from the Latin language, Latin with historical links to England, Scotland, and Ireland ''clericus'' meaning "scribe", "secretary" or a scholar within a religious order, referring to someone ...
in Pampanga. The line was reopened after the line was repaired due to water intrusion. According to claims by the Department of Transportation, it will be the most efficient way of travel between Caloocan and Makati. Services will continue operating until the completion of the Tutuban-Malolos Railway, after which the line will be mostly dedicated to cargo hauling. Originally running from 10th Avenue to Dela Rosa, it was upgraded into the Caloocan-FTI shuttle service on September 10 (officially called the Sangangdaan-FTI shuttle service). On December 3, 2018, it was again extended to Acacia/Governor Pascual station, with plans to extend the service up to
Valenzuela railway station, and poised to carry 120,000 passengers daily if completed.
Trains servicing the Metro North Commuter service from Governor Pascual to FTI and vice versa usually stop at limited stations. Since 2019, trains servicing the MNC services now stop at all stations.
The trains used in this service are the
INKA 8000 class and
Hyundai Rotem diesel multiple units.
Past
Prior to the establishment of the PNR Metro Commuter Line, the Manila Railroad had several local train services in the 1950s and 1960s. According to a timetable that was effected on August 16, 1954, local trains on the South Main Line from
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 populated ...
reached
Lucena station in
Quezon province.
In the 1960s, local trains also reached
San Fernando, Pampanga on the North Main Line. Services on the South Main Line were also added in the province of
Laguna, and reached
San Pablo and
Santa Cruz, Laguna.
Caloocan–Meycauayan section
After the intercity section of the North Main Line was closed in the 1980s, then-president
Corazon Aquino inaugurated the resumption of commuter rail services to
Meycauayan in
Bulacan on May 10, 1990. It was part of the ''Metrotren'' program initiated by then-
Department of Transportations and Communications secretary
Oscar Orbos to revitalize
Metro Manila's public transport infrastructure due to worsening car traffic in the metropolis. The line was closed in the midst of the
1997 Asian financial crisis. There were plans to revitalize the entire line and extend it to Laoag.
A section of the line was opened in 2018 from to . This section eventually became the PNR Metro North Commuter. The network shall extend again to
Valenzuela City
Valenzuela (, Tagalog: ), officially the City of Valenzuela ( fil, Lungsod ng Valenzuela), is a 1st class highly urbanized city in the National Capital Region of the Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 714,978 people ...
once a bridge crossing the Tullahan River has been constructed. However, the
North–South Commuter Railway will serve as the primary commuter rail service to
Bulacan and neighboring
Ilocos Norte, with the PNR Metro North Commuter allotted as an alternative to the NSCR.
Carmona Line
A spur line towards
Carmona
Carmona may refer to:
Places Angola
* the former name of the town of Uíge
Costa Rica
* Carmona District, Nandayure, a district in Guanacaste Province
India
* Carmona, Goa, a village located in the Salcette district of South Goa, India
...
was opened on April 1, 1973, to serve the residents of the San Pedro–Carmona Resettlement Project. On September 11, 1976, two ''Rail Commuter'' services were designated on the line and were named after indigenous flora. The service from Carmona to Manila was called ''Ilang-Ilang'' while the returning service was called ''Sampaguita''. The Carmona services ended by early 2005. The closure coincided with court cases filed in 1996 against the Philippine National Railways by private
corporation
A corporation is an organization—usually a group of people or a company—authorized by the state to act as a single entity (a legal entity recognized by private and public law "born out of statute"; a legal person in legal context) and ...
s that owned some of the right-of-way and was ruled out in 2008, as PNR continued to own the tracks. Parts of the line remain intact, and plans to reopen the line are underway.
Shuttle Service
The ''Shuttle Service'' was introduced on January 27, 2014. This service uses Hyundai Rotem DMUs and JR KiHa 52. There are 4 routes of the Shuttle Service, where trains stop at all stations along the routes.
#
Tutuban –
Sucat
Dr. Arcadio Santos Avenue or Dr. Santos Avenue, formerly and still referred to as Sucat Road or Parañaque–Sucat Road, is the primary east–west thoroughfare in Parañaque, southern Metro Manila, Philippines. The avenue's western end is in ...
#
Sucat
Dr. Arcadio Santos Avenue or Dr. Santos Avenue, formerly and still referred to as Sucat Road or Parañaque–Sucat Road, is the primary east–west thoroughfare in Parañaque, southern Metro Manila, Philippines. The avenue's western end is in ...
–
Tutuban
#
Sta. Mesa –
Sucat
Dr. Arcadio Santos Avenue or Dr. Santos Avenue, formerly and still referred to as Sucat Road or Parañaque–Sucat Road, is the primary east–west thoroughfare in Parañaque, southern Metro Manila, Philippines. The avenue's western end is in ...
#
Sucat
Dr. Arcadio Santos Avenue or Dr. Santos Avenue, formerly and still referred to as Sucat Road or Parañaque–Sucat Road, is the primary east–west thoroughfare in Parañaque, southern Metro Manila, Philippines. The avenue's western end is in ...
–
Sta. Mesa
This train service was removed last May 23, 2014 to give way to maintenance servicing of the rolling stock. Another reason was the 3 consecutive weeks of delays and cancellations of some train trips. The service officially returned to the line on August 1, 2018, this time, to serve from the
10th Avenue railway station up to the
Dela Rosa station
Dela Rosa station is a railway station located on the South Main Line in Makati, Metro Manila, Philippines.
Dela Rosa is the ninth station from Tutuban and is one of three PNR stations serving Makati, the other two being Pasay Road and EDSA. ...
using a JR
KiHa 350 DMU. An additional service was opened on September 10 and operated from the reopened
Caloocan station to
FTI station. It is now the PNR Metro North Commuter.
Premiere Train
The Premiere Train was a special MSC service that operates from Monday to Friday, except holidays. The train being used in this special service was the
KiHa 59 "Kogane" train set, which is also from Japan. The train used to stop at selected stations only, namely
Tutuban,
Blumentritt,
España,
Sta. Mesa,
Buendia,
Pasay Road
Avenida Antonio Arnáiz Somoza, or simply Avenida Arnáiz, formerly known as ''Calle Libertad'' and then ''Calzada de Pásay'', is a major east–west collector road that links Makati and Pasay in the Philippines. It stretches across western Metro ...
,
EDSA
Epifanio de los Santos Avenue, commonly referred to by its acronym EDSA, is a limited-access circumferential highway around Manila, the capital city of the Philippines. It passes through 6 of Metro Manila's 17 local government units or cities, ...
(flagstop),
Sucat
Dr. Arcadio Santos Avenue or Dr. Santos Avenue, formerly and still referred to as Sucat Road or Parañaque–Sucat Road, is the primary east–west thoroughfare in Parañaque, southern Metro Manila, Philippines. The avenue's western end is in ...
,
Alabang,
San Pedro,
Biñan, and
Santa Rosa
Santa Rosa is the Italian, Portuguese and Spanish name for Saint Rose.
Santa Rosa may also refer to:
Places Argentina
* Santa Rosa, Mendoza, a city
* Santa Rosa, Tinogasta, Catamarca
* Santa Rosa, Valle Viejo, Catamarca
*Santa Rosa, La Pampa
* S ...
. The service had 4 trips: MSC501, MSC702, MSC1555, and MSC1802.
It was first opened in March 2014, but it only ran from Tutuban to Santa Rosa. In May 2014, Kogane was replaced by 203 series EMU coaches due to high passenger demand. The service now stops at all stations and ran from Mondays to Saturday.
It was then extended to Mamatid, then to Calamba.
The service was suspended in December 2014 due to the inauguration of the station building of
Calamba, and due to the repairs of the trainset being used for this service.
IRRI services (Metro South Commuter)
=Tutuban/Dela Rosa-IRRI
=
On December 1, 2019, Train services to the
International Rice Research Institute inside the campus of the
University of the Philippines Los Baños were started. Five new stations were added to the route: Pansol and Masili in Calamba Laguna, and Los Baños, college and IRRI in the neighboring town of Los Baños.
The service uses the Kogane train set previously used for Premiere Train Services. The service originates from Tutuban exclusively on Sundays, while it starts from Dela Rosa from Monday to Saturday. The train only loads a limited number of passengers in Dela Rosa, FTI, Bicutan, Sucat and Alabang Stations when going southbound, but unloading in stations in between like Nichols and EDSA are allowed.
The service ended in 2020 following 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 identi ...
.
=Alabang-Calamba-IRRI
=
On December 16, 2019, Regular Commuter services between Alabang, Calamba and IRRI were launched. The service uses Kiha-350 DMUs and runs the full route thrice daily from both endpoints and twice from the Calamba-IRRI segment. The service ended in 2020 following 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 identi ...
.
Fares and ticketing
The PNR Metro Commuter Line uses a distance-based fare system. Currently, the rail operator charges
₱1.07 per kilometer. The minimum fare is . Fares are rounded up in multiples of .
Fares are 20-percent lower for passengers of non-air-conditioned trains.
Additionally,
senior citizens and
persons with disability are also given 20-percent discount.
PNR issues paper tickets manually. Passengers caught without tickets, or short-ticketed, are charged the farthest distance fare of the service.
Expansion and reconstruction plans
North–South Commuter Railway
The North–South Commuter Railway will be a train line connecting the northern and southern boundaries of
Mega Manila
Mega Manila is a megalopolis on the island of Luzon, Philippines. There are varying definitions of the megalopolis, but it is generally seen as encompassing the administrative regions of Central Luzon, Calabarzon, and Metro Manila. On so ...
. Once fully operational by 2025, it will connect
New Clark City
New Clark City is a planned community currently undergoing development, located within the Clark Special Economic Zone in the towns of Bamban and Capas in Tarlac province, Philippines. It has an area of approximately and will accommodate up t ...
in
Capas,
Tarlac to the north and
Calamba, Laguna to the south.
The line will initially have 34 stations, expandable to 41 by 2030, and expand northward to
Tarlac City and southward to
Batangas City by 2040. The line will have
commuter rail services as well as an
airport
An airport is an aerodrome with extended facilities, mostly for commercial air transport. Airports usually consists of a landing area, which comprises an aerially accessible open space including at least one operationally active surfa ...
limited express service connecting
Clark International Airport with
Alabang station.
It will be a
double-track line with
direct current
Direct current (DC) is one-directional flow of electric charge. An electrochemical cell is a prime example of DC power. Direct current may flow through a conductor such as a wire, but can also flow through semiconductors, insulators, or ev ...
electrification through
overhead lines. The line will also be built in the wider compared to the
narrow gauge being used by PNR. The NSCR North which will be between Tutuban and New Clark City will be fully elevated and will have both
embankment
Embankment may refer to:
Geology and geography
* A levee, an artificial bank raised above the immediately surrounding land to redirect or prevent flooding by a river, lake or sea
* Embankment (earthworks), a raised bank to carry a road, railway ...
and
viaduct sections. while the NSCR South will feature a mix of elevated sections through viaducts, as well as an at-grade and
underground section between
EDSA
Epifanio de los Santos Avenue, commonly referred to by its acronym EDSA, is a limited-access circumferential highway around Manila, the capital city of the Philippines. It passes through 6 of Metro Manila's 17 local government units or cities, ...
and
FTI stations. The maximum speed on the line will be up to for commuter trains and for the airport express trains.
The project costs ₱777.5 billion (US$15 billion) and is one of the flagship projects of the
Build! Build! Build! Infrastructure Plan.
On July 16, 2019, PNR ordered 104
EM10000 class train cars from the
Japan Transport Engineering Company (J-TREC) along with
Sumitomo Corporation, which will be arranged into 8-car
electric multiple units. This is the first order out of a total of 464 EMU cars. J-TREC and Sumitomo were again awarded on January 14, 2022, for the procurement of 304 train cars (38 sets) in a separate contract. An order of 56 cars (7 sets) for the
airport
An airport is an aerodrome with extended facilities, mostly for commercial air transport. Airports usually consists of a landing area, which comprises an aerially accessible open space including at least one operationally active surfa ...
express train
An express train is a type of passenger train that makes a small number of stops between its origin and destination stations, usually major destinations, allowing faster service than local trains that stop at most or all of the stations alon ...
are being procured as of 2022.
In November 2021, PNR planned to relocate its present tracks while the NSCR South is being constructed. This was to ensure that the Metro Commuter services would remain business as usual. The line was planned to be upgraded from the present and rails to the UIC60 standard but would have been reduced from double-track to single-track with
passing sidings as the NSCR will become the primary passenger rail corridor up to Calamba station. As part of the project, 13 new bridges were to be constructed and the line would have remained using the existing narrow-gauge track, though allowances for future conversion to standard-gauge and reintroduction of double-tracking were incorporated into the designs. The upgrades were expected to increase the maximum design speed to . However, on August 17, 2022, PNR cancelled the procurement for these projects due to these being "no longer feasible".
Metro North Commuter restoration
''Metro North Commuter'' services have been restored in 2018, and there are plans to further extend the line north to
Valenzuela station from its present terminus in
Governor Pascual station in neighboring
Malabon. A new bridge crossing the
Tullahan River
The Tullahan River is a river in the Philippines. It is located to the north of Manila and has an approximate length of . It starts at the La Mesa Reservoir in Quezon City and flows through Caloocan, Malabon, Valenzuela. and Navotas and emptie ...
will also be built to connect the two stations. The expansion aims to reduce
traffic congestion between
Valenzuela and
Makati. Although these services are planned to be superseded by the
North–South Commuter Railway, the present line will continue serving passenger trains and will also serve freight trains in the future,
as the North Long Haul line. Under the revitalized plans to reach Ilocos and its old terminus in La Union, it will be funded through Public-Private Partnership.
Integration with intercity services
The intercity section of the
PNR South Main Line will be rebuilt under the
PNR South Long Haul project. A new line will connect
Metro Manila with the
Bicol Region. The entire section will also be built in standard gauge, similar to the NSCR but there will be no
electrification. The line will also traverse the present Metro Commuter Line, initially from
Calamba station by Phase 1,
Sucat station
Sucat station is a railway station located on the South Main Line in Muntinlupa, Metro Manila, Philippines. It was originally established by the Manila Railway Company in 1908 as part of the construction of the original Southern Lines to the pr ...
by Phase 4, and eventually to
Tutuban station. Since the intercity services will traverse the narrow-gauge line, there will be a
dual gauge network between these stations and
IRRI station
IRRI station is a railway station located on the PNR South Main Line, South Main Line in Los Baños, Laguna, Los Baños, Laguna (province), Laguna, Philippines. It is a flag stop for the line as there are no platforms yet being erected, temporar ...
.
Incidents and accidents
The PNR Metro Commuter Line has been prone to numerous incidents, including stoning incidents,
people being run over by trains (including even fatal ones),
and trains colliding with vehicles.
* On May 19, 2014, a cigarette vendor died while six others were hurt when a PNR train from Tutuban Station collided with a
jeepney across the railroad tracks along G. Tuazon Street in
Sampaloc, Manila at around 4:30 p.m. The jeepney was dragged around from the site of the collision. The driver of the jeepney was allegedly drunk when the collision happened.
* On April 29, 2015, a Hyundai Rotem DMU derailed between
EDSA railway station
EDSA station is a railway station located on the South Main Line in Makati, Metro Manila, Philippines. It derives its name from nearby Epifanio de los Santos Avenue (EDSA, the avenue which it is named after).
EDSA is the eleventh station fr ...
and
Nichols railway station
Nichols station (formerly Bonifacio–Villamor station, and from 2028 to be referred as Senate station) is a railway station located on the South Main Line in Taguig, Metro Manila, Philippines. It derives its name from one of the area's popu ...
. There were 80 reported injuries, mostly minor cases.
The incident was caused by missing parts of the railtracks that were stolen. This, however, prompted PNR operations to be suspended on May 5, 2015, to conduct safety tests by PNR and
TÜV Rheinland. The operations of the PNR resumed on July 23, 2015.
* On January 12, 2016, a
PNR Metro South Commuter Line train from
Alabang collided with a
jeepney at the
Pedro Gil Street 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 ...
in
Paco, Manila. One person died from head injuries and six were injured.
* On July 7, 2017, five people, including a pregnant woman, was hurt when an ambulance was hit by a train (a
PNR 900 class
The PNR 900 class is a class of 21 GE Universal Series diesel–electric locomotives operated by the Philippine National Railways since 1973. The locomotives comes with 3 different types: U14CP (1973), U14C (1979), and U15C (1991). Initially use ...
locomotive and a
203 series EMU) near
Blumentritt Station in Manila. The ambulance, which came from Barangay 167 Ilano in
Caloocan, was on its way to a hospital to bring the pregnant woman when the accident occurred.
*On January 14, 2018, a passenger in a 203 series trainset forced a train door open while the train was moving.
* On October 11, 2019, an old woman got run over by a train, causing injuries to her hands and legs.
* Fourteen stoning incidents were reported from December 2 to 21, 2019, including a stoning incident in one 8000 class train.
* On December 28, 2019, an 8000 class was obstructed between
España and
Sta. Mesa stations.
* On January 1, 2020, a windshield of a Hyundai Rotem DMU was shattered due to a stoning incident while performing an MNC Trip at Caloocan. The glass window was replaced with polycarbonate the day after the incident. It was also found that a group of minors were the ones who did the crime.
* In February 2020, a window in a
KiHa 59 series (Kogane) trainset shattered due to a stoning incident.
* On February 16, 2020, a 203 series trainset was involved in a stone-throwing incident. It damaged a door window and injured one passenger.
* On June 3, 2020, a Hyundai Rotem DMU rammed a car at Abad Santos Railroad Crossing in
Tondo, Manila. The crossing barrier was not down when the accident happened. The train dragged the car for about 10 meters.
* On August 28, 2020, an engineer got run over by an 8100 class train 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 ...
. The engineer died after the incident.
* On August 22, 2021, three teenagers died after they got run over by a train in Santa Mesa, Manila.
* On September 2, 2021, a Hyundai Rotem DMU train rammed a blue car at the Piy Margal Railroad Crossing in Manila despite early warning by the crossing keepers. No injuries were reported. The PNR management is yet to release a statement about the absence of barriers at the railroad crossing, particularly at the southbound lane.
*On April 12, 2022, a 9-to-12-year-old child died after being run over by 921 hauling a 203 series EMU train at the intersection of Antipolo Street and Ipil Street in Sta. Cruz, Manila.
*On September 25, 2022, a DMU train collided with a crane while performing a MNC service in
Sta. Mesa, Manila, causing three injuries and damages to the front cab of the train.
Notes
References
External links
The PNR Metro Commuter Line – Timetables
{{Urban Rail Transit in ASEAN
Metro South Commuter Line
Public transportation in the Philippines
Rail transportation in Metro Manila
Transportation in Luzon
Transportation in Manila