| Manila Railroad MC class PNR MC class | |
|---|---|
 A two-car MC railmotor in Legazpi, 1938 | |
| In service | 1932–c. 1980s |
| Manufacturer | MRR Caloocan |
| Constructed | 1930–32, 1940 |
| Entered service | 1932 |
| Refurbished | 1948–49 |
| Scrapped | 1945 onwards |
| Number under construction | 1932 |
| Number built | At least 102 |
| Number in service | 0 |
| Number preserved | 0 |
| Number scrapped | N/A |
| Predecessor | N/A |
| Successor | JMC class |
| Formation | 2 to 7 cars per train |
| Capacity | 336 |
| Operators | Manila Railroad Company; Philippine National Railways |
| Depots | Tutuban |
| Lines served | Entire PNR network |
| Specifications | |
| Doors | 2 or 4 |
| Maximum speed | 60 km/h (37 mph) |
| Weight | 7 t (15,000 lb) per car |
| Prime mover(s) | 96 hp (72,000 W) |
| Engine type | Cummins engines |
| UIC classification | Bo'Bo' |
| AAR wheel arrangement | B-B |
| Braking system(s) | Westinghouse |
| Coupling system | Janney coupler |
| Track gauge | 1,067 mm (3 ft 6 in) |
The Manila Railroad Rail Motor Car was a class of at least 100 railmotors built by the company in 1932 for its short-distance fleet. It was the first train to be fitted with a gasoline engine, and after its 1948 overhaul, the second trainsets to be powered by diesel fuel after the 8500-class switchers.
Background edit
Local trains used to ply the Manila Railroad network. As tendered locomotives such as the Manila Railway 100 class took over the primary express services on the North Main Line during the late 1900s, the existing tank locomotives started to intensify its presence on various branch lines such as the Antipolo branch in Rizal and later the Naic line in Cavite as the backbone of its local fleet.
However, the Great Depression impacted the American economy and some of MRR's American suppliers such as Baldwin Locomotive Works were going into bankruptcy.[1] Iowa State University professor Jonathan Smith noted in 2007 that the Manila Railroad did not acquire any steam locomotives until 1944, and did not purchase new locomotives until 1954. This would have been the motivation to convert some of its rolling stock into self-propelled railcars.[2]
Design edit
The MC class was the first in Philippine service to adopt some principles of a streamlining. Some units featured an aerodynamic nose similar to the Burlington Zephyr while others adopted a center-cab design. However, the openable windows at the front are rather counter-intuitive in its streamlined design. The seating arrangement used was a combination of longitudinal and front-facing seats like those on the old New York City Subway cars. The seats were of a wooden construction and did not have due to its short-haul purpose compared to those used by locomotive-hauled cars.
The first trainsets were made with a gasoline engine. After 1940, these have been converted into diesel. Cummins later provided the engines for the 1949 rebuild.
Service edit
The class was presented to the MRR administration in 1932. Due to its construction, it was made for mostly short-haul services. The trainsets were also used alongside the inaugural Manila–Legazpi Bicol Express service hauled by two Manila Railroad 170 class steam locomotives in 1938. In 1940, the gasoline engines were replaced with diesel and were replaced with newer Cummins engines in 1949. In the 1950s, the class was replaced by Japanese-built JMC class railcars. The scrapping date for these trainsets remain unknown, but no units managed to survive to the present day.
- ^ Marx 1976, p. 5.
- ^ Smith, Jonathan. "Manila Railroad steam locomotives". Iowa State University. Retrieved January 22, 2021.