IMPROVING OUR RAILWAY SYSTEMS

IMPROVING OUR RAILWAY SYSTEMS Not too many people realize that MERALCO was originally an acronym for Manila Electric and Rail Company, meaning that in those days, MERALCO was in the rail car business, powered by the electricity that they were also generating. Some might argue that the rail cars were not "true" trains, but I will also argue that anything that runs on a railway is a train, no matter what. Many years later, we were so fascinated by the "modern" LRT system that was built, not realizing that it is really just a rail car that runs on electricity that is supplied by no other than MERALCO. On closer look, the LRT system (and now the MRT) system is very similar to the subway systems running abroad, but we do not call the LRT a subway because it does not run underground. Actually, the MRT runs underground, but we still do not call it a subway. The good news is, the PNR will finally be modernized with extended rail routes to further destinations. The bad news is, the system will be shut down while the construction will be going on. One would wish that the project should have been planned in such a way that the whole system does not have to be shut down completely. How modern will the new system be? It will probably be faster than its present speed, but we do not hear about magnetic levitation or bullet train technologies being mentioned. Why wait this long to upgrade the old PNR system? Is it because of money? If it is about money, the government should invite more B-O-T or PPP proponents so that more train systems could be made, including destinations all over the Visayas and Mindanao. Is it not about time to do that? IKE SENERES/6-14-24