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Java Railway Record
1984
Kediri, East Java
Leaving Surabaya by car, about 130 km southwest, I came across a large town called Kediri.
In East Java, it is said to be the second largest economy after Surabaya.
The reason for this is that there are huge tobacco factories and numerous sugar mills that support the town’s employment and economy.
The huge tobacco factory produces Gudang Garam, Indonesia’s best-selling cigarette. This is due to the large-scale cultivation of tobacco leaves in the surrounding area.
Founded in 1958, the company now employs 40,000 people.
I happened to visit this large factory during lunchtime, and many female workers were spending their lunch break in front of the factory.
It seems like they were producing cigarettes using human wave tactics.
A long-distance train crosses an iron bridge in the morning fog in East Java.
An accidental discovery! Meritjan Sugar Factory
On the other hand, when I visited the city of Kediri during my work in Surabaya, I happened to discover this sugar factory on the outskirts of this town.
The area is in a basin of the great Brantas River, a large river in East Java Province, and large-scale sugar plantation have existed in the vicinity since colonial times.
Eco-friendly factory, using sugarcane residue harvested from plantations as fuel.
Hugh piles of sugarcanes collected in a yard.
Photo by author, 1984
A steam locomotive uses sugarcane residue as fuel to produce steam and transports the sugarcane to the factory.
Isn’t this the ultimate form of eco-transportation?
Photo by author, 1984
A steam locomotive originating from the Dutch colony with a history of 100 years was still in use. 1984
Photo by author, 1984
This yard is like a life-sized railway diorama, and it is overwhelming.
It has great value as an educational tourism resource.
However, there were no visitors at the time, so I was able to walk around freely and enjoy the atmosphere all to myself.
Photo by author, 1984
In addition, there are many dedicated lines for sugar mills and forest railways of narrow gauge widths of 600 mm and 700 mm.
Photo by author, 1984
The author gets permission from the driver to test ride the locomotive. In 1984.
Photo of author, 1984
Bandung, the Highland City
Bandung is the capital of West Java Province, located in a basin at an altitude of 768 m, and is known as the city of Education.
I frequently travel between this highland city and Jakarta by train for work.
When I got off the train at Bandung Station from the humid Jakarta, the temperature dropped by about 5 degrees Celsius, making it comfortable all year round.
West Java Province Bandung Railway Station
According to the documents, the construction of Indonesian railways began in 1864 by the Dutch Dutch Railway Company, and operation began in 1864.
The opening of the Shinbashi-Yokohama section of Japan was in 1872, which means that the railway opened about eight years earlier than in Japan.
The Jakarta-Bandung railway opened in 1884.
Station building at Bandung Railway Station
The passage from the platform to the station building is on the ground level, and a roof is built to protect it from the sun and rain. A train passes underneath it.
Photo by author, 1984
From platform to platform, you have to cross the railroad tracks.
It is a station building with charm.
There is a turnstile (ticket gate) directly in front.
Photo by author, 1984
The platform at Bandung Station.
Passengers leisurely wait for trains that run infrequently.
Photo by author, 1984
The highlight of Indonesian Railways !
Cikubang Railway Bridge
The CIKUBANG railway bridge is located between PADALARANG Station and CILAME Station.
You can see that the railway is built over a 800 meter difference in elevation, with many windings and turn along the way.
I think I crossed this railway bridge at least 10 times on the way to design presentations and meetings with a major developer (my client) in Bandung.
Before the train cross on this bridge, it always slowed down and passes carefully and slowly, and when it had crossed, it sped up again from the slow pass.
Photo by author, 1984
THE LONGEST RAILWAY BRIDGE IN INDONESIA is the CIKUBANG RAILWAY BRIDGE.
Total length is about 300m. Height is 80m above the river surface.
It has been in use since 1906.
In 1953, steel inverted arch beams were added and reinforced for the operation of the Diesel locomotive.
The structure that fuses the steel piers and the inverted arch is beautiful.
No matter how long you look at it, you will never get tired of it.
It is a railway heritage that we want to preserve for future generations.
A non-electrified single-track Java railway between Jakarta and Bandung run through mountainous terrain.
Photo by author, 1984
Photo by author, 1984
There was nothing to cover on both sides of the railway track on the bridge, so it was a thrill from the inside of the car as if it were travelling in the air.
However, I couldn’t see the structure of the bridge itself from the inside of the car, so I thought that I would like to make time to see it from the outside someday.
After that, the expressway between Jakarta and Bandung was opened, so I parked the car on the shoulder of the road and walked along the grassy path for a while, looking for a good photo spot.
The CIKUBANG Railway Bridge was a much more dynamic structure than I had imagined from inside the train car.
Photo by author, 1984
Photo by author, 1984
As soon as you cross this steel bridge, you will enter a tunnel.
After exiting the tunnel and descending for a while, you will reach the plateau basin where the city of Bandung is located
Photo by author, 1984
The marshalling yard next to the station is an open-air railway museum
Kiaracondong railway station and Yard
At the request of a major developer in Bandung, who was a client of mine, I decided to go to see their planned development site.
It was a half-abandoned site in the premises of a station on the outskirts of Bandung City. Therefore, I was able to inspect this site, which looks like an open-air railway museum, and recorded it. This railway line is a historic main line in Java that was fully opened between Jakarta and Surabaya in 1894.
From the overpass. This is in the direction towards Surabaya.
Since it is there is no electric fence, the photo is clear!
KIARACONDONG railway and yard。
Photo by author, July 2006
KIARACONDONG station building in Bandung city.
It is the first station from Bandung Station heading east.
KIARACONDONG station main entrance。
Photo by author, July 2006
KIARACONDONG station and its premises.
The color of the train looks like a a 60-year-old Shonan train of Japan, isn’t it?
KIARACONDONG station and its premises。
Photo by author, July 2006
To the left is Surabaya. To the right is Jakarta.
KIARACONDONG station and its premises。
Photo by author, July 2006
Timetable for Surabaya and Jakarta.
The express train does not stop and only about 4 trains stops here in a day.
KIARACONDONG station and its premises。
Photo by author, July 2006
Manual traffic lights.
Photo by author, July 2006
A manual signal converter
Photo by author, July 2006
Manual point switching device.
Photo by author, July 2006
KIARACONDONG STATION.
Steel towers preserved horizontally on the ground.
Photo by author, July 2006
