All about railways in Indonesia (beware of HD pics)


This is an official video made by CV Wahyu Jaya intended for promoting grade crossing equipments built by the company at their workshops in Tambakan, Blitar (about 3 kilometers north of Wlingi station). Currently this company has supplied newly-built grade crossing equipments under the brand name Wantech to Indonesian Railways (through the Ministry of Transportation) and its products were already installed at more than 10 locations, with most of them were intended for creating safer grade crossings on busy mainlines. Since its design was loosely based on those built by Nederlandse Machinefabriek Alkmaar (NMA) in the past, indeed its design closely resembles the NMA-built ones, though the equipped with more features like train direction indicator light, all-purpose LED information board, etc.
 
[WARNING: large pictures]

December 10th, 2020 saw the very historical moment occurred in the city of Yogyakarta, where one of former East Japan Railway Company 205 Series of Musashino Line (former KeYo M23 trainset a.k.a 205-9F, part of 205-5000 subgroup) sent to the Yogyakarta in preparation for commencement of operation of electrified section between Yogyakarta and Solo Balapan finally started its trial run between Gawok and Yogyakarta stations (remaining section from Gawok to Solo Balapan is still yet to be completed due to delayed progress). This is the photo of former KeYo M23 entered the northern platform area of Yogyakarta station:

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(pic taken by one of employee)

And here is the photo of KeYo M23 entered Lempuyangan station from the east:

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(pic by Twitter account "@instrail_tweet")

Following here is the picture of former KeYo M23 entered Yogyakarta station while passing the Code River bridge (colloquially known as "Kewek bridge" by Yogyakarta citizens):

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(pic by Twitter account "@kusumazandy")

The temporary plate for supporting auxiliary chains is seen here still left intact, as it had to be towed by CC201 series locomotive (and sandwiched with idle coaches for increasing braking performance) from Solo Balapan depot to Gawok station due to still incomplete electrification work between Gawok and Solo Balapan stations.

Ironically, the former KeYo M23 series currently allocated to Yogyakarta division suffered "roof equipment destruction incident" when it struck upper part of truss bridge located to the north of Kalioso station while being transported from Depok EMU depot in Depok City to Solo Balapan depot on October 30th, 2020 (the same day when former Tokyo Metro 6000 series trainset 6130F was derailed at Kampung Bandan station due to defects on doubleslip turnout), due to the bridge has narrower clearance than the 205 series itself (yeah, it's the fault of the upper management of the company who insists on transporting the train without removing roof equipments like pantograph, air conditioner, ventilator etc before ). This incident sparked controversy among both Indonesian and Japanese railfans, and unfortunately a large number of Japanese railfans mercilessly blamed Indonesian railfans like me for the accident (especially the "roof equipment destruction incident" one) without knowing that the real culprit is the upper management (even I heard rumor that the CEO of Indonesian Railways was furiously angered when he heard the news of both accidents). But thankfully there are replacement parts available at Manggarai workshops, which then transported by truck through the Trans-Java Toll Road and arrived at Solo Balapan depot in just 8 hours after it departs from Jakarta. This enabled workers there to replace damaged components in a very short time, and it took less than 3 days to restore the former KeYo M23 back into operable state (and making the Japanese railfans once again being happy).
 
Decided to revive this thread again:


This slideshow video featured several different photographs of last years of steam locos of Indonesian Railways, during the days when it was still known as "Perusahaan Jawatan Kereta Api" or PJKA. Of course the D14 a.k.a SS1400 series locomotive (which is one of the favorite locomotive of Mr. Daveric a.k.a "zsuda") is also included within this slideshow. :)
 
... thank you so much, arya ... keep on reviving ...
have a good year, with a lot of health and wisdom ...
grtz
daveric
 
Here is the photo of former JR East 205 series EMU taken at Yogyakarta station when it performs trial run before the commencement of operation of overhead line between Yogyakarta and Solo Balapan stations (beware: large photo):

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(original photo by Dzulfikar Zuhair)

The train is seen here entering the northern side of station area, which during the Dutch East Indies period it was used solely for handling 1067mm-gauge trains (as opposed to the southern side, which was for 1435mm-gauge trains of Nederlands-Indische Spoorweg Maatschappij or NIS). Currently the northern platform is for Jakarta and Bandung-bound trains, whereas the southern platform is for handling Surabaya and Malang-bound trains.

Cheers,

Arya.
 

This is the video of grade crossing #101 located just before the Bogor-bound home signal of Cianjur station. Between 2:34 and 2:57 we can see the classical "warning bell" (Indonesians like me called them as "genta JPL" or "grade crossing bell") intended to warn crossing guard that a train is about to passing the grade crossing is still in operable state (of course they're operated using electromagnetic induction generated from handle located inside signal room of each station). While some of the grade crossing had their "warning bell" replaced with electronic speaker that emits "warning bell" sound, the remaining of them are still in operational state.

Slightly off-topic from the grade crossing:

As we can see in the video, up to this day most of stations between Bogor and Padalarang are still using Siemens & Halske semaphore signals (outside Cipatat and Tagogapu, which has been replaced with electric signals). But some of stations like Ciranjang and Cipeuyeum were previously having Krian-type roundel signals or "sinyal tebeng tipe Krian" installed there (and of course they're from the days when Staatsspoorwegen a.k.a SS was still doing its business in Dutch East Indies period), although they were already in defunct state when the Bogor - Padalarang line was temporarily closed for some years due to landslide (in fact, Bogor - Padalarang line is one of the most dangerous railway line of Indonesian Railway in term of its risk of having landslide damaging railway tracks). AFAIK the Krian-type roundel signals at Ciranjang and Cipeuyeum were replaced by Siemens & Halske semaphore signals sometimes between 2012 and 2015.

Regards,

Arya.
 
Another bump:


This video documented the Wringinanom Sugar Refinery (NL: Suikerfabriek Wringinanom, ID: Pabrik Gula Wringinanom) in Situbondo Regency, East Java, and it was made by one of Indonesian railfan that is active on creating documentary video of operation of sugar refineries in the island of Java. In this video we could see that the author of this video boarded one of empty sugarcane train (of course in the locomotive, after he took permission from the employee) all the way into the location where Wringinanom Sugar Refinery Railway crossed with former Panarukan Line of Indonesian Railways (closed in April 2004) as a diamond crossing. While there have been several plans for reopening Panarukan Line, there is a doubt whether the diamond crossing would be once again revived, or permanently removed to make way for increasing speed of Panarukan Line once the line is open back to rail traffic (though there is a possibility that the diamond crossing would be revived, as the sugarcane fields of Wringinanom Sugar Refinery located to the south of Panarukan Line's right-of-way is still active as of 2020).
 
A special video to Mr. Daveric a.k.a zsuda:


This is the video of D1410 (former SS1410) sent to Purwosari station on February 6th, 2020, after underwent large overhaul work at Yogyakarta locomotive workshops (which is colloquially referred by local people and rail fans as "Balai Yasa Pengok", though this workshops is actually former workshops of Nederlands-Indische Spoorweg Maatschappij or NIS) for reviving it as operational steam locomotive, where this locomotive was preserved as a static display at The Transportation Museum of Taman Mini Indonesia Indah in Jakarta after ended its operation at Bogor - Padalarang line more than 30 years ago. One of the main purpose of reviving D1410 itself was to relieve the burden of C1218 (former SS457, pre-1912 number SS229), which was the only locomotive available for hauling special tour train "Sepur Kluthuk Jaladara" between Purwosari and Solo Kota stations on Wonogiri Line for a long time since the commencement of operation of "Sepur Kluthuk Jaladara". While the D1410 itself is capable to run under its own power, but the age of this locomotive made Indonesian Railways decided to couple this locomotive with a moderate-sized track motor car (TMC), which in case if the locomotive suffered technical problems the TMC would push locomotive from the rear (since the locomotive's old style Norwegian coupler is reused, the TMC is equipped with a special version of knuckle coupler allowing the insertion of adapter coupler for coupling with Norwegian coupler-equipped old rolling stocks like the D1410).

Cheers,

Arya.
 
.. terima kasih banyak, Arya .. i've saved it as a historical memory ... thankz for all your detailed info ...
grtz
daveric
 
You're welcome, Mr. Daveric!

As long as time permits, I will try to dig more historical part of railways of Indonesia itself, of course from the days when Staatsspoorwegen and other companies in the Dutch East Indies period still exist until today. :)

==============================

Additional note: the usage of hook-equipped chain for strengthening the coupler during the days when Norwegian couplers were still the major standard is still inherited by Indonesian Railways, even after the AAR knuckle coupler became the current standard for railway coupling in Indonesia. :)
 
Still related to the D1410:


This video featured the D1410 from another angle, complete with the interview to one of the staff of Indonesian Railways (PT Kereta Api Indonesia), along with the interior of D1410's cabin itself. And of course this video also covers on-board shots taken from the driver cab of TMC coupled behind the locomotive. As of January 16th, 2021, the section where this locomotive underwent main line run from Lempuyangan to Purwosari station is already having 1.5kV DC overhead lines being installed as part of electrification project between Yogyakarta and Solo Balapan stations.

====FYI====

1. The section from Yogyakarta to Solo Balapan was once having dual gauge tracks installed to permit 1067mm trains of Staatsspoorwegen or SS running between the two stations without having passengers or freight to be exchanged to 1435mm trains of Nederlands-Indische Spoorweg Maatschappij or NIS, since NIS had the main line from Semarang Tawang extending to what is known as Vorstenlanden in Dutch East Indies days (comprising Yogyakarta and Solo or known as Surakarta) laid as 1435mm tracks. But the forced regauging of 1435mm tracks of NIS done by Imperial Japanese Army in 1942 to 1943 caused this dual gauge line to extinct, which ironically solved the difference of track gauge in Yogyakarta to Solo Balapan section suffered by SS in the past. :)

2. SS had already planned to execute long-distance electrification project in their Java island division from Batavia (Jakarta) to Soerabaja (Surabaya) by the time when The Great Depression hits the world in year 1930. While the section between Manggarai and Buitenzorg (Bogor) was later successfully electrified, the other planned section from Meester Cornelis (Jatinegara) to the east like Tjikampek (Cikampek), Bandoeng (Bandung), Cheribon (Cirebon) and beyond was completely shelved, with the World War II, Indonesian War of Independence, and the following political unrests in the history of modern Indonesia made the plan for long-distance electrification in Java was even became "impossible to be realized". But the extension of electrification in the whole area of Jakarta and beyond (the westernmost terminus is currently Rangkasbitung station, and the easternmost is Cikarang station), along with the plan for starting EMU-based commuter train service between Yogyakarta and Solo Balapan that became reality in 2020 (the service itself is yet to be commenced as of January 16th, 2021) were considered by some of rail fans in Indonesia as part of indirect attempts to revive the plan for electrifying long-distance main lines conceived by SS nearly a hundred years ago (though the technical difficulty for current situation is the need for large amount of electricity if Indonesian Railways is really executing the plan).

Cheers,

Arya
 
Wow never thought I'd read about electric trains in Jogjakarta! I rode the old Pramex to Solo and return when I was a student in Jogja 15 years ago
 
Wow never thought I'd read about electric trains in Jogjakarta! I rode the old Pramex to Solo and return when I was a student in Jogja 15 years ago

I'm very happy to see another foreign Trainz user who had experienced the railways in Indonesia! 15 years ago most of Prameks (Prambanan Ekspres) trains were still served by MCW302 series DMUs, though at that time former BN-Holec EMUs converted into non-AC DEMUs were began to enter service there. While the plan for electrifying section around Jogjakarta had been already exists long time ago, but it only became to fruition last year after Indonesian Railways decided to introduce EMU-based commuter trains between Jogjakarta and Solo. :)
 
Decided to throw some pictures of diesel-powered electricity generator car (ID: Kereta Pembangkit) currently used by Indonesian Railways (beware of large pics!):

BP-01.jpg


This one is part of Rumanian-built group firstly introduced in 1984 as part of order for new 1st class coaches (though they were dubbed as "the worst 1st class coaches ever seen in Indonesia"). Originally they were built as double-engine unit, but in later years they were heavily modified into single-engined version (1 unit was later modified into 2nd class dining car with on-board generator for 2nd class trains, and on the other hand 1 unit was modified into a baggage car by removing all of the generator units and fuel tanks).

BP-02.jpg


This one is introduced in 1978 as part of the group of 2nd and 3rd class built by Yugoslavian factory GOSA. Originally the exterior design of this generator car was somewhat similar to an ordinary baggage car, but in later years most of them had their exterior design modified like the photographed ones. These Yugoslavian-built coaches were allocated to the Java, North Sumatra and South Sumatra divisions, but most of units allocated to North Sumatra and South Sumatra divisions were later modified into 2nd class dining car with on-board generator (one unit allocated to South Sumatra division was scrapped due to fire accident at Peninjauan station). In contrast, Java-based units are still operated as generator car until today.

BP-10.jpg


And this one is local-built unit firstly introduced in 1995 by government-owned PT Industri Kereta Api or PT INKA. While this basic model continued to be employed on newly-built generator cars until 2009, the 2008-built unit had narrower door, and 2009-built units were employing Scania-built diesel generators and having narrower side windows (which is dubbed by Indonesian rail fans as "airplane window" due to its shape resembling the side windows of an airplane). The photograph showed 1998-built unit that largely employed original design dated back from 1995. Although this design is also applied to generator cars built for accompanying specially-built coaches for Argo Bromo Anggrek introduced in 1997 and 2001 (remember that in 2001 there was also a group of ordinary-bodied 1st class coaches introduced for another train, which is completely different from those for Argo Bromo Anggrek), the main difference is those intended for Argo Bromo Anggrek had bolsterless bogies, fully glazed side windows and semi-streamlined body.

Cheers,

Arya
 
Another bump:

Ngabean-1.jpg


This is the picture of Ngabean station (Yogyakarta) taken by myself in December 2014, although I was unable to took more picture of the whole station due to time limitations. But thankfully I was also able to took the rails of platform 1 of this station that still intact there:

Ngabean-2.jpg


Because this station was formerly part of 1435mm lines owned by Nederlands-Indische Spoorweg Maatschappij (NIS) extending from Yogyakarta station to Sewugalur and Pundong, the space for laying track is wider than those on 1067mm lines of the same company, or even those owned by Staatsspoorwegen (SS) and other companies. Unfortunately the section of Yogyakarta to Sewugalur line past the Palbapang station (along with the whole section between Ngabean and Pundong) was forcibly dismantled by Imperial Japanese Army between 1942 and 1943 as part of plan for building wartime railway line between Muaro station (West Sumatra province) and Pekanbaru station (Riau province), as well as the Burma Railway from Nong Pladuk station (Thailand) to Thanbyuzayat station (Myanmar), and the Bayah Line that branches off from Saketi station of Labuan Line in the current Banten province. In addition, the remaining section between Yogyakarta and Palbapang was also forcibly regauged to 1067mm for wartime operations (which ironically solved the break-of-gauge problem), allowing locomotives and rolling stocks of former SS and other private railway companies in the Java to running on the former 1435mm lines of NIS without using dual-gauge tracks.
 
Bump again:


While the video above here seems to have no relations with the railways in Indonesia, actually it does. Yes, the Wabco AA-2 airhorn in the above video is used by Indonesian Railways as the standard type for airhorn used by GE-built diesel locomotives, particularly the BB203 (U18A1A), CC201 (U18C), CC203 (U20C) and CC204 (first 7 units: C18MMi, later units: C20EMP). However, there is a unique fact: CC201 and BB203 locomotives owned by South Sumatra and Lampung divisions are having their airhorn replaced with the single-chime Wabco A-2( which is the default type of airhorn used by EMD-built CC202 (G26MC-2U) and CC205 (GT38ACe)) sometimes between 2002 and 2010. With the reallocation of some CC201 locomotives and the remaining 5 BB203 locomotives*1 from both divisions to other divisions of Indonesian Railways, though 2 out of 6 units reallocated to Java sometimes in 2012 were returned to the default Wabco AA-2 airhorn, which are CC201 130R (2010-style number: CC201 83 49)*2 and CC201 135R (2010-style: CC201 83 54)*3. On the other hand, some of CC201 locomotives reallocated from Java to South Sumatra and Lampung divisions between had their default Wabco AA-2 exchanged to the Wabco A-2 to match with other units, though some of them were not exchanged for some reasons.

======================

Additional information

*1. Originally there were 59 BB203 locomotives purchased by Indonesian Railways when it was still known as "Perusahaan Jawatan Kereta Api" or PJKA, but 52 of them were modified into CC201 locomotives by adding traction motors to the non-powered center axle of each bogies. Although theoritically 7 BB203 locomotives would be remained intact, but in fact only 5 units remained in operation as of February 2021, with BB203 01 was presumed to be written off due to head-on collision in 1990s, and BB203 03 was presumed to be written off in 1980s or 1990s without clear reason.
*2. CC201 130R was written off on April 2018 after collided with an empty truck at a grade crossing with no warning lights and gates in East Java. Currently the remains of CC201 130R is still stored inside Yogyakarta Locomotive Workshops.
*3. CC201 135R was already reallocated from South Sumatra division for the first time when it became one of the locomotive involved in the collision at Gubug station on April 15th, 2006. This locomotive would later returned back to South Sumatra division in 2007, only to be sent to Java once again in 2012. This locomotive is currently allocated to Jember Locomotive Depot.
 

Video courtesy: NormProbably

Just got information that the first 5 units of 3rd batch of Indonesian Railways' EMD GT38ACe (CC205 series) has been delivered from Progress Rail's Muncie factory for shipping to Indonesia, with NS ES44AC #8076 seen in the video hauled the consist of flatcars loaded with the 5 GT38ACe units. The 5 units are part of 36 additional units ordered by Indonesian Railways for strengthening the fleet of freight locomotives for handling coal trains in the South Sumatra and Lampung divisions, with the total amount of GT38ACe locomotives would became 91 units when all of locomotives are safely delivered to Indonesia.
 
[Latest News from Indonesia]

The February 10th, 2021 timetable revision of Indonesian Railways saw the introduction of EMU on the Yogyakarta - Solo Balapan corridor, technically replacing the DMU-based Prambanan Express service on the same corridor that already runs for about 27 years since its introduction in 1994. However, Prambanan Express at this time will stay to exist for a while, as it would continuously serving the Yogyakarta - Kutoarjo corridor.
 

(original video by rajaampattravel)

This is the video of former 205 series EMU of East Japan Railway Company (JR East) operated in the newly electrified Yogyakarta - Solo Balapan corridor, having the traditional batik stripes applied on both front and side of the train. The trainset here is former Musashino Line KeYo M22 trainset, originally planned for running in the Jakarta Division of Indonesian Railways but quickly shifted to Yogyakarta Division due to most of the INKA-built i9000 series EMUs are still undergoing refurbishment after experiencing troubles when operated in Jakarta Division. The application of batik stripes to this trainset is the first for ex-Japan EMUs in Indonesia, although most of Japanese railfans questioned the reason for applying batik stripes there (they argued that "standard color is already enough").
 
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