North–South Commuter Railway

The North–South Commuter Railway (NSCR), also known as the Clark–Calamba Railway, is a 148 km (92 mi) urban rail transit line being constructed in Luzon.^[1][2][3] It will run from New Clark City in Capas, Tarlac to Calamba, Laguna with 36 stations, with historic stations to be restored.^[1][4]

Originally planned in the 1990s, the project has been repetitively halted after disagreements on funding and allegations of overpricing. The first proposal was the 32 km (20 mi) "Manila–Clark rapid railway" with Spain,^[5] and during the 2000s, the NorthRail project with China that was discontinued in 2011.^{[5][6][7][8][9]} The present line is under the Duterte administration and is to be aided with Japanese financing. It was initially reported to have a total length of 180 km (110 mi),^[1] though it was reduced to 148 kilometers (92 mi)^[10][11] after a segment to Los Baños was scrapped. The railway system is expected to cost ₱777.55 billion (US$14.95 billion), making it one of the most expensive projects of the Build! Build! Build! Infrastructure Program.^[12][13] Partial operations will begin by 2021, and full operations is expected to begin by 2025.^[14]

The NSCR will comprise two sections corresponding to the Philippine National Railways' old main lines; the 91 km (57 mi)^[15] fully-elevated NSCR North which is being built over the mostly-defunct North Main Line in northern Metro Manila and Central Luzon,^[1][2] and the 56 km (35 mi)^[15] NSCR South which will use the existing PNR Metro Commuter Line infrastructure between Tutuban and Calamba, which were historically parts of the South Main Line and will have elevated, at-grade and depressed sections.

The project's construction is divided into three phases with the NSCR North being separated between the 38 km (24 mi) NSCR North 1 commuter line between Tutuban and Malolos, and the 53 kilometres (33 mi) NSCR North 2 regional line from Malolos to New Clark City.^[16][1] It will also be linked to existing and future railway lines such as Line 8, Line 9, the Calamba–Bicol South Main Line and Calamba–Batangas City Railway.^[17][12]

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 1994.^[5] 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 the parties disagreed on the source of funding for the project.^[5]

On September 1999, the NEDA-ICC later approved the project, then known as the 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.^[5] 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.^[5]

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.^[5] It was later approved as the NorthRail project on August 5, 2003, with the first phase covering Caloocan to Malolos segment.^[5] 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.^[5][7][18]

The 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, Clark Special Economic Zone and the Clark International Airport.^[5] Preparatory construction began in early November 2006. Due to delays in the construction work, it was soon renegotiated with the Chinese government. Construction temporarily continued in January 2009 with the support of the North Luzon Railways Corporation.^[5]

Aquino administration

The NorthRail project was cancelled in March 2011, due to a series of delays, work stoppages, a controversy and anomalies with the foreign contractor.^[7][8][9] 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.^[6] However, nothing materialized out of these talks.^[8]

The Philippine Supreme Court handed down in March 2012 a decision giving a lower court the go-signal to hear the case calling for the annulment of the allegedly overpriced contract. Instead of settling the entire US$184 million due in 2012, the Department of Finance will pay Export-Import Bank of China 4 equal payments of $46 million starting September 2012.^[19] National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) Director-General Arsenio Balisacan said the 80-kilometer Northrail project would resume within the term of President Benigno Aquino III,^[19] but despite this announcement, the Northrail project was scrapped and replaced under different terms with different contractors.

The Department of Transportation and Communications previously 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.^[20][21]

A feasibility study for the North–South Commuter Railway was still ongoing when the NEDA approved the dream plan in 2014.^[10]

Development

On November 2017, DOTr, BCDA, and North Luzon Railways reached an out-of-court settlement with Sinomach, resolving the five-year dispute.^[22][7] The new name for the 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.^[23]

The Japan International Cooperation Agency will finance NSCR North 1, while the remaining sections will be co-financed by the Asian Development Bank.^{[13][14][16][24][25][26]}

Construction

Construction of the NSCR will be built into three phases and will be divided into two lines.

NSCR North (Tutuban–Malolos–Clark)

NSCR North, also known as PNR Clark, was divided into two phases. NSCR North 1 involves the 38 km (24 mi) Tutuban-Malolos segment, while NSCR North 2 involves the 53 km (33 mi) Malolos–Clark Railway.^[15] The 91-kilometer railway line, when fully completed, will run from Tutuban Station in Manila to New Clark City (NCC), passing through Clark International Airport (CIA).^[27][28]

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.^[26][29] The contract for the construction of PNR North 1 was awarded to the Filipino-Japanese consortium of DMCI Holdings and Taisei Corporation on May 21, 2019.^[12][30]

On the other hand, the first three contracts for the construction of NSCR North 2 had been opened on August 2019. A record 11 firms from various ADB member countries participated in the bid.^[31]

NSCR North 1 is expected to be completed by 2021,^[12] while NSCR North 2 is slated for operation 2 years later by 2023.^[31]

NSCR South (Solis–Calamba)

The existing Metro Commuter Line will be reconstructed as an elevated electrified standard-gauge line.^[32][33] The 56 km (35 mi)^[15] railway will run from Solis, Manila to Calamba, Laguna. It is expected to be completed by 2025.^[14]

Future

A study originally published in 2014 by the Japan International Cooperation Agency, the National Economic and Development Authority, and ALMEC Corporation revealed the master plan for the NSCR. The entire line will run between Tarlac City and Batangas City. If realized, the total system length will be around 220 kilometers (140 mi).^[34]

Design

The line will be the first commuter rail system in the country to be mostly grade-separated. Trains are designed to run at a design speed of 120 km/h for regular trains and 160 km/h for airport express trains.

Station layout

All stations will have a standard layout, with a concourse level and a platform level. Stations will either have island platforms or side platforms with platform screen doors. The stations will be designed to have barrier-free design, and trains shall have spaces for passengers using wheelchairs. All stations will have access to intermodal facilities.^[14]

The train stations are also designed to adhere to both Philippine and Japanese standards.

Route

The table below shows the proposed train operation schedule and stations for the line.^[35]

The North–South Commuter Railway will have provisions for additional stations to be added.^[11]

Further extensions

NSCR North Phase 3 (Angeles–Tarlac City)

The 2014 JICA study proposed a 38 km (24 mi) branch line that will split at Angeles, Pampanga. The line will have 12 stations and shall end in Tarlac City.^[34]

NSCR South Phase 2 (Calamba–Batangas City)

The study also proposed a 58 km (36 mi) extension of the NSCR to Batangas City.^[34] However, the reconstruction of this line is slated for the PNR South Long Haul Project which was approved in 2017, with the line being a single-track, standard-gauge line without electrification, and will be built at-grade as in the present PNR network. It will be upgraded to double track and electrification in the future.^[36]

Rolling stock

Gallery

See also

• Metro Manila Rapid Transit Network
  • Line 1
  • Line 2
  • Line 3
  • Line 4
  • Line 5
  • Line 6
  • Line 7
  • Line 8
  • Line 9
  • PNR Metro Commuter Line
• List of rail transit stations in the Greater Manila Area
• Manila Light Rail Transit System
• Manila Metro Rail Transit System
• Philippine National Railways
• Department of Transportation (DOTr)
• Transportation in the Philippines
• Transportation in Metro Manila
• Metro Manila Dream Plan

References

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