The PNR Metro Commuter Line was a commuter rail line operated by the Philippine National Railways. It was first inaugurated as the Metro Manila Commuter Service in 1970 and originally served the North Main Line and the South Main Line, as well as the defunct Carmona and Guadalupe branch lines. Since then, it adopted several names such as Metrotrak and Metrotren, before its present name was adopted in the late 2000s. The line was also nicknamed the Orange Line due to its designation in the 1970s.
The line had 36 stations serving Metro Manila and Laguna. It was divided into two sections which met at Tutuban station in Tondo, Manila. The Metro North Commuter section ran from Tutuban to Governor Pascual station in Malabon and was colored light green on the system map of PNR. On the other hand, the Metro South Commuter section ran from Tutuban to IRRI station in Los Baños, Laguna and was colored orange on the system map of PNR. Some stations connected to LRT Line 1 and 2, and MRT Line 3.
The line ceased operations on March 28, 2024, to give way for the construction of the North–South Commuter Railway Extension Project (NSCR-Ex). Despite this, plans are underway to reinstate its tracks at a later date following the completion of the NSCR.
History Manila Railroad local trains and Meralco Tranvias
The Manila Railroad Company, which preceded PNR, operated various local trains between Manila and its neighboring provinces. Trains from Tutuban will lead to Naic in Cavite, Pagsanjan in Laguna, Montalban in Rizal, and Bulacan during the 1920s.
The Manila Electric Railroad and Light Company (Meralco) also operated electrified Tranvia services in what is now Metro Manila. The tram system reached Malabon to the north, Pasig to the east, and Libertad (now part of Pasay) to the south, making it one of the longest in Asia in 1924. Both systems were heavily damaged during the Battle of Manila in World War II.
Previous commuter services Metro Manila Commuter Service (1970–89) The Metro Manila Commuter Service started on April 6, 1970, which started at Manila North Harbor and ended in Biñan, Laguna. During this decade, more stations were opened although some were either closed or relocated. In 1976, the commuter system peaked and extended as far north as San Fernando, Pampanga, Guadalupe (located in Mandaluyong on the other side of Pasig River) to the east, and College to the south. There were also services in the now-defunct Carmona branch line.
Metrotren (1989–2009) In 1990, the system was undergoing renovations under the working title Metrotrak. By May of that year, the system was inaugurated as Metrotren to distinguish it from the LRT Line 1, then named "Metrorail". However, the Metrotren system eventually suffered neglect due to lack of funding and maintenance. Plans for expansion and rehabilitation such as the Manila–Clark Rapid Railway System project and Guadalupe line revival was also never realized. Another proposal to rehabilitate the line, the Manila–Calabarzon Express was planned but did not succeed.
Plans for an elevated expressway was conceived as the Pabahay sa Riles Tollway, a route that would run above the railway tracks, and it would have partly competed with Metro Manila Skyway Stage 3.
Metro Commuter
The Arroyo administration attempted to modernize the PNR system by rebuilding the lines and purchasing new rolling stock. PNR purchased 6 brand new diesel multiple units from South Korea and became its first order in 35 years.
A complete rehabilitation of the line was initiated as the Northrail–Southrail Linkage. The project was financed by the Export–Import Bank of Korea and the Korean Economic Development Cooperation Fund and was completed in 2010. The government was also interested in reviving commuter rail services to the north via the Northrail project. However, the line stopped construction in 2011 and only pillars were built. PNR also acquired second-hand multiple units from Japan as stopgap measures to its train fleet, ending the Metrotren era. However, services were further suspended to Santa Rosa in 2014, and to Alabang in 2015 due to safety issues and accidents on the line. The North Main Line has also been closed.
After nearly 20 years, PNR reopened the Metro North Commuter line, and launched the Caloocan–Dela Rosa shuttle line, on August 1, 2018. This would be followed by a steady expansion and reintroduction of rail services to the north, currently reaching to Malabon, which has not seen rail activity for nearly 20 years. In 2017, the Department of Science and Technology announced its first Filipino-designed train and started trial services between Alabang and Calamba in 2018. Services to Los Baños, Laguna via IRRI station were reopened in December 2019.
In 2018, PNR acquired three diesel-hydraulic locomotives, 15 coaches, and six sets of diesel multiple units from Indonesian rolling stock manufacturer Industri Kereta Api (INKA). The INKA trainsets and 5 of the Hyundai Rotem DMUs comprise a 14-train fleet that will replace the aging PNR 900 class as well as the second-hand rolling stock, as these trainsets were planned to be transferred to the Bicol Region for the Bicol Commuter services after 2020.
On February 16, 2023, DOTr announced the suspension of operations of the PNR system in Metro Manila for five years, along with the Metro Commuter services, to give way for the construction of the North–South Commuter Railway. The closures, initially expected to start by May 2023, began on July 2, 2023, with the suspension of the Alabang–Calamba route. The rest of the railway line temporarily closed on Maundy Thursday, March 28, 2024, with the last day of operations on the day before. The closure would fast-track the construction of the new railway line by eight months and save in costs. Current trainsets were transferred to operating services in Southern Luzon. The present line will also be rebuilt during and after the construction of the North–South Commuter Railway as it will serve as an alternate transport mode to the NSCR.
Route
The Metro Commuter Line is predominantly aligned and shares the path of the PNR South Main Line which uses a dedicated right of way of its own. Prior to the line's closure, it terminated at Calamba Station despite having rails further towards Legazpi, Albay, but few trains stop at Sta. Rosa and Calamba Stations further to the south. Inter-provincial services such as the Bicol Express and Mayon Limited are not running as of 2015 but plans to revive the services have been presented.
Legend Trains stop at stations marked "●". Trains pass those marked "｜". Only morning and evening trains stop at stations marked "◇". Morning and evening trains stopping only on Sundays at stations marked "X". Evening southbound trains only load at stations marked "♦". Morning and evening trains only unload at stations marked "♠". For AA-LA-IRRI, some trains stop at stations marked ∆, while all trains stop at stations marked ✓ closed stations MSC (TU-LA) — Metro South Commuter (Tutuban to Calamba) MSC (TU-IRRI) — Metro South Commuter (Tutuban to IRRI) MSC (AA-LA-IRRI) — Metro South Commuter (Alabang-Calamba- IRRI) MNC (TU-GP) — Metro North Commuter (Tutuban to Governor Pascual) MNC (GP-FTI) — Metro North Commuter (Governor Pascual to FTI) SS (TU-SU) — Shuttle Service (Tutuban to Sucat) SS (SA-SU) — Shuttle Service (Santa Mesa to Sucat) PT — Premiere Train
Name Distance (km) Services Transfers LocationBetween stationsFrom TutubanFrom Governor PascualMetro CommuterShuttlePT MSC(TU-LA) MSC(TU-IRRI) MSC(AA-LA-IRRI) MNC(TU-GP) MNC(GP-BIC) SS(TU-SU) SS(SA-SU) ——— rowspan="6" rowspan="6" rowspan="23" —— rowspan="6" rowspan="10" rowspan="6" rowspan="6" Valenzuela 1.300 6.400 0.000 ● ●Malabon 0.800 5.100 1.300 ● ●Caloocan 1.460 4.300 2.100 ● ● 1.380 2.840 3.560 ● ● 1.460 1.460 4.940 ● ●Manila — 0.000 — ● X ● ｜ ● ● 2.730 2.7305.530 ● rowspan="9" rowspan="34" ● ● ● 1.090 3.820 6.620 ● ● ● ｜ rowspan="2" 0.700 4.5207.320 ● ● ● ● 1.970 6.4909.290 ● ● ● ● ● 1.470 7.960 10.760 ● ● ● ● ｜ rowspan="7" 1.500 9.46012.260 ● ● ● ● ｜ 0.960 10.420 13.220 ● ● ● ● ｜ 0.600 11.020 13.820 ● ● ● ● ｜ 1.260 12.280 — ● ｜ ● ● ●Makati 0.120 12.400 15.200 ● ♦ ● ｜ ｜ ｜ 0.940 13.220 16.140 ● ♠ ● ● ● ● 1.080 14.300 17.220 ● ♠ ● ● ● ● 3.600 17.900 20.820 ● ♠ ● ● ● ｜ rowspan="22" Taguig 0.700 18.600 21.520 ● ♦ ● ● ● ｜ 2.300 20.900 23.820 ● ♦ ● ● ● ｜Parañaque 4.120 25.020— ● ♦ rowspan="19" ● ● ●Muntinlupa 3.673 28.693— ● ♦ ∆ rowspan="18" rowspan="18" ● 3.320 32.013— ◇ ◇ ∆ ｜ — — — — ｜ ｜ 3.361 35.374— ◇ ◇ ∆ ●San Pedro,Laguna 2.176 37.550— ◇ ◇ ∆ ｜ 1.170 38.720— ◇ ◇ ∆ ｜Biñan,Laguna 1.044 39.764— ◇ ◇ ∆ ● 4.042 43.806— ◇ ◇ ∆ ●Santa Rosa,Laguna Golden City 2 1.954 45.760 — ｜ ｜ ｜ 1.660 47.420— ◇ ◇ ∆ ｜Cabuyao,Laguna 5.530 52.950— ◇ ◇ ∆ ● 1.850 54.800 — ｜ ｜ ｜ style="background:#ccc;" rowspan="7" 1.338 56.138— ◇ ◇ ✓Calamba,Laguna 4.490 60.628— style="background:#ccc;" rowspan="5" ◇ ✓ 1.899 62.257— ◇ ✓ 2.382 64.909— ◇ ✓Los Baños,Laguna 2.172 67.081— ◇ ✓ 2.253 69.334— ◇ ✓
The line was open from 4:29 a.m. PHT (UTC+8) until 9:42 p.m. on a daily basis. It operated almost every day of the year unless special schedules were announced. During Holy Week, a public holiday in the Philippines, the line is closed for annual maintenance, owing to fewer commuters and traffic around the metro. Normal operation resumed after Easter Sunday.
Existing infrastructure Station layout All stations are at-grade, with most stations using a side platform layout. Most have only basic amenities, platforms and ticket booths. Rehabilitated stations along the Metro Manila line have been fitted with ramps for passengers using wheelchairs. Several stations have extended platforms, having an upper platform catering to DMU services, and a lower platform for regular locomotive-hauled services. As of August 2017, most of the stations are being extended and equipped with platform-length roofing, better ticketing office, and restrooms.
Signalling An automatic block signalling system by Mitsui was employed in the line as stated in a 1977 magazine by the International Railway Journal. However, a presentation published in 2015 by the Department of Transportation and Communications stated that there is no signalling in the line.
On November 16, 2021, PNR published the bidding documents for the design, installation, and commissioning of the signalling, interlocking, and level crossing systems for the Metro South Commuter section between and . The contract was awarded to PT Len Railway Systems of Indonesia in April 2022, and the contract was signed on May 19. PT Len Railway Systems will supply their SiLSafe 4000 computer-based interlocking system. The project was expected to be completed within 16 months after the contract signing, or until September 2023. However, these plans were never made, likely due to the construction of the North-South Commuter Railway in 2024.
Communications Prior to the upgrade, the communications system backbone consisted of VHF radios, augmented with land and mobile phones. It was a localized system with no repeater stations. From 2020 to 2022, the communications system was digitalized and computerized. In 2020, the PNR tapped Hytera to upgrade the system's communication system to a two-way radio system. The TETRA digital radio system, which is currently being used in the line, enables faster coordination in depot personnel and has a network management system, allowing tasks to be centralized and handled seamlessly. The upgrade was completed in February 2022.
Tracks The tracks are built to the narrow gauge. The existing tracks are ballasted, with the rails laid on wooden and concrete railroad ties. The existing tracks consist of rails.
Rolling stock