At least 40 hurt as 2 PNR train cars derail

AT least 40 passengers were hurt Wednesday afternoon after two Philippine National Railways (PNR) train cars plying the southbound line derailed.

Paul De Quiros, PNR spokesman, said in an interview Wednesday that two train cars heading to Muntinlupa in Metro Manila ran off the tracks around 3:50 PM. He said the accident, which happened near the daily rush hour, occurred between EDSA and the Nichols stations.

“Some 35 passengers went to the Taguig Pateros Hospital for a check-up and were discharged,” De Quiros said. He noted this was on top of another five passengers that suffered other “minor injuries.”

De Quiros said it was possible for the current figure to rise as PNR’s management was gathering additional data.

De Quiros said PNR’s engineers were on the site late afternoon to investigate the cause. The two derailed trains, meanwhile, would be “re-railed” by Wednesday evening.

The accident occurred after PNR announced previously that it would spend about P2.5 billion this year, mainly to upgrade and refurbish existing infrastructure. It also laid out plans to increase ridership.

PNR, which handles between 60,000 and 70,000 people per day, was founded on November 24, 1892 as the Ferrocarril de Manila-Dagupan during the Spanish colonial period. It later became the Manila Railroad Company (MRRco) at the time the Americans colonized the Philippines, bringing passengers from Manila to Dagupan.

PNR has been receiving renewed attention recently after the National Economic and Development Authority approved two projects: the 36.7-km North South Commuter Railway from Tutuban to Malolos in Bulacan and the 653-km North South Railway project-South Line (Manila to Legazpi City in Albay).

The projects, which would “make the most” of the existing PNR’s right of way, were estimated to cost an initial P288 billion, Transportation Secretary Joseph Abaya said in a previous briefing.

The department said the 36.7-km North South Commuter Railway was set to start construction by the first quarter of 2017 and would be completed by the third quarter of 2020.  The government said there would be 15 stations with an estimated 35-minute travel time. Initial demand by 2020 is seen at 340,000 passengers a day.

The larger North-South Railway Project-South Line will initially consist of a commuter railway operation between Tutuban and Calamba, Laguna.

It also includes a long haul railway operation between Tutuban and Legazpi, Albay, and the branch line between Calamba and Batangas as well as an extension between Legaspi and Matnog, Sorsogon. The department said construction here was estimated to begin in the first quarter of 2016 with the start of operations by the first quarter of 2020. SFM