IRRI station

IRRI is a flagstop on the Main Line South of the Philippine National Railways (PNR), located at the front gate of the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) opposite to University of the Philippines Los Baños' Pili Drive in Los Baños, Laguna.[1] It is a flagstop for the line as there are no platforms yet being erected, temporary stairs for the trains are added in the meantime to facilitate loading and unloading.

IRRI
IRRI Flagstop as of July 2021
General information
LocationFront gate of IRRI, opposite to Pili drive, Los Baños, Laguna
Coordinates14°10′04″N 121°15′15″E
Owned byPhilippine National Railways
Line(s)  PNR Southrail
PlatformsStair
Tracks1
Construction
Structure typeAt grade
Other information
Station codeIRRI
History
OpenedDecember 1, 2019
Services
Preceding station   PNR   Following station
toward Tutuban
Metro South Commuter
(Flag Stop)
Terminus
Future services
Bucal
toward Tutuban
Bicol Express
(As Los Baños)
toward Legazpi

History

In December 2019, the flagstop was opened as PNR extended the Metro South Commuter trips by adding 5 more stations on the present commuter line. KiHa 59 series and KiHa 35 trainsets ply the route, with the former servicing the entire route to Tutuban and the latter going up to Alabang only. The station served as the southern terminus of the newly opened line.

Services was disrupted as soon as the lockdown caused by the COVID-19 Pandemic takes effect mid-March 2020. As of October 2021, the service is still inactive.

A passing loop was planned for possible use of locomotives in the station but only the switch was laid. This plan was not realized as of October 2021.

In January 2022, the railway switch and the steel stairs was dismantled by PNR Crew along with DEL 5007 to be repurposed for the upcoming Inter-Provincial Commuter Train Service between San Pablo City in the province of Laguna and Lucena City in the province of Quezon. Only some dismantled rail pieces and railfrogs remain scattered in the area of the flagtop.

Unfinished works for the planned siding at the flagstop. (July 2021)

Future

A new Los Baños station will be built further south of IRRI station at Brgy. Putho-Tuntungin under the PNR South Long Haul project, a reconstruction of the existing narrow-gauge rail line to standard gauge. It will be composed of three tracks, with two passing siding for each of its platforms, with the middle track reserved for express trains skipping the station.[2][3]

References
  1. "PNR extends line to Los Baños". CNN Philippines. Retrieved 2020-01-16.
  2. "Stations Layout Plan – Google Drive". drive.google.com. Retrieved 2021-11-21.
  3. "PNR South Long Haul Project". pnr.gov.ph. Retrieved 2021-11-21.


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