San Fernando station is a former railway station located on the North Main Line in Pampanga, Philippines. The station was the site of a stopping place for Filipino and American prisoners of war during the Bataan death march in 1942.[1][2] It is currently being rebuilt as part of the second phase of the North–South Commuter Railway.[3][4] As part of the project, the old station will also be preserved.[5] The old station is a historical landmark in the city.

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 (1892-02-23); 2024
Closed	1988 (Old station)
Rebuilt	2021-present (New station)
Future services
Preceding station PNR Following station Angeles towards Clark International Airport NSCR Commuter Apalit towards Calamba Angeles towards New Clark City Apalit towards Tutuban

History

The station was inaugurated by Governor-General Eulogio Despujol and Bernardino Nozaleda, the Archbishop of Manila, on February 23, 1892.[2] 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.[2][6] 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.[1][6]

The station has been closed since the ending of northbound rail services by Philippine National Railways (PNR) in 1988.[7]

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.[8] The project commenced in 2007, but was repeatedly halted then discontinued in 2011.[9][10][11]

Gallery

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

References