PNR Bicol Commuter Train

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Administrator's note: See also:

PNR Bicol express


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Bicol Commuter

https://www.pnr.gov.ph/

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The Bicol Commuter service serves as the commuter rail backbone of the Bicol Region, serving stations between Tagkawayan, in Quezon province and Ligao City, in Albay, with Naga City in Camarines Sur acting as a central terminus. The service was launched on September 16, 2009, in time for the feast of Our Lady of Peñafrancia, but was once suspended due to typhoon damage and pending full rehabilitation.

When service is restored, Bicol Commuter trains will make seven trips a day, alternating between Tagkawayan, Sipocot, Naga and Ligao as termini. Five trips will run using a Commuter Express DMU sent to the Bicol Region, while two trips use GE locomotives.

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http://www.pnr.gov.ph/images/Timetable/n-s-fares.jpg

Sipocot station
Libmanan station
Pamplona station
Borabod station
Sampaloc station
Naga station

South of Naga, but not currently part of the commuter train

Pili station
Iriga station
Polangui station
Ligao station
Travesia station
Daraga station
Legazpi station

The Bicol Communter Train is in the yellow and blue sections of the Bicol Express.

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From: https://ppp.gov.ph/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/NSRP_PIM_FINAL.pdf

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IV. NSRP South Line - Long Haul Line

The NSRP South Line Long Haul Railway (“Long Haul Line”) will operate along the same tracks as the Commuter Line and go on to follow the existing PNR Line from Calamba to Legazpi City in the Bicol Region. The Long Haul Line will be expanded by the Long Haul Line Extension (i.e., an extension line of 117km from Legazpi to Matnog)and the Long Haul Line Branch (i.e., a branch line of 58km from Calamba to Batangas (i.e., the Long Haul Line Expansion).

The PNR line to Legazpi City runs a total of 478 km from Manila, including the 56km segment used for the Commuter Line to Calamba. From Calamba to Legazpi, the line is single-tracked and, similar to the Commuter Line, is narrow gauge (1,067 mm).Overall, the condition of the existing PNR line from Calamba to Legazpi is in fair condition largely on account of good construction, relatively light axle loads and very little accumulated traffic. Most rail defects and damage is due to poor maintenance of joints. Bridges are in widely varying states largely due to lack of maintenance, old
age and inadequate protection from natural elements.

There are 397 observed road crossings between Alabang and Legazpi. Of these, 214 are authorized and 183 are unauthorized. Only 31 of the authorized crossings are officially manned by PNR and none of the unauthorized is manned. Unauthorized crossings are ones that have been established without the formal consent of PNR and are often in areas of high encroachment.

As of January 2014, only the existing PNR line between Naga and Sipocot in the Bicol region (35 km) remains operational. This transports approximately 1,300 passengers per day with an average load factor of 50% for the year 2014. The objective of the rehabilitation of the Long Haul Line is to restore existing track structure, including rehabilitation of bridges, to safely accommodate the required rail operations.

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https://www.rappler.com/newsbreak/fact-check/243130-pnr-bicol-express-reopened-september

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The Bicol Express, a passenger train service that plies the Manila-Bicol route, remains suspended as of October 2019. The PNR has not made any official statement announcing the resumption of operations for the route.

In a text message to Rappler, PNR General Manager Junn Magno said, “Bicol Express is still under study if we can operate it while South Long Haul is under construction.”

PNR, according to Magno, is targeting to launch its partial operations by 2021.

South Long Haul Railway is one of the 6 new railway projects under the Build, Build, Build program.

At present, only the Bicol commuter train for the Naga City-Sipocot route in Camarines Sur is available to the public.

The Bicol Express was suspended to rebuild its old line, according to Magno. They also aim to improve the travel speed from 40 to 60 kilometers per hour (kph) to 160 kph. He expects that, after rehabilitation, travel time will be shortened for the Manila-Naga trip by 3 hours and Manila-Legazpi by 4 hours (READ: Train of thought).

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Administrator's note: See also PNR Bicol Express

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See time index 1:07. PNR service from Naga to Legaspi to be re-opened in the first quarter of 2020

BHTVBicol
Nov 27, 2019

https://youtu.be/0VDm7KOqgPM