New PNR trains coming soon

By GABRIEL S. MABUTAS
Manila Bulletin Online
August 31, 2011, 3:18pm
MANILA, Philippines — Trains from Japan are expected to start coming in next week to augment the Philippine National Railway’s (PNR) present fleet of railway cars running in Luzon, the PNR announced Wednesday.

PNR spokesperson Paul de Quiros said the first batch of trains donated by East Japan Railway Co. (JR-EAST) is expected to arrive in the country around Sept. 12-15. The first set of trains coming, he said, is composed of 20 rail cars, which would be used for both Metro Manila and provincial travels.

He told Manila Bulletin that once inspected and field tested, 10 of the cars would be made to service passengers in Metro Manila, and seven would be made to service travels to and from Bicol.

The remainder of the 20, he added, would be reserved by the PNR for emergency operations.

Estelito Nierva said the trains had already been loaded in Nagata port and are tentatively scheduled for shipment around Sept. 6-8.

De Quiros said that after the first shipment, more trains would be sent every month. “The plan is to deliver 10 trains every month after the first batch is sent, until the total number of donated trains are delivered.”

JR-EAST earlier agreed to donate some 50 trains to the PNR. While the trains were already obsolete under Japanese standards, the PNR believes they could still be used in the Philippines to meet its needs.

The government has approved the disbursement of around P250 million to cover the shipping costs of the donated trains from Japan to Manila.