The Manila-Dagupan Railroad

The first railroad line in the country

On June 25, 1875, under a royal decree issued by King Alfonso XII of Spain, the required Inspector of Public Works of the Philippine Islands was requested to submit a railway system plan for Luzon. The plan, which was submitted five months later by Don Eduardo Lopez Navarro, was entitled Memoria Sobre el Plan General de Ferrocarriles en la Isla de Luzón, and was promptly approved. A concession for the construction of a railway line from Manila to Dagupan was granted to Don Edmundo Sykes of the Ferrocarril de Manila-Dagupan on June 1, 1887.

The Ferrocarril de Manila-Dagupan which constitutes much of the North Main Line today, began construction in July 1887 with the laying of the cornerstone for Tutuban station. The railway was 195 kilometers (120 miles) long at the time of its opening on November 24, 1892, running from Manila to Dagupan City in Pangasinan.The maiden voyage of the Bicol Express was on . The track from Dagupan to Legaspi was completely connected on May 8, 1938.

Later the Ferrocarril de Manila-Dagupan became the Manila Railway Company. It was nationalized and its assets were acquired by the Philippine government, which expanded the rail network, only to have most of those improvements lost during World War II. Of the 1,140 route-kilometers (706 miles) before the war, only 452 route-kilometers (280 miles) were operational after it.[5] The extensive damage to the system took several years to repair. During the 1950s the Manila Rail Company fleet of trains was converted from steam to diesel engines. The Manila Railway Company was given a new charter under Republic Act No. 4156, and the company changed its name to Philippine National Railways.

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Philippine_National_Railways

The Manila-Dagupan railroad no longer exists. It is one of the numerous railways in Luzon which have been abandoned and forgotten. Before World War II, the Manila Railway Company operated 1,140 kilometers of railways in the island. Its most popular routes were Manila-Legazpi and Manila-Tabaco in Albay; and Manila-San Fernando in La Union. After World War II, only 452 kilometers of the railways were left operational.http://mongpalatino.com/2010/10/abandoned-railways/

The map and destinations of the railroad

Railroad Stations

Along the rail route, numerous stations were built to house and accommodate passengers and Station Masters. These structures, most made of brick and wood, who shelter the official needs and functions of the assigned Station Master as well as commuters who would wait for their rides as well as onlookers who as part of their daily routine would flock to see the trains pass by. The station thus became a hub of the community, springing to life a multitude of activities from selling food to travelers as well as meeting place for travelers.http://heritageconservation.wordpress.com/category/railroad-stations/

Tutuban Station

(now part of Tutuban Central Mall)

Meycauayan Station

Bocaue Station

Bigaa Station

Guiguinto Train Station

Malolos Train Station

Calumpit Train Station

San Fernando Train Station

Restored by the government of San Fernando, Pampanga

Angeles Train Station

Mabalacat Train Station

Bamban Train Station

Capas Train Station

Now museum of the Death March

Tarlac Train Station

Gerona Train Station

Paniqui Train Station

Moncada Train Station

Bayambang Train Station

demolished

Malasiqui Train Station

San Carlos Train Station

Calasiao Train Station

Dagupan Train Station

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