All about railways in Indonesia (beware of HD pics)


This video was created by one of senior railfan in Indonesia with the intention for explaining the history of overnight trains in Indonesia, from the days when "Nacht-Expres" began to serve the Batavia (current name: Jakarta) - Soerabaja in mid-1930s to the present day, although sleeper trains no longer exist from 1990s due to social reasons in Indonesia (while overnight trains are still present in Indonesia, all of them are using ordinary seat coaches). In the video we could see historical footages and photographs, and even two units of former SAGL-9000 series sleeper coaches are still exists up to this day, although it has been modified into special coaches that could be reserved by public.

While sleeper trains were temporarily disappeared from Indonesia due to World War II, the Independence War and several political unrests, Indonesian Railways (at that time it ran under the name "Djawatan Kereta Api" or DKA) attempted to revive overnight train from Jakarta to Surabaya in 1961 by deploying coaches of former "Nacht-Expres" inherited from Staatsspoorwegen (SS) on the newly-operated "Bintang Fadjar" and "Bintang Sendja" express trains. But ticket price for both trains deemed to be too high for Indonesians, which caused both trains to suffer low ridership (DKA later added seat coaches to improve ridership on both trains). Unfortunately both trains enjoyed only a brief success, because they were later replaced by the famous "Bima" overnight train, using brand new steel-bodied coaches manufactured by VEB Waggonbau Görlitz in East Germany, which comprised the following types of coaches:


  1. DPW-9000 (Power generator, later reclassified as BP-67700 in 1986)
  2. SAGW-9000 (1st class sleeper, later reclassified as KT-67700 in 1986)
  3. SBGW-9000 (2nd class sleeper, later reclassified as KT-67700 in 1986)
  4. FW/AC-9000 (dining car, later reclassified as KM1-67700 in 1986)

As the time progresses, however, Bima was downgraded into an ordinary train with mixture of sleeper and seat coaches in 1986, and finally lost its sleeper coaches after rationalization of passenger trains done by Perusahaan Umum Kereta Api (or Perumka, the later form of Indonesian Railways in 1990s). The end of sleeper train in Indonesia was the early 2000s, when Senja Utama Solo was downgraded into overnight train with seat coaches only, as social problems became the reason for discontinuation of sleeper coaches in Indonesia. Although the current PT Kereta Api Indonesia launched the "brand new" sleeper coaches based on stainless steel-bodied coaches procured in 2018 and 2019, it is essentially an ordinary seat coach equipped with specially-designed seats that could be converted into simple bed, which was thought to be an adoption of airplane's first class seats in passenger coaches.
 
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This video was created by the same author of the video in the previous reply, and this video covers the history of Lampegan tunnel, located on the Manggarai - Bogor - Padalarang line. And of course Mr. Daveric's favourite things like Sukabumi station and SS1400 (D14) locomotives were also featured in this video. :hehe:
 
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--- Original picture by TeguhGus ---

This is the photo of CC201 series locomotive #CC201 69, which has been repainted into the classic color of Indonesian Railways when it was still known as PJKA (Perusahaan Jawatan Kereta Api) as part of the plan for introducing retro color schemes in the current day. Although there are some differences if compared with the same locomotive in original condition, but the color (and logo) itself is still much better than most of those introduced by each depot on diesel-hydraulic locos back in 2010s.

Additional photo that shows the side of CC201 69 is here:

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--- Original photo by Ahmad Syarif Hidayatullah ---
 
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--- Original photo by Fajar Nugros ---

February 28th, 2021 became the celebrated day in the history of railways in Indonesia, as Indonesian Railways officially revealed the CC201 series locomotive #CC201 69 (2010-style number: CC201 83 31) in the classic color of Perusahaan Jawatan Kereta Api (PJKA) after underwent regular maintenance at Yogyakarta Locomotive Workshops. While this livery has been already exists since 1953 when Indonesian Railways was still known as Djawatan Kereta Api or DKA, but it was used for 38 years until 1991, the year when Indonesian Railways officially adopted the red & blue color scheme as standard livery for locomotives (also known as "Perumka Color").

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--- Original photo by Fajar Nugros ---

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--- Screenshot taken from live video by Mr. Dhannie Setiawan at his YouTube channel ---

One of the unique side of this big project is the reintroduction of old-style numberplate on both the locomotive's bumper and cab side, with the cab side numberplate shows the current 2010-style number (CC201 83 31), and those fitted on bumper shows the original number (CC201 69). Also another unique side is the installation of Wahana Daya Pertiwi emblem (which is the official coat-of-arms of Indonesian Railways) as decoration on the cab side of locomotive. This was considered as somewhat very unexpected thing if compared to the original ones, as CC201 locomotives ordered during the days of PJKA had no Wahana Daya Pertiwi emblem at all:

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--- Original photo by Fajar Nugros ---

And here is the documentation of the event, uploaded by Mr. Mikael Rinto on his YouTube channel:


Cheers,

Arya.
 
Thanks for your appreciation. Currently only one locomotive that have been repainted into classic color scheme as part of "vintage fleet", but I hope that another locomotive could join the "vintage fleet" for remembering anyone about standard color schemes used in the past.
 
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This video featured the usual procedure for every locomotives undergoing regular maintenance at Yogyakarta Locomotive Workshops (formerly known as the central workshops of Nederlands-Indische Spoorweg Maatschappij or NIS before World War II), where each locomotives would run on the test track located right to the north of workshops area (and passes in front of the main entrance) for 8 times to check if the locomotive's mechanical and electrical parts are still in perfect condition or not. During the days when the standard gauge tracks of NIS from Yogyakarta to Solo Balapan still exists, the Staatsspoorwegen or SS had to laid 1067mm track located just to the north of this workshops, where the track roughly followed the current test track. But with the forced regauging of standard gauge tracks of former NIS to 1067mm by Imperial Japanese Army from 1942 to 1943, tracks laid by SS was removed and used for building wartime railway lines in the other area (especially the famous Death Railway or Thai-Burma Railway), leaving the former standard gauge tracks became the new 1067mm tracks that eventually used by Indonesian Railways up to this day.

The locomotive featured here is CC201 series locomotive numbered CC201 89 05 (pre-2010 number: CC201 77R, originally built as GE U18A1A numbered BB203 53) of Madiun locomotive depot, which was formerly allocated to Tanah Abang locomotive depot in Jakarta.
 

This is the video that covered unique experience from one of railfan in Indonesia, where he and his friend was invited by one of the employee of Maseng station (the employee himself is in charge of operating the grade crossing just to the north of Maseng station) to ride one of the motorcycle-based draisine from Maseng to the neighboring Cigombong (old spelling: Tjigombong) station. As shown in the video, the railway line between Bogor (Buitenzorg) and Sukabumi (Soekaboemi) is undergoing duplication work for extending double track section of Manggarai - Padalarang line past the Bogor station. Unfortunately the current Siemens & Halske mechanical signals used on this section would be replaced by electric light signals made by LEN Industri, though there is an interesting fact regarding mechanical signals on this section:

Some of small intermediate stations like Maseng, Cigombong and Cicurug (old spelling: Tjitjoeroeg) had their distant signals already disconnected from the signalling system, with the distant signals are still using the early generation cylinder pylons (contrary to the still-used home and starter signals that were replaced with those using square pylons). Even the Batutulis station (Batoetoelis, the first station after leaving Bogor station toward Sukabumi and beyond to Padalarang) had its signals and switches were completely put out of use due to low amount of trains passing this station, which means that all of the signals are still left intact with its original cylinder pylons.
 
https://redigest.web.id/2021/04/96-...i-indonesia-perjalanan-awal-hingga-masa-kini/

April 6th, 2021 marks the 96th birthday of the commencement of first electrified railway in Indonesia, where the then Elektrische Staatsspoorwegen (ESS, subsidiary of Staatsspoorwegen or SS for handling operation of electrified railway line) commenced the operation of electrification infrastructures and electric trains (electric locomotive and EMUs) on the line from Tandjoeng Priok to Meester Cornelis (today known as Jatinegara station) on April 6th, 1925, using the 1.5kV DC electrification system that is same with those in Netherlands. While the above article was written in Indonesian language, the main purpose of this article was for remembering everyone about the presence of railway electrification in Indonesia today.
 
Thanks for mentioning that great article about the 96 Years of Electric Rail Trains in Indonesia. Thanks to Google Translate, I could read it too.
 
You're welcome!

I remembered that SS already decided for electrifying their mainline network in Java Island when they realized that the electrification for Tandjoeng Priok - Meester Cornelis (Jatinegara) was a great success, which later evolved into the installation of overhead lines and substations between Manggarai and Buitenzorg (Bogor) for electrifying that section. However the plan was subsequently hold back (and disappears for some 40 to 50 years before it was revived in 1980s) due to The Great Malaise and later situations. As of 2021, the total length of electrified lines in Jakarta reached more than 400km (comprising those electrified in the days of Dutch East Indies and those electrified by Indonesians, including newly-opened LRT Jabodebek, LRT Jakarta and MRT Jakarta), with those outside Jakarta had emerged in Palembang (the Palembang Light Rail Line, opened in 2018 just before the 2018 Asian Games) and Yogyakarta (electrified operation between Solo Balapan and Yogyakarta commenced on February 28th, 2021). Even there is a plan for electrifying the railway line from Surabaya to Malang, which technically those electrification plans inherits the ones planned by SS in late 1920s (though light rail lines are electrified using 3rd rail).

Of course year 2025 would be the 100th year after the birth of first electrified railway line in Indonesia, and I hope that the future of railway electrification in Indonesia would be always bright...
 

This video told the story of what many Indonesian railfans called as "wheel with wings logo" (written in Indonesian language as "logo roda sayap") that existed from the early days of railway history in the world, including its first emergence in Indonesia as the logo of former Staatsspoorwegen (SS) due to the influence from Dutch people. This logo was later revived as the official logo of Indonesian Railways when it was still known as Djawatan Kereta Api (DKA) in 1953. Originally there were 2 patterns of this revived logo: the standard version (which later revised and patented as the standard logo until 1988), and simplified version that only appeared in the DKA period. This photo shows CC200 series locomotive (ALCo-GE UM106T "Shovelnose") numbered CC200 15 that preserved using the standard version of this logo:

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(photo uploaded at Wikipedia by user "Saverailfansindo")

The revised version of standard version of "wheel with wings logo" first appeared on BB200 series locomotive (EMD G8), due to the need for making the logo to fit with the hood unit-type carbody that is narrower than full-width carbody used by CC200, as in the following picture:

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(original photo taken by Mr. Malcolm W. Jones. The BB200 07 depicted in this picture is currently the only BB200 that is still active in this year, although it is now employed as switcher for Lahat Workshops in South Sumatra division of Indonesian Railways after being transferred to South Sumatra from Java in late 1970s)

As the logo itself was basically just a "shrunked" version of the ones used by CC200, it was still depicted in slightly "boxy" design (like the ones used by CC200), causing this logo to be categorized as "early revised version"). On the other hand, German-built locomotives ordered on the same period like BB300 and D301 adorned a smoother version of the same logo like in this photo:

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(original photo taken by Mr. Malcolm W. Jones)

The later revised version applied to German-built locomotives was later officially adopted by Indonesian Railways as the standardized version of "wheel with wings" logo and applied on most of locomotives owned by Indonesian Railways, though its usage on US-built locomotives were limited to BB202 (EMD G18U6, early 3 units numbered BB202 01 to BB202 03 were known as GL18U6 due to its lightweight frame), BB203 (GE U18A1A) and CC201 (GE U18C). In fact, earlier locomotives like BB200 and CC200 doesn't have their logo changed into the later version, and BB201 (EMD G12) even doesn't wearing the logo at all, before the corporate color of Indonesian Railways was completely changed in early 1990s.

However, there are several diesel locomotives introduced by Indonesian Railways in the pre-1990s period who does wore the "DKA cream and green color" but having different logo (and even different design of its livery):

1. BB204 (SLM HGm4/6) - the first batch units of this series adorned the "Wahana Daya Pertiwi" emblem plate under the side windows of driver cab, with the front and rear end part having no logo at all.
2. BB303 (Henschel DHG1000BB) - early units were fitted with "Wahana Daya Pertiwi" emblem plate instead of "wheel with wings" logo. BB303 16 that was scrapped in late 1980s due to Bintaro Train Crash on October 19th, 1987 was one of the locomotive that was delivered in this condition.
3. CC202 (EMD G26MC-2U) - 1st batch units had its livery following the same design used by 2nd batch CC201 locomotives, but with golden-colored "Wahana Daya Pertiwi" in place of the "wheel with wings" logo. 2nd batch units introduced in 1990 had possibility of having the same style when they entered into operation, though its truth is still unconfirmed as of today.
4. CC201 (GE U18C) - this only applied to the first group of 3rd batch units delivered in early 1990s, where there are some locomotives already delivered from GE in the "DKA cream and green colored" but having no logo at all. It was temporarily having the then-newly introduced corporate logo of Indonesian Railways (after its change of identity in Indonesian language to "Perusahaan Umum Kereta Api" or Perumka) applied there, before the livery was completely changed into the also legendary "red and blue with white single stripe" color.
5. BB305 (model type unknown) - because these locomotives were purchased by state-owned industry, they were introduced with the emblem of respective owners on the side body instead of the logo of Indonesian Railways.
 
You're welcome, Mr. Daveric!

(of course the above video also includes photograph of the "wheel with wings" logo used in the days of SS). :)
 
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(original photo by Asep Suherman of Indonesian Railway Preservation Society or IRPS)

Few days ago saw the visit made by Mr. Didiek Hartantyo (the current CEO of Indonesian Railways (PT. Kereta Api Indonesia or KAI)) along with some of his staffs and the representative of railfans to Cikudapateuh logistic warehouse complex (located at the same location of former Bandung Workshops of Staatsspoorwegen), with their main intention was to taking a look at the last 2 units of 1925-built EMU deployed by Elektrische Staatsspoorwegen (ESS) for the opening of electrified railway in the Batavia (now known as Jakarta) stored for more than 40 years inside there. As KAI would celebrating the 100th birthday of railway electrification in Indonesia in 2025, they planned to make a cosmetical restore for the already-rusting away last 2 units of first-generation EMUs, which is part of attempt for reviving the importance of history of railway for the future generation.

Luckily the last 2 units consists of a driving motor car with baggage room (MCDW) and a driving trailer car (VCW), though some years before the complete retirement of ESS-period EMUs the two units were possibly converted into a diesel-powered motor car (where the conversion itself was at that time not a big success). Because of its age, it is predicted that the restoration project would be very difficult and time-consuming, though I hope that it could be completed in year 2025.
 
Yeah, and many railfans in Indonesia are happy to hear this news, since the last 2 units are still left intact inside the warehouse complex (though in derelict condition).
 
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(original photo by Adetiya D. Lesmana from this tweet: https://twitter.com/Adetia_Lesmana/status/1406518767950077952 )

June 19th, 2021 saw the arrival of the first group of 3rd batch units of EMD GT38ACe (CC205 series) locomotives ordered by Indonesian Railways (PT. Kereta Api Indonesia) in late 2020, with the amount of locomotive of first shipment reaches 12 units. These locomotives were unloaded at Panjang sea port in Lampung province, then moved to Panjang station before eventually towed by another locomotive to Tanjung Karang locomotive depot. The 3rd batch units had several different details if compared to the older 1st and 2nd batch units, like the presence of air conditioner unit above the cab roof, shovel-shaped bumper and red-colored cast numberplate (pre-2010 style) with 2010-standard numbering, though the numbers are completely painted in grey color (compared to the 1st and 2nd batch, which had "CC" letters painted in black, and the numbers are in white color).

Here is the article that covered the arrival of these brand new locomotives (in Indonesian language only):

https://redigest.web.id/2021/06/selamat-datang-lokomotif-cc205-angkatan-2021/

Cheers,

Arya.
 
Thanks for your kind words!

As these locomotives are equipped with rooftop air conditioning units from new, it seems that there is a possibility for the existing 1st and 2nd batch units to be refitted with air conditioner (though for the time being there are still no plans for refitting air conditioning equipments). :)

It is estimated that once the delivery of 36 units of 3rd batch GT38ACes had completed, Indonesian Railways would have 91 units in roster (CC205 01 to CC205 91).
 
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