I‘m sure you must have heard about the famous San Francisco cable car… Los Baños, in the Philippines, has their own version of the cable car as some friends of mine from San Francisco discovered recently.
Here’s a little bit of the trivial history to how the “cable car” became one of the must-try when you visit Los Baños (among Navigator friends at least)
Did you know who introduced the Navs in Los Baños to this mode of transport? Ask ate Glo… it was a crazy, adventurous Singaporean who insisted on trying it.
The Filipino staff said it was DANGEROUS… and that people get killed riding it. But that wasn’t going to deter the nut. She dragged ate Glo along and got her to negotiate with the “cable car” driver the price.
The night before they (ate Glo and the Singaporean) went on that inaugural ride of their lives, the Singaporean asked everyone in the ministry to pray for their safety.
Danny Narcisco, who was staff in Los Baños then, said, “Yes, we will pray for your safety because it is easier to pray for your safety than to send your dead body back to Singapore. YES we will pray for your safety.”
Ever since that ride in 1996, I think it has been a not-to-be-missed tourist pilgrimage for all who visit Los Baños…
That Singaporean was ME.
I SURVIVED to tell my story… you are benefactors of my madness. Hehe…
On a more sombre note… What really are these cable cars?
Squatters make their home along the rundown railway that runs from Tutuban, Manila, and ends in Calamba, Laguna with branch line to Carmona, Cavite, a total stretch of 40 kilometers. These cable cars are a means of transport and livelihood for them.
The cable car is powered by a man (or boy) who propels the car forward by leg power – somewhat they way we pushed our little scooters when we were young. He stops the car the same way, with his feet. One wonders how quickly his slippers wear out. Sometimes they have brakes installed.
I’m told that in some areas, these cable cars are even motorised – but those are dangerous they said because they can travel very quickly.
Squatters along the tracks
“Squatters have built illegal shacks right next to the tracks on railway property. Their populous presence reduces train speed through Manila, and it takes several hours just to get out of the city.
The driver of the train says, ‘If they (the people jumping and prancing in front of the train and getting out of the way at the last minute) want to challenge me, I’ll run over every one of them!’”
Cable car Philippines style
“Carts, similar to maintenance of way vehicles, are illegally hand-built by the public, who then run them up and down the track. This one is directly following the passenger train and is precariously carrying a family. Among the unbelievable and staggaring number of these carts, were some simply being used as toys by the older children. On a television news show I saw, the police had a special operation to collect these carts – they had stacked a huge pile outside Manila and burned them.”
Unwritten “rules” governing the rail
What happens when two cable cars face each other head on? Who gives way to who?
The passengers on the cable car with the fewer passenger gets off their car. The driver lifts the car off the track so the more loaded car can continue on their journey. Then he puts the car back on the track so that the passengers can continue on their journey.
And if a car is loaded with goods? Then the car with passengers get off so that the car with the goods can proceed on the track.
Once the car facing Ate Glo and myself had more passengers. We were surprised when the young people got off their car and let us go… apparently, age has some bearing on who has right of way as well!
The people know the schedule of the trains and of course everyone steers clear when real trains are on the tracks.
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