Semi Retired Foamer

For over four decades I have been a rail and bus photographer.

However, during this time I have aimed the lens at other subjects, be they different transportation, scenery, buildings and other bollocks.

Given these do not really fit the scope of my other sites, I felt compelled to set up a new site so as to inflict my other photographic garbage upon the world.
While primarily Philippine and Australian content, there will be the occasional forays into Fiji and Hong Kong. Perhaps other locations should the current pandemic ever allow it.

So sit back and enjoy, or hate, even be indifferent. That choice is purely up to you.

Official Home Of the 'Brad N Virls Adventure Series' - Images are copyright, so contact us if you would like to use any photos on your site/video! (We don't bite)

Sunday, 29 March 2026

LA CARLOTA TRUCKERS PT2 NEGROS OCCIDENTAL

La Carlota, Negros Occidental

Philippines

Part 2

Welcome back, thrillseekers!

Let me kick things off by confessing: when it comes to this particular topic, I’m mostly just winging it. Unlike some of the honorary PhDs in “Everything Railways” floating around the railfan scene, I’m not about to fake it 'til I make it—and I definitely won’t insult your intelligence by pretending to be an expert.

So, if you’ve got some juicy facts or corrections about any of the trucks below, hit me up! I’ll gladly add your info and give you full credit, street cred included.

As a lifelong train nut, I’ve gotta admit—trucks have never really been my thing. Every now and then I’d snap a photo of one, usually because it looked as ancient as I feel, or because I was bored stiff waiting for the next train to show up.

But recently, something amazing happened: I finally ticked off a 25-year-old dream (a second time ;-) ) and made it to Negros Occidental & Oriental! And naturally, I went full railfan mode, diving headfirst into the hunt for any surviving bits and pieces of the old sugar industry railways. Spoiler alert: it was like a treasure hunt, minus the pirates.

A huge thank you to Mr Shang Gow for all his help with these trucks. His truck knowledge is amazing.

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Semi-Retired Foamer!

We are just a little bit different!

Follow our page to be kept updated on every Philippine thing we inflict upon the internet.

Join the fun here.

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Above and below

La Carlota Mill truck parking yard which sees a large amount of loaded vehicles waiting to go dump a good load at the mill.

Photos: Brad Peadon

Above and two below

WCK-957

La Carlota Mill truck parking yard.

This red truck is a M35 US military truck from the Vietname War era.

The red on on the left is an Izuzu.

Photos: Brad Peadon

FAL-358

La Carlota Mill truck parking yard.

This one is a real gem—with it's classic bonnet type design.

Photo: Brad Peadon

Above and below

FBK-990 (the colourful one)

Fuso T41

The red truck in the photo is another classic survivor from the 50s or 60s.
White on is a Isuzu New Power CXZ.

Photos: Brad Peadon

FFA-451

An M34 ex military truck converted for cane haulage.

La Carlota Mill truck parking yard.

Photo: Brad Peadon

FCA-225

La Carlota Mill truck parking yard.

Modified Dodge S series.

Photo: Brad Peadon

A somewhat more modern Mitsubishi Fuso NAM-6572.

La Carlota Mill truck parking yard.

Photo: Brad Peadon

FBM-772.

La Carlota Mill truck parking yard.

Photo: Brad Peadon

T6G-468.

La Carlota Mill truck parking yard.

Fifth generation Ford F-series.

Photo: Brad Peadon

GAT-724.

La Carlota Mill truck parking yard.

They sure make use of every possible bit of space for loading cane.

Photo: Brad Peadon

A look across the yard with the La Carlota sugar mill behind the trees in the background.

Photo: Brad Peadon

Note: I'm very ignorant when it comes to trucks.

I can fully admit that. :-)

If you have any correction and/or additions please shoot me a message either by email or on our Facebook page.

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La Carlota City is a charming spot tucked away in the province of Negros Occidental, in the heart of the Philippines’ sugar-producing region. It’s a place where history, agriculture, and small-town warmth all come together—kind of like if a heritage town and a sugarcane field had a really wholesome baby. While it may not be the first name on every tourist’s itinerary, La Carlota has its own quiet charisma, especially if you’ve got a thing for colonial-era buildings, heritage churches, or just really scenic drives through fields of green.

The city’s claim to fame is its strong ties to the sugar industry. It’s surrounded by miles and miles of sugarcane, and it’s home to one of the country’s oldest sugar mills, the less than friendly Central Azucarera de La Carlota. If you’re into industrial history or love the smell of molasses in the morning, this place is basically a unwelcoming pilgrimage site. Back in the day, narrow-gauge railway lines snaked their way across the countryside, connecting sugar plantations to the mill. While many of those tracks have vanished, the railway legacy still lingers—if you know where to look.

La Carlota also has a strong sense of community and a pace of life that doesn’t rush for anyone. People here are friendly, laid-back, and probably know half the town by name. The city also comes alive during its annual Pasalamat Festival, a colorful, music-filled thanksgiving celebration that blends Catholic traditions with indigenous rituals. Think street dancing, costumes made from farm produce, and enough food to put you into a very festive food coma.

While it might not be buzzing with nightlife or ultra-modern attractions, La Carlota’s charm lies in its authenticity. It’s a great base if you’re interested in heritage travel, industrial archaeology, or just exploring the off-the-beaten-path parts of Negros. Whether you’re chasing down ghost tracks from old sugar railways or just soaking up the scenery with a cold drink in hand, La Carlota welcomes you with open arms (unless you are the sugar mill which were the gold standard in unfriendly)—and maybe a sugarcane snack or two.

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Putting these sites together does take an immense amount of time and effort.

If you even find some moderate amount of enjoyment would you consider giving us even a little bit of

support here?
Pretty please :-)

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Shang Gow (my amazingly knowledgeable friend).

Nhing Nhings, Tin Tins & Chris our driver.

The friendly truck drivers who are always so good.

The incredibly unhelpful and unfriendly people at the La Carlota Sugar Mill.

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Philippine Railway Historical Society blog.

Philippine Railway Historical Society Group.

Negros/Panay Sugar Tramway & Sugar Industry
Past and Present

Silay Truckers 2023 - Part 1

Silay Truckers 2023 - Part 2

La Carlota Truckers - Part 1

Negros Steam Hunt 2023 - Bacolod to Sagay.

La Carlota #108 - A Baldwin in Bacolod.

La Carlota City Official Website

Pasalamat Festival

We have many sites and forums, check out our Link Tree below:
Your link to all the things we have to entertain you.

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A new research forum for people interested in the sugarcane railways and industry on Negros and Panay Islands (Philippines)
We are always seeking new members to join in.

#semiretiredfoamer

#PRHSociety

Tuesday, 10 March 2026

MANDAON ILUMNI WEEKEND (PHILIPPINES) 8-3-2025 - PART 2

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Semi-Retired Foamer!

We are just a little bit different!

Follow our page to be kept updated on every Philippine thing we inflict upon the internet.

Join the fun here.

-----------------------------------------------

The Asawa, in what can only be described as a moment of either great generosity or a brief lapse in judgement, decided it was finally time to present her somewhat weathered husband to polite society. And not just quietly, mind you. Oh no. If you’re going to unveil the foreign spouse, you may as well do it properly—during not one but two major local events. First, her high school alumni celebration, and then the fiesta of her original barangay the following day. Clearly, she believes in easing a man into things gently… by throwing him into the deep end.

This particular chapter covers the first of those adventures: the alumni homecoming. The festivities began with a cheerful march kicking off from a church on the eastern side of town (a location that will become relevant later, so do keep it in mind). From there the parade wound its way through the streets, past the port, around a few strategic corners, and then—because the organisers clearly believed no road should go un-walked—headed all the way back east again to the high school.

The weather, naturally, was the sort of tropical warmth that locals barely notice. Everyone else seemed perfectly comfortable. Meanwhile, yours truly—the pale foreigner who considers anything above 25°C to be suspiciously close to volcanic activity—was quietly reconsidering life choices while trying to look cheerful. Thankfully, the general mood of the crowd was high enough to carry everyone along, including the overheated visitor at the back of the parade.

And what a crowd it was. Alumni had returned from various corners of the Philippines and beyond, each proudly representing their graduating batch. In the Philippines, these things are taken quite seriously. Some batches celebrate milestone anniversaries, others simply show up because any excuse for a gathering with food, music, and a mild amount of competitive bragging is perfectly acceptable.

Standing among the rolling green hills of Masbate is the school at the centre of all this nostalgia: what most people still call Mandaon National High School. Over the years it has acquired a slightly more distinguished title—Federico A. Estipona Memorial High School, or FAEMHS for short. The renaming was even recorded in official government paperwork, which confirms it wasn’t simply a rumour that grew legs after one too many glasses of Tanduay at the local sari-sari store.

Despite the new and impressively formal name, locals still happily refer to it by the old one, because habits—especially Filipino ones—tend to stick around. The school remains one of the main educational institutions in the municipality and, like most organisations these days, much of its public life now happens on Facebook. There you’ll find updates on school events, flag ceremonies, student achievements, alumni reunions, and the occasional nostalgic comment from former students remembering canteen snacks that were somehow both questionable and unforgettable.

The campus itself occasionally appears in drone videos proudly circulating online, showing the school nestled near Barangay Laguinbanwa—or at least that’s what the internet claims. I personally haven’t managed to confirm the exact barangay reference anywhere official, so treat that detail with the traditional Filipino pinch of salt.

In the Philippines, alumni homecomings are not merely polite gatherings with tea and polite conversation. That would be far too restrained. Instead, they are lively mini-festivals where former students return to celebrate their school days, reminisce about teachers who somehow survived teaching them, and compare notes on who has aged gracefully and who has embraced a more… comfortable relationship with rice.

Parades or motorcades are common, often involving banners, marching alumni, and the occasional vehicle decorated like it’s auditioning for a festival float. Once everyone eventually arrives back at the school, the official program begins—speeches, performances, music, and the occasional batch competition thrown in for good measure.

And of course, there is food. Magnificent food.

By the time we reached the high school grounds, preparations had clearly been underway for some time. Long tables groaned heroically under the weight of dishes prepared for the occasion, creating a feast that could easily rival a small wedding reception. There was more than enough to ensure nobody would leave hungry—an outcome that, in the Philippines, would be considered a grave organisational failure.

Entertainment was equally impressive. Music and performances kept the crowd lively, batches cheered for one another, and laughter echoed around the grounds as old classmates reunited and swapped stories about school days that were almost certainly exaggerated with every retelling.

It was, in short, a wonderful beginning to the festivities—full of warmth, nostalgia, music, and enough food to feed a moderately sized army.

And this, dear reader, was only day one.

The next instalment will cover the even bigger celebrations that followed the very next day—when the fiesta of the Asawa’s original barangay took things to an entirely new level. 🎉