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San Fernando
San Fernando
General information
Location	San Fernando, Pampanga; Philippines
Owned by	Philippine National Railways
Operated by	Philippine National Railways
Line(s)	Planned: North Commuter ; Former: North Main Line
Platforms	Island platform (New station)
Tracks	4 (New station)
Construction
Structure type	At grade (Old station); Elevated (New station)
Parking	no
Bicycle facilities	no
Other information
Status	Closed (Old station); Under construction (New station)
Station code	SFN
History
Opened	February 23, 1892
Closed	1988 (Old station)
Rebuilt	2021-present (New station)
Future services
Angeles towards New Clark City	Apalit towards Tutuban

15°1′36.6″N 120°41′12.15″E / 15.026833°N 120.6867083°E / 15.026833; 120.6867083

San Fernando station is an under-construction elevated North–South Commuter Railway (NSCR) station located in San Fernando, Pampanga, Philippines.^[1]

The station was part of the Philippine National Railways (PNR) North Main Line before its closure in the 1980s. It was also the site of a stopping place for Filipino and American prisoners of war during the Bataan Death March in 1942.^[2]^[3] The old station, one of the few preserved, is a significant city landmark and now functions as a museum.

History

The station was inaugurated by Governor-General Eulogio Despujol and Bernardino Nozaleda, the Archbishop of Manila, on February 23, 1892.^[3] On June 27, 1892, José Rizal disembarked from this station to meet some recruits for La Liga Filipina and again the next day en route to Bacolor.^[3]^[4] In April 1942, during the Bataan Death March, the station served as the ending point for the 102-kilometer (63-mile) march from Bataan, from which Filipino and American prisoners-of-war were carted to Capas in Tarlac en route to their final destination, Camp O'Donnell.^[2]^[4]

The station has been closed since the ending of northbound rail services by Philippine National Railways (PNR) in 1988.^[5]

The station was to be rebuilt as a part of the Northrail project, which 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 in Bulacan and further on to Angeles City, Clark Special Economic Zone and Clark International Airport.^[6] The project commenced in 2007, but was repeatedly halted then discontinued in 2011.^[7]^[8]^[9]

The station is currently being rebuilt as part of the second phase of the North–South Commuter Railway.^[1]^[10] As part of the project, the old station will also be preserved.^[11] Partial operations are slated to begin by 2027.^[12]

Gallery

Façade of the train station
Frontage
Death March marker in the station
Station historical marker (2004)
Rear view
The station in 2023.

References

^ ^a ^b Paz, Chrisee Dela (June 25, 2017). "17 stations of Manila-Clark Railway announced". Rappler. Retrieved April 24, 2019.
^ ^a ^b Orejas, Tonette. "Death March glimpses in old train station". Retrieved July 22, 2018.
^ ^a ^b ^c Arcellaz, Princess Clea (August 20, 2017). "San Fernando assures preservation of city's old train station". Sunstar. Retrieved July 22, 2018.
^ ^a ^b "San Fernando train station | San Fernando, Pampanga - Baktin Corporation". Baktin Corporation. January 16, 2012. Retrieved July 22, 2018.
^ "Brief history of PNR". Philippine National Railways (February 27, 2009). Archived from the original on February 27, 2009. Retrieved November 4, 2011.
^ "Off track: Northrail timeline". ABS-CBN News. Retrieved February 17, 2019.
^ "Northrail construction now 'on track'". bayan-natin.blogspot.com. December 17, 2007. Retrieved October 20, 2011. Sourced to The Manila Bulletin.
^ Landingin, Roel. "Chinese foreign aid goes offtrack in the Philippines" (PDF). PCIJ (Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism). Archived from the original (PDF) on April 25, 2012. Retrieved October 20, 2011.
^ "Philippines: China-funded Northrail project derailed". Financial Times. Retrieved February 17, 2019.
^ Romero, Maria (March 8, 2021). "PNR Clark Phase 1 almost 50% complete–DoTr". Tribune.net.ph. Retrieved March 9, 2021.
^ INQUIRER.net (June 4, 2019). "PNR to preserve old train stations in Bulacan". newsinfo.inquirer.net. Retrieved April 18, 2020.
^ Taguines, Andrea (June 13, 2024). "North-South Commuter Railway partial operations pushed back to 2027: DOTr". ABS-CBN News. Retrieved July 12, 2024.