Anywhere in the Philippines, where sugar cane had been grown, were also trains to find. Luzon, Mindoro, Panay, Negros, Cebu, Leyte and Mindanao have all produced sugar and railways served many of the Sugar Mills, known locally as "Centrals".

The first written reference we have seen to carrying sugar cane by rail in the Philippines was on the Manila Railway in 1893. Sugar cane was also no doubt hauled over light rails by carabao (water buffalo) to some of the many muscovado mills.

Today, only in Negros you may still see some of the old steel-horses pulling sugar cane loaded cars through the fields. On other islands they have been replaced by trucks.

During the milling season from October to April, visits can be arranged to view old steam engines still chugging to and from the mills. In the harvest season trains are running 24 hours.

Of the 12 sugar mills in Negros, only two are still operating their railway with steam locomotives, the Hawaiian-Philippine Company and Central Azucarera de Bais.

Otherwise small diesel engines are painted yellow, orange or white/green. They are mostly six wheelers built by Plymouth Locomotive Works in the USA.

Sometimes one can see trains with more than 30 wagons or cane trucks in the fields. The remaining industrial railways all have a gauge of 3 feet (914 mm).

But in the mills of La Carlota and Hawaiian-Philippine they still have steam locos in working condition. You can charter them!

The Hawaiian-Philippine Company or HPCo as it is commonly called hereabouts, is the oldest and still very much operational sugar central in Silay City. It was established on June 3, 1918 by Hawaiian sugar planters and is currently owned by Jardine-Davis, a U.S. Company. Since then it has improved its facilities to meet world class standards. HPCo is also the owner of several old steam locomotives which are used to transport cut canes from the haciendas to be brought to the millsite.

These iron dinosaurs started operations in the 1920's with Baldwin Locomotive Works of Philadelphia as the major supplier of steam engines. Two of these steam locomotives, built by Baldwin Locomotive Works (c.1899 and 1916) were originally owned by the Honolulu Plantation Company until they were sold in 1947 to HPCo where they were used until 1998. In 2004, these two trains found their way back to Hawaii, where they serve today as a tourist attraction. Why not in the Philippines? See also our suggestion in the Bicol Express page.

The millsite is located in a 45 hectare area in the outskirts of Silay City. Visits can be organized by the Silay Tourism Office.

NEGROS OCCIDENTAL TOURISM CENTER
Cristine C. Mansinares
Supervising Tourism Operations Officer
Fax:(034) 433-2515, 476-2018
E-mail: tourism@negros-occ.gov.ph

Steam locomotive enthusiasts of FarRail.com of Germany visited Negros in 2006, 2007 and 2008. In the last year of their visit, they were in for some disappointments. Of the 12 sugar mills in Negros, only two are still operating their railway with steam locomotives, the Hawaiian-Philippine Company and Central Azucarera de Bais. The good news is that Central Azucarera de Bais is not planning on closing their railway operation. Several photos are from this FarRail.com website and are courtesy of Hans Hufnagel and Bernd Seiler.

 

Sidney Snoek has a wonderful blog with lots of pictures from sugar fields and people living and working there.

Another excellent website for railway enthusiasts is Railroads of Philippines. Unfortunately most pages are in Japanese language only. But the pictures are really great and do not need any translation.

Central Azucarera de La Carlota, Inc. traces its history to 1916 when it was estrablished by the Elizalde and Ynchausti families at Hacienda Esperanza in La Carlota, Negros Occidental at the south base of Mt. Kanlaon.

Prior to its establishment, there were already two sugar mills operating in the vicinity : Sta. Teresita and Kanlaon Mills. In 1920, CACI absorbed Sta. Teresita and Kanlaon and began its operations for crop year 1920-21.

Starting with two crushers and nine rolls, CACI expanded in 1925 to three mills. After WWII, it added another three mills in line with its philosophy of growth.

Expansion and modernization continued in the 70's with the installation of the Farrel Mill which increased milling capacity to about 10,000 tons cane per day, enabling CAC to become one of the biggest raw sugar mills in the Far East.

Continued investment and modernization resulted in higher milling efficiency and manufacturing recoveries which eventually led to the all-time high production of almost 3.4 milling Lkg bags in Crop Year 2002-2003. As a forward-looking and socially responsible corporation, CACI is gearing for the future with renewed commitment and hope.

The Central Azucarera in La Carlota is very interesting for photographers although taking pictures inside the central and locomotive depots is not allowed. But the scenery is stunning with Mount Kanlaon in the background. See also our Philippines volcano page.

The Central Azucarera in La Carlota is about 5 km south of La Carlota City and can be reached by tricycle or jeepney.

You can contact the Central Azucarera in La Carlota by e-mail: info@azucarlota.com

 

 

 

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