I went to Caloocan last Thursday to find the old PNR line, which I believe is part of the PNR rehabilitation. I took the LRT to Monumento and from there walked towards the direction of Malabon via Samson Road. For beginners like me, this Caloocan line is a part of the route of the old Dagupan Express.
The Caloocan line is an important junction of the PNR since it is here where the Northrail and Southrail will meet through the Northrail-Southrail linkage project. When I was still in high school, the first trip in the morning is from Calamba to Caloocan, and the last trip in the evening is from Caloocan to Calamba. But in 2004 the PNR axed this trip.
Now let’s go to the pictures.
This is the PNR Hospital in Samson Road, now in a state of neglect. (But I believe that it’s just recently that they’ve abandoned the hospital service because of the PhilHealth sign.)
The PNR Hospital from another angle.
This is the PNR line that supposedly crosses Samson Road. El Bigotilyo (Caloocan Mayor Recom Echiverri) had the rail covered by asphalt. When? I don’t know.
And this section is blocked. The reason, I also don’t know. BTW, I tried to see what’s inside but it’s well sealed and that’s the best angle I can shoot.
The PNR line that’s supposedly crossed Samson Road.
Filthy railway reminiscent of the rails in Paco, Manila.
This railroad crossing is on 10th Avenue, near A. Mabini. Notice that the line is partially covered by asphalt.
Still on 10th Avenue. This is converted to an extension of a palengke, just like in Bicutan before.
The PNR Management Center in T. Bugallon Street. A guard told me to ask permission first from their commander to take photos, but later on he allowed me 😛 We actually shared stories about the PNR.
The PNR Junkyard… I mean railyard in Caloocan.
Old, battered diesel units rotting in the railyard. Manong guard told me that before me, two kolehiyalas were posing there. Sayang, di ko naabutan 😛
The tora-tora, without the sloping roof. The PNR came out with this concept to avoid their coaches collect garbage thrown by squatters. Slide nga naman pabalik sa kanila yung basura…
Another shot at the tora-tora.
Take a closer look at this. A diesel connected to a tora-tora (partially covered by another diesel) in a worse state of decay.
The Bicol Express economy class. I believe this train’s last trip to Bicol was way back 2006.
A diesel towing a baggage/power locomotive towards the railyard.
The old PNR Printing and Warehousing Office. Now, they transferred their printing services to Tutuban.
This building is named after Horace L. Higgins, the American pioneer of Philippine Railways. And just like the railways he pioneered, the hall is in a state of neglect.
Another shot at the Higgins Hall.
The PNR Caloocan is not that inactive. Aside from diesels towing old coaches, it is here where the PNR produce their concrete ties (this is where you put the rail). But because time is not on my side, this trip might have an encore. Watch out for the Part 2 of the PNR Caloocan trip. 😀
Panalong Kuha! 
very nice pictures. i hope pnr will hasten their rehab of this line
Hi there,
Thanks for the photos. I dont suppose you got one of the diesel towing the carriage, it is newly painted and it would be great to know which it is.
The area beyond that big fence that you wondering about is Caloocan sstation and yard, well it was anyway, its just dirt now awaiting Northrail.
Cheers
Brad
President: Philippine Railway Historical Society
@benj:
Thanks for the comment.
@Sir Brad:
Thanks for the comment and the additional info about the Northrail.
About the diesel, I didn’t took notice of its body number… 😛
nice shot bro, brings back alot of memories, I grew up in Caloocan City we lived in 5th avenue I remember we used to play there @ PNR compound hehehe…now my 10 yr old son is very found of trains because Thomas the Tank engine is his favorite ..also PNR history thanks for the uploads keep it up nice work … more power & God Bless..
^ Thanks for the comment. Your comment really inspire me to continually improve my photography and blogging skills. 😀
Tumatakbo pa ba ang mga tren na yun? Hindi mo ako mapapasakay sa mga ganyan. Siguro kung naghahanap ako ng adventure sasakay ako sa ganyan. Pero stick na lang ako sa siksikan sa MRT. Kaya ko pang tiisin yun. Grabe ang dumi sa Caloocan! El Bigotilyo, umaksyon ka!
^Yung diesel na humahatak ang pinapatakbo ng PNR, pero ibang coach na ang hinahatak niya. Tapos iisang biyahe na lang.
Then, lahat ng remaining trips ng PNR, puro mga bagong units na. Yung mga units na yun, almost the same as LRT-2. The only difference is that the PNR units are run by diesel…
Hi! Thanks for posting this.
I’m planning to go there some day though.
How many security guards are there anyway?
Any by the way, how’d you manage to go inside the train yard?
I’d like to have a small trip with my old friends there.
Hi Kean,
I just went in to the compound. Security was lax then, even had an animated chat with the guard on duty, but not quite sure now 🙂
.. alam nyo po ba kung ano yung lot area nung pnr hospital ? thanks in advance ..
So sad, which something could be done …. make it a heritage site?
Is that PNR Hospital still operating?
Ate saan ba makikita yang station pag papuntang Sta. mesa?
just went to see what’s been happening in my yard. i found out that the skyway project is planning on demolishing the ol’ higgins hall.
been a denizen of caloocan for quite sometime and it’s just now that i took a chance to pay a visit to sites that made caloocan for what it once was. just staring at them is like hearing their story.
The hall still exists today, one part of the original brick Caloocan station was torn down to give way for one of the posts of NLEX-Harbor Link Skyway
The Horace Higgins Hall was built in 1929 as a Stores Building and for keeping records of the MRR.