Ma-Ao Sugar Central 0-6-0 Locomotives in Philippines

Class 1 (Locobase 14743)

Data from DeGolyer, Vol 63, pp. 201. See also a listing of Sugar Centrals in the Philippines in the American Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines Journal (January 1922), p. 30; and the blog entry by Berniemack Arellano, "Bittersweet Memories of Maao Sugar Central", Habagatcentral.com ([]). Works numbers were 51712-51713 in April 1919 and 52417 in September.

When these plantation saddle tanks were bought by the brokers Welch, Fairchild and Company, they held 400 US gallons (1,514 litres) in the saddle tanks while the tender held 600 gallons (2,271 litres). Very similar locomotives were produced for the Philippine National Coal Company at the same time (Locobase 14740).

The Ma-Ao had just opened its central in Negros Occidental and was already credited with 1,500 tons of cane sugar per day. Arellano describes the "pulsating sugar central" some 20 km (12.4 miles) from Bago City. The "booming agro-industrial estate" had created a community "as vibrant as a busy street." Self-contained Maao Central featured amenities familiar to those aware of similar practices in many of the most enlightened logging companies in the American Southeast. The town, Arellano noted, then had "its own church, own housing for its staff, own market, own bank, park and recreational facilities and all others." Cultivating its workforce as assiduously as its sugar, Maao offered to its workers opportunities "such as housing, free scholarship for their children, and several other perks. " Indeed, there was talk of Maao incorporating as its own town.

A paternal interest in the workers endured into the 1950s and the company continued to be busy for some time. By 1982, however, the operation had fallen into disrepair and eventually disuse.