DOTr: NSCR will be safer, faster, more efficient transpo than PNR

The Department of Transportation said Wednesday the North-South Commuter Railway (NSCR) would be a safer, faster, and more efficient transportation than the Philippine National Railways (PNR). 

Transportation Undersecretary for Railways Jeremy Regino said there is a huge difference between NSCR and PNR since the 147-kilometer urban railway network will connect Metro Manila to Pampanga and Laguna. Its rails, like Light Rail Transit Line 1, 2, and 3, will also be elevated. 

“Ang pinagkaiba nito sa kasalukuyang PNR, elevated na po ito katulad po ng LRT Line 1, 2, and 3. Ibig po sabihin wala nang biglang tatawid sa riles, wala nang crossings ng mga sasakyan. Mas ligtas na po ang NSCR at mas mabilis na,” Regino said at a public briefing.  

(What makes it different from the current PNR is that it is elevated, just like LRT Lines 1, 2, and 3. This means that there will be no sudden rail crossings or vehicle crossings, making NSCR safer and faster.) 

He noted that travel time will also be cut short as the new train sets can travel 120 kilometers per hour, which is much faster than the maximum 30 kilometers per hour of PNR trains. 

Passengers can also expect a shorter waiting time of 10 to 15 minutes in the NSCR. 

“Ang kasalukuyang PNR, kapag peak hours, every 30 minutes ang bagong biyahe. Pag off peak hours, every one hour ang susunod na biyahe. Dito sa riles na ginagawa ngayon, sa bagong PNR, depende sa pangangailangan ng pasahero, depende po sa pasahero natin, pwede na pong every 10-15 minutes, mayroon nang babiyaheng train,” he said. 

(Under the current PNR, during peak hours, the trip is every 30 minutes. When off-peak hours, the next trip is every hour. The railway that is currently being built, the new PNR, will depend on the needs of the passengers.We can deploy a train every 10-15 minutes.) 

The trains will also have a signaling system. If the operator or driver is absentminded, the system can detect any possible danger, whether an accident, disaster, or an unidentified object. The train will automatically stop once it has detected any. 

“Isa pa po, ang bagong PNR konektado na po sa LRT Line 1, 2, and 3 pati MRT 4 and 7. Interconnected na po ang ating mga biyahe,” Regino added. 

(One more thing, the new PNR is now connected to LRT Line 1, 2, and 3 as well as MRT 4 and 7. Our trips are now interconnected.) 

He further said that students and workers living in Pampanga can commute daily to Metro Manila. The NSCR is expected to decongest Metro Manila traffic and strengthen economic growth in all the cities and municipalities it will pass through. 

On March 28, the PNR will cease its operations to give way for the construction of the NSCR project, which is expected to last approximately until 2028. This project is expected to shorten travel time from Clark, Pampanga, all the way to Calamba, Laguna, by less than two hours. 

The rail project is expected to accommodate 800,000 passengers per day. 

To accommodate passengers who will be affected by the PNR suspension, the DOTr and the Land Transportation and Franchising Regulatory Board (LTFRB) arranged alternative bus routes.—AOL, GMA Integrated News