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Welcome one and all to the 'Philippine Railway Historical Society' blogsite. This site was set up to share photos, historical pieces, comment and virtually anything else pertaining to transportation in the Philippines, with a special emphasis on rail. Occasional we vary from topic, but this is the less serious side of the hobby shining through - cause sometimes, in this miserable and uptight world, we just take ourselves a little too seriously.
Since 1999, the Philippine Railway Historical Society has regularly published items, FOR FREE, of railway interest on our PRHS Website. These include locomotive, rollingstock and transit updates, as well as our occasional magazine, 'Along Da Riles'.
Our interest base has grown over the years with our main Facebook railway group expanding to include groups interested in other Philippine Transport, modelling of Philippine transport and even a group for Philippine railfans interested in overseas railways.
If it sounds interesting, come join in the fun of the oldest, and most diverse, group dedicated to Philippine railways and other transport.
We look forward to meeting you.

If you have a question Philippine railway related, just drop us a line, maybe we can help.
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Sunday, March 30, 2014

Hello,
   I was horrified to read this posting on the former RIHSPI Group this morning and guess others have seen it.
  After 15 years I would have expected most of us would have grown up a bit, but it seems some still hold on to ancient bias and unwarranted childish hatred.
  As someone who openly supported my friend (and RIHSPI President) Karel, plus who had boxes full of donations waiting to go to them when the museum was open, I can assure I am a long way from happy about their apparent stalling.
   I am also greatly supportive of the new splinter group set up by a new member to preserve some of the few things remaining since 2009.
  I've remained quiet about this long enough, but the endless attacks have worn thin.
  As a foreigner in the Philippines, my attacker seems to feel that no other foreigner should have an interest. The fact I started what become the railfan hobby today is seen as a big threat and, as such, rumours of my trying to control the hobby there are made up in order to discredit me.
  Even when we set up RIHSPI it was always the plan that Filipinos should run it.
  Why?
  Because I am very pro-Philippines, I love Filipinos and it is their country, so they should run it. My only aim from 1999 was to start a hobby there, something I have been quite successful at achieving.
  However despite the passing years, the defamatory comments have continued and I had thus decided to concentrate on promoting the model railway hobby there. This, I am happy to say, has been a lot more positive.
  My closest friend, who passed away a few years ago, pushed me to never give up on the Philippines. For him I have continued despite the pain this attacker has caused me.
  The reality is, by Philippine law I cannot control any group (RIHSPI or otherwise) in the Philippines. This fact does not stop the person accusing me of this ridiculous accusation.
  I've no interest in running a group there (never have and never will). I have enough things on my plate with the hobby here, the PRHS, modeling group I run and every day life to be bothered moving there to live and run a society.
  Indeed I was offered, even voted in as leader of one group without my knowledge, but still declined.
Moving there is the only legal way I can run a group.
  But still, severe paranoia leads to these sorts of baseless comments from people who, in reality, do little for the hobby except the occasional train journey. NEWSFLASH: A hobby does not survive on that.
  The attacker has been very successful in removing my interest from the 'Database Project', a plan to collate tonnes of information on locomotives and rollingstock in the Philippines for donating to archives and museums in the Philippines and around the world.
  We were passionate about giving something important back to Philippine research but the aim was to destroy this and it was done very well. 
  I am not angry, I just feel so sorry for someone who's life has got so low that they must hurt others to try to feel some sort of self worth. Especially when they use the name of dead friends to convey their message.
  I'm even more saddened as it was a person I thought was a friend who needed to be treated as such, all the time while being white anted from behind.
  The Philippines is important.
The railway hobby is important.
Friendship is very important.
Three points to always remember when others are trying to feed to one sided hatred.
Back to normal programming.



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