1. History
     Background    Manila-Clark Rapid Railway System    Northrail project    Aquino administration    Development    Construction    North Line (Tutuban-Malolos-Clark)    South Line (Solis-Calamba)  

2. Route
     North Line    South Line  

3. Rolling stock

4. References

The North–South Commuter Railway or NSCR, also known as the Clark-Calamba Railway, is a 147 kilometer elevated railway from New Clark City in Capas, Tarlac to Calamba, Laguna, with a total of 36 stations.^[1][2]

Utilizing the old right-of-way of Philippine National Railways, the NSCR will form one railway system serving commuters travelling to, from, and within Metro Manila, Central Luzon, and Calabarzon.^[3]

Originally planned during the administration of Fidel Ramos with Spain, it was cancelled after disagreement on the funding.^[4] It was then revived by then President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo as the Northrail project, but was cancelled again in March 2011, due to anomalies with the contract and the foreign contractor, as well as allegations of being overpriced.^{[4][6][5][6][7]}

NSCR will be a double-track fully elevated railway system and will feature barrier-free access as well as metro-grade rolling stock. It will also be integrated with the Line 9 (Metro Manila Subway), PNR Batangas Railway, and the PNR South Long Haul.^[8]

History

Background

Manila-Clark Rapid Railway System

A railway system running from Manila to Clark was set to be constructed in the 1990s, when then President Fidel Ramos signed a memorandum of agreement with Juan Carlos I of Spain for its construction on September of 1994.^[4] On August 24, 1995, North Luzon Railways was formed as a subsidiary of Bases Conversion and Development Authority. The NLRC then entered into an Engineering, Procurement and Construction Contract (EPRC) with the Spanish Railways Corporation on February 7, 1996, but the contract was later terminated on August 14, 1998 after both parties disagreed on the source of funding for the project.^[4]

On September 1999, the NEDA-ICC later approved the project, then known as Manila-Clark Rapid Railway System, with Phase 1 covering the Caloocan-Calumpit segment and the source of funding to be the Obuchi Fund from the Japan Bank for International Cooperation.^[4] Right-of-way clearing and relocation of informal settlers began, but a presidential directive later halted the clearing activities, and the JBIC loan never happened.^[4]

Northrail project

On September 14, 2002, a Memorandum of Understanding was signed by NorthRail and China National Machinery and Equipment Group (CNMEG) for the project.^[4] It was later approved as the NorthRail project on August 5, 2003, with the first phase covering Caloocan to Malolos segment.^[4] The project was estimated to cost around US$500 million, and the funding was to be covered by a US$400 million by the Export-Import Bank of China, and the rest to be shouldered by the government through BCDA and NLRC.^[4][5][9]

The Northrail project involved the upgrading of the existing single track to an elevated dual-track system, converting the rail gauge from narrow gauge to standard gauge, and linking Manila to Malolos City in Bulacan and further on to Angeles City, Clark Special Economic Zone and the Clark International Airport.^[4] Prepatory construction began in early November 2006. Due to delays in the construction work, it was soon being renegotiated with the Chinese government. Construction temporarily continued in January 2009 with the support of the North Luzon Railways Corporation.^[4]

Aquino administration

The project was cancelled in March 2011, due to a series of delays, work stoppages, a controversy and anomalies with the foreign contractor.^[5][6][7] According to then DILG Secretary Mar Roxas, the Chinese were open to reconfiguring the project, and that he was meeting with his Chinese counterpart in a month's time.^[10] However, nothing materialized out of these talks.^[6]

The Department of Transportation and Communications has examined reviving the project by commissioning a feasibility study by CPCS Transcom Ltd. of Canada. Part of the study examined having a Malolos-Tutuban-Calamba-Los Baños Commuter Line.^[11][12]

A feasibility study for the North-South Commuter Rail was still ongoing when the NEDA approved the dream plan in 2014.^[1]

Development

The dispute with Sinomach was resolved on November 2017.^[13][5] The new name for the old Northrail project was announced by Department of Transportation Secretary Arthur Tugade on June 25, 2017 with a ceremony in which the first 5 stations were given their location markers.^[14]

Japan has signed loan agreements to finance the North-South Commuter Railway project.^{[3][15][16][17]}

Construction

North Line (Tutuban-Malolos-Clark)

The North Line was divided into two phases. PNR Clark 1 involves the 37.6 kilometer Tutuban-Malolos segment, while PNR Clark 2 involves the 74 kilometer Malolos-Clark Railway. The 106-kilometer railway line, when fully completed, will run from Tutuban Station in Manila to New Clark City, passing through Clark International Airport. The railway will cost ₱255 billion (US$5.1 billion) with financial assistance from Japan.^[18][19]

Pre-construction work such as clearing of the right of way was started on January 2018. The groundbreaking and construction from Tutuban to Malolos started on February 15, 2019.^[17][20]

South Line (Solis-Calamba)

The existing Metro Commuter Line will be reconstructed as an electrified standard-gauge full double-track line. On September 12, 2017, the National Economic and Development Authority approved the construction of the newer line, as part of the longer Long-haul Railway that will connect to Legazpi and Matnog, and Batangas City.^[21][22] Funding for the project, which costs {{Philippine peso|131 billion}}, is provided by the Japan International Cooperation Agency, and is expected to serve 300,000 passengers a day at its initial year of operation.^[21] The 55.6 kilometer railway will run from Solis in Manila to Calamba, Laguna.

Route

The North-South Commuter Railway will have provisions for additional stations to be added.^[2]

North Line

South Line

Rolling stock

The North-South Commuter Rail shall consist of 58 8-car trains, with 7 airport express trains, that can carry approximately 2,200 passengers in each set. It will weigh 270 tonnes. Its maximum train design and service speed is 120 kph for regular trains and 160 kph for airport express trains.^[2]

References

• Wretched Songs
• Wretch (website)
• Wretham
• Wretham, Norfolk
• Wretton
• Wretton, Norfolk
• WRET-TV
• WREV
• WREW
• Wrexham A.F.C
• Wrexham AFC
• Wrexham afc
• Wrexham and Chester Gold
• Wrexham and Minera Railway
• Wrexham and Shropshire
• Wrexham (Assembly constituency)
• Wrexham Association Football Club
• Wrexham Central railway station
• Wrexham City Status
• Wrexham council
• Wrexham Country Borough Council
• Wrexham County Borough Council
• Wrexham fc
• Wrexham Football Club
• Wrexham General