Historical Development of the Railway System in Bais City Negros Oriental Philippines
By : Bais City Historian Prof. Penn T. Larena ,CPS,MPA,DPA The railway system in Bais City played a crucial role in the development of the local sugar industry, facilitating the efficient transportation of sugarcane from the farms to the sugar mills. The early railway network was established alongside the rise of the Central Azucarera de Bais, one of the pioneering sugar mills in Negros Oriental, which began operations at the outset of the 20th century. Early Steam-Powered Operations In the initial years, steam locomotives were the primary mode of transport for hauling sugarcane to the mill site. One of the most notable steam engines was Engine Number 7, built by "The Baldwin Locomotive Works" of Philadelphia. Steam-powered railway transport was widely adopted during the early 1900s, as most sugar centrals in Negros relied on this technology. By the early 1920s, the sugar centrals expanded their railway networks, connecting various haciendas in Bais, Tanjay, and P...