Memoir of An Indonesian Railway Enthusiast (Part 92)

Around August or September 2005, during a railfan gathering in Bandung, Intrias raised the idea about doing a railway archeology around Bandung before the start of the Ramadan fasting month.

Railfans gathering in Bandung in 2004.

“Hey guys, what do you think if we do a rail trekking before the start of Ramadan? You know, before the start of the fasting month?” Intrias said as he raised the idea. “That would be wonderful! Maybe we could have fun like what we had in Jatinangor!” as Kelik supported his idea.

“Jatinangor? What did you do over there?” I asked him. “A few months ago, while you were away in Singapore me and Kelik had railway trekking in there. We walked along the former Rancaekek-Jatinangor railway line. We passed the Cikuda bridge in Jatinangor.

Intrias and Kelik trekked the railway line from Jatinangor to Tanjungsari in early 2005, and passed above this Cikuda bridge.

We even reached its terminus station in Tanjungsari. The station building is still there, now repurposed as a military veteran affair office,” Intrias replied.

“We even found the actual end of this line, in an area called Tunggul Hideung. In here, there’s a bridge abutment in the middle of rice fields. There are some rumors about why they stopped the project here. First is because they ran out of money as the global economic crisis started just when they reached this spot.

Intrias posed next to the unfinished bridge abutment in Tunggul Hideung.

Second, I was told of the rejection from Sumedang’s regent. That place is only a few short trips from the border of the regency. Do you know the legend of Prince Kornel shaking hands with Dandels? I think that’s the reason why the railway project never goes into the Sumedang regency,” Intrias explained.

The statue that depicts the meeting between Prince Kornel of Sumedang and Herman Daendels at the border of Sumedang Regency. Prince Kornel addressed Daendels with his left hand, which is interpreted as a gesture of disrespect and contempt.

“And I remember we were running out of the water too!” Kelik added. “What happened?” I asked him. “Apparently, Kelik brought only a small bottle of mineral water. That wasn’t enough for a long trek from Rancaekek to Tanjungsari. When we reached our terminus, we saw a Cendol seller and bought out his product due to thirst! Hahahaha!” Intrias explained humorously.

“So where are we going to?” I asked. “What about trekking from Ciwidey to Soreang? That will be fantastic!” Intrias answered. “Yeah, that’s an awesome idea!” Kelik replied.  “I’ve never been there. Is that in the south?” I asked. “Yes, it’s to the south of Bandung. We take the minibus from Bandung to Ciwidey, and then from there we walked along the former railway line down to Soreang,” Intrias answered.

On the set date, which took place on the 2^nd October 2005, we gathered at Leuwi Panjang bus station in the southern part of Bandung. This bus station (or terminal as the Indonesians called it) is the busiest intercity bus station in Bandung. At the time, it served all bus services that goes to the west and south, whereas other direction was served by the (now closed) Cicaheum bus terminal.

Aerial view of Leuwipanjang bus terminal.

I rode my motorbike to this place, and after I parked it, I met up with both of them. After finding the bus service to Ciwidey, we hop onboard the cramped and stuffy bus.

The journey between Bandung and Ciwidey was truly unpleasant. The minibus was packed with passengers. Although Priangan Mountain is known for its cool climate, it was hot and stuffy inside the bus. I also couldn’t clearly see the scenery on the outside. Although I was initially able to see the crowded urban scenery, when our bus reached the scenic part of the journey, I couldn’t see the beautiful landscape.

At least midway through the journey, Intrias pointed out something. “Hey, look on the right! That’s the Sadu railway bridge!” Intrias exclaimed as our bus briefly stopped on one corner of the main road. Since some passengers disembarked, I got a clearer view on the outside. Right next to the curving road, there’s a rusty steel structure that crosses the ravine. It’s obviously a former railway bridge.

“I couldn’t imagine how difficult it was to construct this railway line. The engineers had to negotiate steep gradients and deep ravines to reach Ciwidey. But then, it’s the Dutch ingenuities anyway,” Intrias remarked as we saw the remains of the former railway line.

The Bandung – Ciwidey line was built in 1916 and completed in 1924. It was built to transport the fresh produce, including commodities like tea and coffee, from the mountain in the south of Bandung to major cities in Java and beyond. Some of the major stations on the line, namely Ciwidey, Dayeuhkolot, and Banjaran, featured heavy loading facilities to put the produce onto the train.

The market was so lucrative that the Dutch Colonial government was willing to spend an extra amount of money to build a railway line that tackled tough terrains just to carry the produce. In the process, it also developed the places that it served into a large town, or even a city, like what it is now. It also helped to increase the popularity of Ciwidey as a mountain retreat town.

This railway line soldiered on well beyond the departure of the Dutch colonial ruler and into the independent Indonesian era. Sadly, during the latter era, the railway service saw its decline, which led to its closure in 1982. Although many railway historians blame its poor competition against road transport, in reality, it was the poor management by the Indonesian State Railways that caused its undoing.

While most of the western train photographers were busy documenting Indonesian railways in the 1970s and early 1980s, this line seems to have escaped their attention. The line was probably dieselized very early, hence their lack of interest in photographing its activities during its last years of operation. Unlike the railway line to Garut and Cikajang, which was well documented as it was served by Mallet its steam locomotives during its last years of service.

A pair of mallet steam locomotives hauling a local train from Cibatu to Cikajang in 1972. The line operations during its last years before the first closure in 1984 were well documented by foreign railway photographers. It was popular due to the regular usage of mallet locomotives. Parts of the line between Cibatu and Garut reopened to traffic in 2021, although the mallet steam locomotives are now history.. (Photo by Frank Stamford).

Consequently, by the time I made the visit, very little trace of the line was visible. At least from what I see inside the minibus. It was cramped inside, and I was unfamiliar with the place. So, I initially didn’t see the trace of the railway line, save for some railway bridges that were partly visible from inside.

After several hours of the trip (or less than an hour, I can’t remember), we finally arrived at Ciwidey. Our bus dropped us in the town center, in a place which was said to be the former site of the old bus terminal.

My first impression of Ciwidey was that the place was dirty and disorganized. The climate was much cooler than Bandung, and this would have been an enjoyable escape from the crowded city. But unfortunately, the place itself was even less organized than Bandung. I think that was typical of West Javanese small towns, which tend to be dirty and disorganized.

“Where do we go from here?” I asked Intrias. “I think the station isn’t far from here. Maybe I’ll ask the elderly locals for directions,” he replied. He approached a man nearby and made an inquiry. After the man gave his answer, Intrias returned. “He said the railway line is on the northern outskirts of the town. We’ll go there,” he replied.

We walked along the narrow and crowded streets of Ciwidey. The street reminds me of Gegerkalong Hilir, a narrow street near my campus, which is flanked by shops, restaurants, and all amenities that support student life in the area. And just like the one in Bandung, this street is also dirty and jam-packed with vehicles.

After several meters of walking, we finally came across a long and old building, which is positioned diagonally towards the road. “This must be the station’s location!” Intrias said. We entered the road next to the building and eventually arrived at the station’s site. Although the sign says “Station Road,” we initially couldn’t find where the station building was. They’re all looked the same.

At the end of the road, we found a peculiar-looking building next to a huge warehouse. Both buildings feature Dutch-era architecture.

“This must be the railway station!” Kelik remarked. “Yeah, the style looks similar to some railway stations on the mainline,” Intrias added.

“But I don’t see any sign,” I replied. “Well, the look can be deceiving. I believe this is the station,” Intrias commented. Since the door was open, we decided to get inside.

Apparently, the interior has been turned into a housewares shop. It’s rather packed inside, so we couldn’t see where the ticket booth and the waiting room were. Intrias struck up a conversation with the shop owner and asked whether this was the station.

“Oh yes, this is indeed the former railway station. You can see the mounting where they used to put the station name sign above,” the shopkeeper told us as he pointed to the ceiling above the door. “Ah, so there the sign was,” Kelik said. I looked up and could clearly see some nails where they used to hang the station sign.

“Do you know when the station was closed? Did the station building look intact when you first opened the shop?” Intras asked the man. “I don’t know. I’m not the first tenant here. When I first came, it already looked like this. All I did was tided up the place before setting up my shop,” the old man replied.

Although the place has long been abandoned as a railway station, some railway facilities were still present when we were there. Even the station master’s house was still there, just across the road from the former station building. I believe staying in here in the past would have felt like being in the mountain retreat villa.

After a short conversation with the shopkeeper, we bid him farewell and continued our journey.

We visited the large storage building next to the station. This building is actually the largest in the station compound. In fact, it’s almost three times larger than the station building. It’s quite unusual, as in other places the station building would normally be the largest.

But then, as I said earlier, this line was built to primarily serve agricultural harvests transport. So they need sufficient storage space to keep the produce and commodities before being shipped by train.

We also visited what seems to be the former locomotive depot. Yet, despite of its significance, the building looks very small for its purpose. It looks more like a minibus garage. Tiny when compared to the one in Bandung.

While we explored the place, a curious local approached us. “Excuse me, what are you guys looking for?” he politely asked. “We’re looking for the remains of the locomotive depot in here,” Intrias replied. “Ah, I see. You know what, there’s also a turntable near here,” he replied. “Turntable?” I asked. “Yes, they used it to turn the locomotive around,” the local informed us.

“Where is the turntable?” I asked him. “It’s behind the houses over there. Not very far from here,” he replied. “Let’s check it out!” Kelik suggested. “Thanks for your help, sir. We really much appreciated it!” Intrias thanked the person. We headed to the aforementioned place behind the houses.

After meandering through the short, narrow passage between the houses, we finally reached the turntable. “That’s a very small turntable!” Intrias said in amazement. “Yeah, I wonder what sort of locomotive they use on this line? Maybe something like C11 or C12?” I asked. “Or could be small mallet like BB10,” Kelik added.

Although the Bandung – Ciwidey line features challenging gradients similar to those of the Cibatu – Cikajang line, we were really surprised that they only employed small locomotives on this line. Perhaps the diminutive size of the freight wagons of the time didn’t necessitate the usage of large locomotives. Maybe because the track was lightly laid?

Me and Intrias posing in front of Ciwidey’s turntable.

But what honestly disgusted me about the place was how dirty it was. The locals seem to have turned it into their backyard. Although some utilize it to hang their clothes, other directed the sewer water from their homes into the turntable pit. The smell was unbelievable. It was like a rubbish tip!

After we finished the Ciwidey station exploration, we started our trekking journey to Soreang. We thought it shouldn’t be too difficult because the track is descending all the way until our last stop. And the gradient, although steep for a railway, is relatively easy to trek.

But look can be deceiving. It was our first time walking along this abandoned railway line, and we didn’t know what lay ahead of us….

Not very far from the station, we came across several railway artifacts that were still in place. Such as this pendulum turnout, which is still visible even though the tracks have been buried. It was used to switch the track manually. Obviously, Ciwidey station didn’t have centralized turnout control. So, the switching had to be done manually, possibly by the train crew on some occasions!

A few meters from the pendulum, we came across an even more bizarre-looking device.

“What is this?” Kelik asked. “It’s likely to be a derailer. You know, it’s used to derail a runaway train or wagon from entering the mainline. Look, this thing still seems usable. It looks intact,” Intrias replied. “Well, it’s hard to believe that this thing is still in perfectly good shape, although the rail is nowhere to be seen,” I added.

After we were satisfied with observing the derailer, we continued our journey.

For the first few hundred meters, the railway can be seen partly buried in the ground. Its former right-of-way has largely been occupied by villagers. They’re not exactly squatters, as they have paid the rent fee. But it’s pretty awkward to see the railway track in the middle of someone’s front lawn.

In some places, someone even built their houses right in the middle of the track! I wonder what it would feel like to live literally in the middle of a railway track? It looks bizarre, but sadly, it’s a common sight on abandoned railway lines in Indonesia, especially from 2000 onwards.

We also came across a former railway bridge that has been transformed into a pedestrian bridge. They put up fences and a roof to make it safe for ordinary people to cross it.

Beyond that part, it’s impossible to trek the railway line as the former right-of-way has been completely built up. It’s full of houses now. “It’s amazing how many squatters have occupied the railway track! I imagine, clearing the land for railway reactivations would have been a nightmare!” Intrias said. “So much for the greed among the railway company management ranks, I presume,” I replied.

The former railway line is located in the cutting on the right below.

The further we went, the countryside scenery began to appear. But, in West Javanese style anyway, where overcrowded and even filthy kampungs are the norm. And we still couldn’t see the railway track as its space has been occupied by houses. While the train passengers in the past would be treated to beautiful scenery upon departing Ciwidey, we couldn’t see the same thing today.

The railway line was located in the cutting on the right, which has been occupied by houses.

After several more meters of walking, we finally reached the rice fields. But ridiculously, it’s still flanked by houses. So, we couldn’t see the scenery. Ribbon development is a pervasive problem in Indonesia, but it has brought it to another level of ugliness.

But not far from there, we finally see an uncluttered view of the rice fields. It actually was awesome. It would have been perfect had the squatters not been around, the development of the area were properly regulated.

After several meters of walking along the rural view, we came across another urban area. But what’s in the middle of it drew our attention.

An old railway bridge has been repurposed as a pedestrian bridge to allow villagers to cross the river safely. They even put some wooden planks, so people don’t have to negotiate the gaps between the railway sleepers.

Unfortunately, the unhygienic locals have also utilized the space on bridge abutments as a rubbish tip. Which means anyone who crossed the bridge would be disturbed by the strong odor of the trash.

After another several hundred meters of walking, we came across a bizarre view of a former railway station in the middle of a large roundabout.

“What? What is this? I’ve never seen something like this before. What station is this?” I asked. “Hmm, I’m not sure. Let me ask the locals first,” Intrias replied. “This is strange. A station in the middle of roundabout,” Kelik commented.

After getting the answer from the villager, Intrias returned. “It’s the Pasirjambu station. It used to be a major railway station in here,” he said. “No wonder we don’t get to know the name. Had the name board was still in place, we wouldn’t have been confused,” Kelik commented.

Just like Ciwidey, the Pasirjambu station building has been repurposed into something else. This one is used as a storage building, where the locals kept the agricultural equipment or kept the harvested rice before being distributed somewhere. But unlike Ciwidey, the station doesn’t have a large warehouse. So, we presume that its function was just for passengers and crossing.

From Pasirjambu, we kept on going. We also noticed that the gradient gets steeper as we walked further. In some places, it’s steeper than what we (Intrias and I) encountered on the Cibatu-Cikajang line. “I couldn’t imagine how hard it was for the small locomotives to operate in this line. This is very steep!” Intrias remarked.

After several kilometers of walking, the railway line began to enter an embankment that grew taller as we proceeded further. “I think there’s a railway bridge ahead,” Kelik said. I honestly grew suspicious of why the pavement turned sideways and downhill, while the railway track kept going straight into the thick bush.

“I don’t feel right about this, guys,” I told them suspiciously. “It’s okay, Bagus. This should be easily manageable,” Intrias assured me as we waded through the thick bush. The vegetation was so thick that I was barely able to see whatever was ahead of us. But Intrias and Kelik didn’t seem to be bothered by it.

After passing the bush, we were greeted by the sight of a large railway bridge in front of us. “That’s a huge bridge!” Kelik exclaimed. “Are you ready for this?” Intrias asked. “What bridge is this?” I asked. “It’s the Cikabuyutan bridge. One of the largest on this line,” he replied. “And the tallest, obviously!” I added.

I’ve crossed railway bridges before, and I have to admit that they’re truly challenging. For anyone with acrophobia, it pushed their guts to the maximum limit. And to level up the challenge, many of the wooden sleepers have already decayed and are rickety. They were last maintained in the early 1970s when the line was in use, which was more than 30 years before our exploration!

While back then I already gained the confidence to cross the tall railway bridges, it was back to square one for me this time. I felt scared because some of the wooden sleepers suddenly broke free when I stepped on them. And that happened while we were in the middle!

Kelik, upon seeing my video camera hanging precariously, shouted: “Bagus! Why don’t you holster your camera now? That’s for your safety and to keep your new and expensive camera safe!” I promptly put my camera into its bag for its safety. In fact, it was uncomfortable to have it hanging and swaying around my neck while I dealt with a life-and-death situation.

Although the bridge itself isn’t long, crossing it took more than an hour! The reason behind such an extremely slow pace was my fear of heights and fear of having my footing broken away, which would send me into the deep ravine below. I trembled and made a prayer for every sleeper that I stepped on.

Intrias were there to accompany me. “Okay, calm down, Bagus. I’m here. I’ll be right here to keep you safe. Just move slowly, you’ll be alright,” he assured me. While on the normal railway bridge of the same size, I could cross it within 15 minutes; this one was way longer.

In retrospect, it was actually a dangerous undertaking. The bridge itself crossed a ravine that is 50 meters deep. And we simply walked along it! We were either unaware or ignorant how dangerous it was to cross a decrepit bridge that crossed such dangerous terrain!

The aerial view of the Cikabuyutan Bridge. You can see how deep the ravine is below the railway track. And back in 2005, the sleepers were largely intact.

But once we made it across to the other side of the ravine, there was a huge sense of relief among us. “Finally! We made it!” Intrias exclaimed in exhilaration. I was so relieved that I was barely able to talk. I sat next to the track, huffing and puffing, and tried to get the fear and tension away.

Kelik didn’t have such a problem, as his body was lighter than mine, and he could walk along the sleepers without risk of breaking them. Still, it was the most difficult bridge crossing we have encountered.

From the Cikabuyutan bridge, the railway track entered a shallow cutting.

Large parts of the railway track were still visible in the middle of the rice fields. Although it was heavily rusted, it was pretty much intact, complete with the steel sleepers underneath it.

Feeling fatigued, we decided to take a rest in a small hut built in the middle of the railway track. “That was really scary,” I said. “Yeah, it was the longest bridge crossing I’ve ever done. It was really putting us on the edge,” Intrias added. “So how long is the remainder of the trip today?” I asked Intrias. “We’ll see. If we haven’t reached Soreang by 4 o’clock, we’ll hail the bus to reach there,” Intrias replied.

We relaxed for several minutes here. It was the first time during this trip that I was finally able to enjoy the beautiful scenery of the place. The area on the trackside is full of terraced rice fields, like what people would see in Bali or Java. We imagined that a railway trip on this line was probably very scenic.

Several hundred meters later, we met an old farmer who was busy tending his fields. “I guess he might have witnessed the railway operations in the past,” Intrias suggested. “Sounds like a good idea. Why don’t we ask him?” Kelik added. We then approached the man in his 70s, who was wearing all-black clothing.

We came to him and inquired. Since he only spoke Sundanese, it was Intrias who asked him. Kelik and I patiently watched as they conversed. We didn’t chat with him for long as he was busy working in his fields. Once Intrias finished talking with him, he returned to us.

We met the old man around this place. For some reason, I didn’t take his photo.

“Apparently the old man did saw the railways when it was in operation. He even rode the train on some occasions, too,” Intrias said as he came back to us. “How did the train looked like?” Kelik asked. “Apparently, it was hauled by small locomotives. It was the BB10 class, I believe. But could also be the likes of C11 or C12,” Intrias replied.

“I thought the BB10 were originally used on Cianjur – Bandung line, like what Jim Jones* said?” I asked. “Well, it was. But as they later expanded the railway network, it was used elsewhere,” Intrias replied. “But why don’t they also use something larger, like CC10 or CC50, on this line? Like on the Cibatu – Garut line?” Kelik asked. “That’s something we haven’t found out yet,” Intrias added.

BB10 mallet locomotive was a small but versatile class of steam locomotive. Despite its small size, it was able to haul a heavy load while negotiating lightly laid and curvaceous tracks.

We continued trekking, and the former railway right-of-way gradually drew closer to the main road.

On some stretches, we also have to walk along the street side as the former railway line was inaccessible. Either in a difficult terrain or has been built up with buildings.

Somewhere along the way, we came across a bizarre sight of rails hanging at the entrance of business premises. “Look at that! Rails hovering above!” Intrias told us. “Hahaha! Nice one! That looks good for an entrance gate,” Kelik laughed.

The railway line used to cross the place on a tall embankment here. But as the former right-of-way began to be encroached, it was perceived as a nuisance. Then someone came up with the idea of digging it out to create an entrance way for his business premises. But he kept the rails intact, as sawing them was probably an impossible task.

From here, the former railway begin to diverge away from the main road and we followed the track along the rice fields.

The scenery is truly spectacular here. The railway line passes through a series of terraced rice fields, with the backdrop of towering mountains in the distance.

I imagined that the people who rode the trains on this line would probably be treated to one of the most beautiful sceneries in Indonesia. Combined with the steep gradient, the journey would have probably been a very interesting one.

Several kilometres later, we reached the village of Cukanghaur. In here, the railway track goes into a tight village where some of the houses were built right above the railway track.

Actually, the railway line has been here long before the village was built. I guess it was originally a small village on the trackside. But when the railway service ended, and the village expanded, they decided to build some of the houses on the railway right-of-way.

However, there was a peculiar-looking object on the trackside. A bent rail was lying in there. It was about 3-4 meters long and showed signs of damage caused by breakage at both ends. Although the former railway line is littered by bent and detached rails, this one looked out of place and really stood out.   

An example of broken rail caused by metal fatigue. The rail that we saw in Cukanghaur had similar conditions on both ends.

We took a brief rest at Cukanghaur and did afternoon prayer in the mosque here. After we finished our prayer, we met an old man who had also finished his prayer. Intrias struck up a conversation with him and asked him whether he had any knowledge about the past railway operations here, or maybe he had ridden the train as well.

Unlike the previous old man that we met in the middle of rice fields, this person spoke fluent Indonesian, and I was able to grasp his words instantly. And yes, he did experience the railway operations in here, too.

“Yes, young man. I did ride the train here when I was a kid, up until my teenage years. There were several train schedules back then. The morning departure from Ciwidey would normally be crowded with people who wanted to go to Bandung. There was also a morning departure from Bandung, from Cikudapateuh station,” he explained.

Cikudapateuh station in Bandung, taken from onboard a train.

“So the train from Bandung departed from Cikudapateuh instead of Kiaracondong?” I asked. “Yes, it was. The train departed from right there,” he replied. “I thought it was just a railway halt?” Kelik asked. “No, back then it was a junction station where the line to Soreang and Ciwidey branched. If it departed from Kiaracondong, that would have been impractical as the train had to reverse first,” he replied again.

“I frequently rode the train as I was schooled in Bandung during my high school. Every weekend I would catch the train. On Saturday morning from Bandung and Sunday afternoon from Ciwidey. The train from Ciwidey would normally be packed with farmers who carried their produce to be sold in the market in Bandung. Whereas the train from Bandung was full of passengers who just finished their work and wanted to go home to Soreang, Banjaran, or even Ciwidey,” as he reminisces about his past experience.

A local mixed train hauled by a C11 locomotive in Garut. The Ciwidey line was served by a similar train.

“Do you know when they stopped the train service?” Intrias asked. “I’m glad you asked that. The train service actually ended in 1972. I remember it well because out of nowhere, they stopped the train service, and passengers were suddenly transferred to the minibuses without proper notification. I only learned it a few days after they ran the last train service,” he replied.

“Back then, there was a train derailment in here, a few meters from this mosque. A freight train carrying logs from Ciwidey went out of control on the steep gradient. The runaway train eventually derailed and crashed right next to this village. Unfortunately, there were some fatalities too. If you see a stretch of broken rail nearby, that’s what’s left of the derailment,” the old man explained.

A clip of an Indonesian action movie. The first few minutes show a local train hauled by a BB10 mallet steam locomotive. The same type of loco was regularly used on the Ciwidey line, hauling a similar-looking mixed train. The video also shows a derailment scene too.

“What’s happened then?” I asked him. “I can’t clearly remember that, as once I graduated from high school, I worked in Jakarta and Bogor. And if I go to here or Ciwidey, I would travel with road vehicles. Some of my friends did travel by train, but it terminated at Soreang. Then the service on the line ceased completely around the early 1980s,” he answered.

“Yeah, I remember, up until 1984, I did see a level crossing at Soekarno-Hatta ring road in southern Bandung. It featured a sliding crossing gate,” Intrias added.

“Was the line ever dieselized?” Kelik asked. “I don’t think I ever saw any diesel locomotives in Ciwidey. The gradients were too difficult to negotiate for those small diesel locomotives,” he replied. “The service to Soreang saw diesel locomotives operations. I even saw one BB300 crossing the Soekarno Hatta bypass road,” Intrias added.

BB300 diesel locomotive were regularly used at Ciwidey line, although it was only used up until Soreang. There are no record of the diesel locomotive usage to Ciwidey itself.

After we concluded our brief conversation with the old man, we bid him farewell and resumed our journey.

Not long after we left Cukanghaur, the railway line crossed the main road again. This time we didn’t follow it, and it wasn’t necessary as the railway line makes an arching formation and crosses the main road again, 300 meters downhill from the first one. This formation was done to keep the gradient as gentle as possible amongst the hilly terrain in the area.

Intrias was impressed by what he saw and commented, “You can see the ingenuity of the Dutch engineers in here. They know how to negotiate the steep gradients in here. So, they make the railway line curved to ease the steepness of the track. I believe, if the railway track were still in use, this place would have been a spectacular place to photograph the trains.” “Yeah, unlike local engineers who would have given up when faced with a similar challenge,” Kelik added.

The map of Cukanghaur area. The blue line shows the railway line formation. The mosque where we prayed is on the bottom left.

On the crossing at the bottom of the gradient, we resume our railway trekking and follow the railway tracks once again.

Although the railway line has been abandoned since 1972, the rails were still in place. But now flanked by houses. The disturbance caused by the construction of the houses apparently made the tracks buckle, which creates a sight of “varying gauge track”.

Not far from the crossing, suddenly we saw another big and tall bridge ahead. “Oh no! Another bridge…” I said in a bit of fear. Intrias laughed and said, “Relax! This one is far easier to cross!” Well, apparently it is! Some locals can even cross it with their motorcycles.

The next bridge that we’re going to cross is Rancagoong Bridge. What’s unique about it is that it’s a combination of arched concrete and camelback truss structure.

It’s the only kind of structure found in Indonesia. In most other bridges, the concrete structure would be the abutments, or the bridge is fully made of concrete.

Although the rails have long been removed, the villagers have created a pathway structure above the sleepers on the truss structure to enable safe and comfortable passage. Which means crossing the bridge would be a piece of cake.  

Even the trackside safety platforms, which were used by railway inspectors for shelter in the event of a train passing, are still in place.

But what’s unique about it, which I never saw at any active railway bridges at the time, is the fact that the platform is made of concrete! Even its opening year is inscribed on it. There are also some messages or names in Dutch whose meaning I didn’t understand. .

Thanks to its accessibility, it was much easier for us to inspect the bridge.

Unlike in the previous Cikabuyutan bridge, where we were threading between life and death!

From here we could see the same vista as what we witnessed on the Cikabuyutan bridge, unless from the safety!

Once we were done looking at the Rancagoong bridge, we resumed our journey. Just like in most areas that we passed, local villagers have mostly encroached on the railway right-of-way. Some even built their home wall too close to the track.

As we descended further, we noticed that the main road now gets closer to the railway line. So, all of the cacophony and hive of activities on there can be clearly heard from our place.

After several kilometers of walking, we came across another bridge. Just like Cikabuyutan, the bridge is also in poor condition. Many of its sleepers have gone. And those who were still in place were already decrepit. It’s definitely a challenging bridge to cross.

But what made it easier was the fact that the bridge is much shorter than the previous two bridges. And it’s also lower. So we weren’t too concerned to cross it.

Beyond the bridge, the railway line passes through the scenic rice fields again. But the scenery would have been perfect had the hill in the distance not been scarred. It is a pervasive problem in West Java where hills are dug to provide construction materials in major cities. Sometimes as far as Jakarta. 

It was getting darker when we walked further. Crossing the bridge would have been dangerous had it not been prepared for pedestrian usage.

It was almost sunset when the Sadu bridge came into our view. We walked along the former railway right-of-way, which, as you can see, had been encroached by the villagers and turned into rice fields.

We’re finally near the terminus of our walking track. The Sadu bridge gets closer. It’s the last large railway bridge that we encountered for the day.

And just like the Rancagoong bridge, and some smaller railway bridges that we passed, it has also been repurposed into a pedestrian bridge. So crossing it was a very easy task.

In retrospect, the Ciwidey line actually passes through one of the most scenic parts of Priangan mountain. But sadly, the scenery has now been damaged by developments and encroaching urbanization. I imagine a railway journey here was probably thrilling because of the scenery.

In our original plan, we initially wanted to walk all the way to the former Soreang railway station. But, in addition to darkening sky and fatigue, the railway right-of-way has largely been occupied by houses. It’s impossible to walk through it. So we decided to hail a minibus to take us to Soreang.

We catch the minibus, which is a tourist bus that has been repurposed into a rural transport vehicle. Just like in the previous journey from Bandung, it was uncomfortable inside. It was packed with people. Some even sat on a stranger’s lap just to be able to ride along. The body odor of the passengers was unbelievable.

An example of a minibus similar to what we rode from Sadu Bridge to Soreang.

Thankfully, the journey wasn’t a long one. We were dropped off at the corner of Soreang before walking to reach the former railway station.

Opened in 1921, it was one of the major railway stations on the Bandung – Ciwidey line. It was built to serve the town of Soreang, which has since been absorbed into the Bandung metropolitan city, to carry passengers and the sought-after produce.

Soreang railway station is at a higher elevation than Bandung. At 734 meters above sea level, it’s 34 meters higher than Bandung.

Although it was originally an intermediate station, the abandonment of the railway line to Ciwidey meant that, beyond 1972, it became the terminus until the total line closure in the late 1970s or early 1980s. I believe that at its peak, it was a very busy station where people came and went, to embark or finish their railway journey. The farmers also send their produce to be delivered to their buyers here.

But since its closure, the place is deserted. The station building is dilapidated and showing damage to its structure.

The former railway yard has been turned into a football pitch by the locals.

Surprisingly, there’s also another unique artifact left here.

While we were exploring the place, one local approached us. “Excuse me, what are you guys up to?” he asked. “We’re a railway enthusiast who is doing a railway archeology trek,” I replied. “So, are you guys not from the railway company?” he asked for assurance. “No, we’re not. We’re just locals from Bandung,” Intrias assured him. “Ah, I see,” he responded in a relieved manner.

“If you guys are interested, there’s a steam water crane near here,” he suggested. “Where’s that, sir?” Kelik asked. “I’ll show you!” he replied as he beckoned us to follow. We followed him to that place, and shortly we arrived at his mentioned place. “Thanks for showing us!” Intrias thanked him.

This water crane was used to fill the water tank of steam locomotives. I guess it was necessary as they would consume an extra amount of water when tackling the steep gradients to Ciwidey. It was common during the steam locomotive era that the station at the bottom of a mountainous line featured supporting facilities for steam locomotive.

Although by the time we found it, its outlet had been turned upward. Not to mention that some of its components were already missing.

In addition, some pendulum switching equipment was still in place with varying degrees of condition. Some were already damaged, but there were some that were still intact. Just like many branchline stations in Java, the point operations were done manually in place. Not centrally controlled like in the modern station.

As it was getting dark, it was time for us to conclude today’s trekking activity. We caught the bus to Leuwipanjang, where from there we separated and headed back to our home.

The Ciwidey railway line operations can be seen in some segments of this video.

The trek on the Ciwidey railway line truly opened my perspective about the railway service around the Priangan mountain. It was an eye-opener, as well as a life-changing experience. It shows me what the railway line can do to help the agricultural business on the mountain.

TO BE CONTINUED

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Memoir of An Indonesian Railway Enthusiast (Part 91)

Previous chapter.

After several days of rest in Surabaya, it was time for me to return to Bandung. And just like most of the Bandung-bound trip from Surabaya, I also ride the Argo Wilis train. Although this time, I traveled alone as my brother departed a few days earlier due to his obligations at his new college.

The Argo Wilis was my favorite train that I regularly took on my trip between Surabaya and Bandung vv.

I always enjoyed the trip on board the Argo Wilis train as it provides a comfortable means of enjoying Java’s changing landscape between Surabaya and Bandung. Its semi-pressurized air conditioning cabin really spared passengers from the outside heat and dust. Added to the comfortable fabric-covered seats, it really allows passengers to fully enjoy the journey.

The comfortable interior of Argo Wilis train. In my opinion, with its carpeted interior and fabric-covered seats, they were far more comfortable than modern day executive class coach.

Since I didn’t have a photo camera with me, the only means to document the journey was using my video camera. I didn’t mind about that. In the days when I had a photo camera, I tended to take very few photos of the journey. With the video camera, I can take moving pictures of the journey, but since the scenery was basically the same as my previous journeys, I only show what’s unique on this particular trip.

My favorite was to record some railway activities that would have thrilled me, such as crossings between the trains.

A video screen capture of the passing at Butuh station in 2005. Both trains were the Argo Wilis trains that ran in opposite directions.

The first one was at Butuh station, the next station after Kutoarjo.

A closer look at the locomotive from the previous picture. Thanks to the camera’s low resolution, to this day, I still can’t recognize the locomotive’s number.

In here, we crossed the eastbound Argo Wilis train.

The coaches of the eastbound Argo Wilis train.

Normally, both trains were supposed to meet at Kutoarjo station, where the working shift of the drivers and conductors ended in here. But thanks to the poor train timekeeping, the meetings would likely take place elsewhere, including at Butuh.

The tail end of the eastbound Argo Wilis train. What I liked about Butuh station was the rice fields along the trackside. Alas, it has been buried under an expanded station yard since the track was doubled in 2018.

At Prembun, our train stopped to give way to the Lodaya train from Bandung. But I was a bit curious about why the locomotive looked cleaner than the average locomotive of the time. Even the pipes on its cowcatcher were still intact.

Only when it got closer, did I realize that it’s the CC 203 40!

This locomotive would normally be reserved for the presidential train’s duties. Therefore, it would be restricted to the Bandung-Jakarta route only.

But since the Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono presidency, he had rarely traveled by train. And unlike his predecessor, Megawati Sukarnoputri, he also seldom visited Bandung. With this consideration, the Indonesian State Railways decided to free up CC 203 40 and CC 203 41 for regular trains outside the Bandung – Jakarta corridor.

I also recorded another crossing along the way. This time with the Argo Dwipangga train from Jakarta on a location that I have forgotten now.

The train was hauled by a battered CC 203 that shows cowcatcher damage caused by a collision. Even one of its ditch lights was gone.

When I recorded it, the mainline was single-track, but now it’s double-track.

The remainder of the journey was uneventful. And before long, I finally arrived at Bandung.

This song always reminds me of the early days of the management class in 2005. It reminds me of the time when I was relieved that my long, laborious days at the hotel were over, and I started meeting beautiful ladies in Bandung again.

Finally, I was glad to be back at my college in Bandung. Back to the relaxing classroom activities, which were interspersed with love life of sorts. No more heavy physical activity in a loud kitchen cacophony. All was just sitting in the classroom, listening to the teachers, and working on some assignments.

My college mates during my junior year in 2003. Wearing the uniform back again felt wonderful

Unlike in previous years of study, this time the study focused entirely on the theories. We no longer have regular practice classes like we did during our junior and sophomore years. This time, we’re simulating the work of the management staff. So, there would be a lot of managerial and accounting studies involved.  

This reminds me of the management staff that I saw during my days in Malaysia and Singapore. I partly envied them because they worked in an air-conditioned room, had an easier working life than the frontline workers, and worked in office hours. They also get off days every weekend and on public holidays.

An illustration of the management workers in a hotel.

The management students also wore a different kind of uniform, which consisted of a black suit and trousers. We still wore the same light blue shirt from our earlier years in college. But we were given freedom in selecting the ties, as we’re no longer mandated to wear those issued by the college.

The Akpar NHI advertisement material. The guys who flanked the girls wore a management class uniform. We wore white name tags and black trousers. We were also allowed to wear the ties of our choice.

The management students also wore white name tags. Regardless of your background, all management students wore this color. This sets them apart from the junior or sophomore students who wore colorful name tags.

Wearing this kind of outfit was truly satisfying for me. I feel like a boss or a management guy. Sometimes, I would also wear some of the fanciest ties that I have in my collection, including the one with an indigenous Australian pattern that I bought during my studies in that country. It was an opportunity to show the finest dress, and it was awesome!

It was during the commencement of the hotel management class that I met some of my friends from the past. I was somewhat happy to meet up with them again, although not very much with the others. That’s because my relationship with past classmates varied.

None of my classmates from the junior kitchen class made their way to this management program. Only a few from the March 2003 intake enrolled in the senior management class. There were only a handful of former Room Division and F&B service students who continued to this level.

The gathering of Akpar NHI Bandung students from the March 2003 intake. Very few of us made our way to the management class. Only I, Doddy (from F&B service), Kiki, and Widi continued the study all the way to management.

And according to my observations, fewer than 50% of the sophomore class students continued to the management program. The rest were either postponing their study to gain real-world working experience or even leaving the study completely. Some from the latter category actually left the hotelier world completely.

Poppy Yulianti was my crush during the sophomore year.

Poppy, my crush in the sophomore year, was among those who didn’t continue their studies. She decided to go straight to work. For some years, she worked at the Mandarin Hotel in Jakarta. But then she decided to quit the hotel industry and enrolled to study at a university where she took her Bachelor’s program. The last I heard, she’s now working as an English teacher in her hometown in Rangkasbitung.

The Mandarin Jakarta hotel, the white building with a fan logo on the top, was where Poppy worked in the years after she left Akpar NHI.

One of those who was cheerful to see me back at the college was Iis Sukarni. The sweet little girl from the Room Division was apparently my secret admirer throughout the sophomore year. Her fair skin and cheerful smile looked really wonderful that day. Her Eurasian appearance was truly endearing.

Iis during a vacation in Singapore around 2003 or 2004. You can see her strong Eurasian look.

“Hi, Mas Bagus! How are you? How was your job in Singapore? You looks fantastic today!” Iis greeted me. Still a bit nervous from the fatigue, I greeted her back. “Hi, Iis, thanks! I had a great time in Singapore. It was tiring, but I’m happy that I’ve made it through. I’m sorry if I look a bit sleepy today as I haven’t fully recovered,” I replied.

“Really? When did you return back from Singapore?” she asked. “Last month. But I’ve had a lot of activities with family in between my arrival and the return to college,” I replied. “I see. Are you going to join the upcoming management class?” she asked again with an expectant tone. “Yes, I will,” I replied.

Apparently, Iis was overjoyed upon hearing my answer. “Wow! Great! I’m happy that you joined the college again. Me too! See you in the class soon!” Iis said as we concluded our conversation.

Iis in her 20s. This photo was actually taken in 2007.

I have to admit that it really was wonderful to be greeted by a beautiful lady like Iis. It was somewhat akin to a consolation after a series of failed romantic relationships in the past.

I’ve had multiple encounters with nice and even beautiful ladies throughout my years in college in Bandung. Some relationships ended in miserable failure. In my sophomore year, I had a relationship with Poppy where we actually liked each other, but fate got in the way, and then she left me in disgust.

By the way, the absence of Poppy (my former crush in the sophomore year) meant that there were no other girls that was better than Iis.

Well, there was actually one girl that I was briefly attracted to, named Rikka Rustiawati. The native of Cibaduyut in southern Bandung, she had a cute face and mannerisms. But her frozen, cold attitude towards me meant that I simply wasn’t interested in investing my time and effort to win her attention. It wasn’t worth it.

The Management A class during a group work at Enhaii restaurant in 2006. From left to right: Barmes Matondang, Cornelis Nicholas, Rikka Rustiawati, Kiki Ilham, and Yogie Poerwoto. At the time, Kiki had a crush on Rikka. I can be seen in the background holding my cheek.

In some ways, Rikka reminds me of Ganis. My neighbor when I lived in the lodging at Pak Wagiono’s house. Just like Ganis, Rikka also has fair skin, a sweet and pretty face, a slim (almost skinny) body, a bubbly personality, and is sociable. But, just like Ganis, she was cold and distant towards me. Very inhospitable person to approach.

Ganis was my neighbor when I lived at Pak Wagiono’s lodging in 2003.

However, since I was overshadowed by past failures and the numbness caused by the traumatic working environment in Singapore, I initially had no feelings towards Iis. At the time, I had no interest in getting more serious with her. As long as I could maintain good relationships with her, it should be alright.

Our classes were separated into two groups. This was done to reduce the workload of the teachers. Unlike in the previous years, I was actually allowed to choose which class I would like to join. I eventually chose the B class. I can’t recall why I chose it. The presence of good friends was probably the reason.

This was actually a pity as Iis had chosen the A class. Had I joined it, I would have shared the same class as her, and our relationship in the subsequent month would have been much more interesting. I guess the reason why I had chosen the B class was the presence of Rikka, as she was in the same class as I was. I was young and foolish back then.

The casual class group photo of Management A class. If I’m not mistaken, there were also some Management B students in the photo. Top row: Kiki Siagian. Second row: Vani Octavia , Rahmat Pakaya, and Gilang Wulan Dahono, Third row: Ana Maria Madhalena, Dodi Ariadi (the Doddy F&B from my junior year), Ananda Harris Putra, and Dadang Haruman. The bottom row: Iis Sukarni, Theresia Natasha, Liana Hasim, Eva Rosalina, Mayo Atrisa, and S. Bastian Muntu.

The majority of the teachers who were assigned to teach us were also different. Many of them were much more senior. I previously saw them in the management office, but now they also taught us in the class. Senior teachers from every division were also assigned to teach our classes. Some kitchen teachers also taught in the classroom, although surprisingly, they taught different kinds of subjects. Some F&B and Room did their parts in teaching their subjects.

Overall, they had the same mentality as the teachers at the previous levels: highly disciplined, reasonable, egalitarian, and occasionally humorous. They could position themselves as a part of the team with their students. They were not above or below the students. The rare sense of camaraderie between the teacher and the students exists. It’s something that I never found outside this college.

One teacher particularly stood out. Although he wasn’t my favorite teacher, he was pretty popular due to his kindness. His name was Sumekto Djajanegara, also known by his nickname “Meki”. We would call him “Pak Meki”. A native of Purwakarta, he had extensive knowledge and experience in the hotel industry.

Sumekto Djajanegar, or students called him Pak Meki (1944-2011) and the students of Akpar NHI management class. I believe this was taken long after I graduated.

Note: ironically, the term “Meki” was also known back then as the slang for female genitalia. I didn’t know how he got that absurd nickname.

I think Pak Meki taught statistics and other subjects that I have forgotten now. He would patiently teach the subjects in a way that was easy for students to understand. Sometimes he would also open up for discussion, or retell his experience of working in the hotels around the world.

One particular story that struck me was about his experience of making Nasi Goreng in Europe. This iconic Indonesian menu was already popular in the 1970s, but its actual recipe was unknown beyond Indonesia. “I remember when I worked in Switzerland, my chef asked me to make Nasi Goreng. I prepared it in the same fashion as what I would normally do in Indonesia. But when it was served, the chef scolded me. He said that the Nasi Goreng looked and tasted strange. He then taught me the “correct” way of doing it. It even contained strange ingredients like Tabasco, carrot, and cabbage. The end result was the strangest Nasi Goreng I’ve ever known,” Pak Meki recalled.

Another popular teacher was Denny Mustofa. The ethnically Betawi man from Jakarta taught finance. He was the director of Akpar NHI, equal in rank to the chancellors in the university.

Denny Mustofa, or we would call him Pak Denny (1943-2015) was the head of Akpar NHI. He also taught finance.

His subject was naturally the most difficult in the program. It involved complex calculations, including financial forecasting. The subject also involved complex formulas that reminded me of the engineering study at Petra University.

However, several factors made it reasonably easy. First, all of its exams were open-book. That means we could also see our notes and textbooks during the exam. We were also allowed to use a calculator, although Pak Denny mandated the usage of a scientific calculator instead of the basic one.

And he was also the most hilarious teacher I’ve ever met in college. He would frequently tease or prank the students. He was also really creative in making jokes. The theme of his jokes would mostly be lewd ones. The way he made the joke reminds me of the comedians that I saw on TV, unless he did that in real life.

A comedy show features comedians of Betawi ethnicity.

Despite his comical mannerisms, he was actually a harsh and strict person. He didn’t tolerate lateness or delinquency. He expects the students to pay full attention when he teaches in the class. He was also a temperamental person who could explode in rage whenever things went terribly wrong. Once, he threw away a student’s mobile phone when she was caught texting during a class.

Yet, students respected him a lot, and he was also highly rated.

On the other side of the spectrum, the least popular teacher was Imam Hudaya. Or colloquially known as Pak Imam. He was a hideous teacher who was notoriously unpopular in the college. I’ve known him since my orientation days in junior year in 2003. I remember how he threatened students with expulsion for not obeying his ridiculous order. To make matters worse, he was the vice director of the program back then.

While other teachers were egalitarian and could build a sense of camaraderie with students, he wasn’t. He was also the most feudalistic teacher I’ve ever known in Akpar NHI.

Imam Hudaya (left), or known as Pak Imam (1946-2023) was one of the senior teachers in Akpar NHI. He was also reviled by most students due to his evil attitude.

What made him unpopular was his greed and ruthlessness. He was known as a gold digger. He didn’t hesitate to seek any means to get extra income, often at the cost of someone else’s dignity. He was a ruthless teacher who didn’t hesitate to fail a student’s exam, only to reinstate it if the student gave him a “gift”.

He was also known for playing favorites towards students. While he was known for being ruthless, he would give leniency to any students who often gave him “gifts”. I believe he was also surrounded by a group of bootlicker students. The students in this fortunate group often fondly remember him. While those who never gave him “offerings” would never be spared from his atrocity. He was a polarizing figure, indeed.

One of his methods to get extra income from the college was failing the students’ exam results. Back then, Imam taught a subject that was largely theory with no calculations (let alone the complex ones) involved. And he taught in a casual, almost lazy manner. So, students would be off guard whenever an exam is approaching.

When they faced the exam, they were shocked to find that he administered complex questions that needed to be solved using the same kind of calculations as in Pak Denny’s finance subject. To make matters worse, he gave more questions with a shorter time allocation than his colleague. And it was a closed-book exam, where sometimes we were barred from using a calculator.

A photo of the exam session at Akpar NHI. This was actually the entrance exam as they didn’t wear the uniform.

The result was predictable: the overwhelming majority of the students failed the exam. Sometimes the whole class! Consequently, we were required to do a remedial exam. In the process, Imam would get additional wages from the college for this work. And if I recall, the more students that take the remedial, the more money he would get.  

Sometimes he would also handle other teachers’ exam material, and would do the same vile practice. I remember there was one subject where it was purely theoretical. But when the exam came, students were shocked to find it was all calculations, and given very little time to complete it, and no access to an open book or calculator.

Having him as your thesis supervisor or examiner was the worst nightmare for any Akpar NHI students. As a thesis supervisor, he didn’t hesitate to abuse his students during the defense exam. Having him as a thesis examiner would guarantee a steep uphill battle to revise it. Even as an exam moderator, he would unleash a barrage of difficult questions that could overshadow the actual examiner’s duty.

But amidst the ups and downs of college study, I was lucky to be surrounded by friendly company. My classmates who sat around my chair were warm and helpful.

Me during the management class year at Akpar NHI in 2006. Behind me is my best buddy Andreas Kristian Gunawan, Tony Yuardhani (1983-2018), Lenawati, and Lilies Kusmiyati. We often worked together in the same group.

I shared the same table with Andreas Kristian Gunawan, who is nicknamed “Ahong” or “Ahong Fei Hung” due to his affinity towards kung fu. A Chinese Indonesian from Bandung, he was an affable guy who didn’t hesitate to make friends with anyone. We became best buddies throughout our study time here.

Andreas was nicknamed “Ahong Fei Hung”, a play from “Wong Fei-Hung”, the main character in the movie “Once Upon A Time in China” due to his affinity towards martial art.

Behind us was Tony Yuardhani. He was a lanky guy who was a native of Bandung. Unlike most Bandung kids that I knew, who were either tricky or arrogant, he was genuinely friendly and easygoing. He was fun to hang around with and always came up with good jokes. I often worked together with him in a group (along with Ahong).

Unfortunately, not all was sunshine and roses during my management class year. Although the study was neither physically nor mentally challenging, I was still burdened by psychological trauma that was caused by working days in Singapore. It was probably PTSD, although unfortunately I never got to diagnose my problem.

Flashback from the time when I was pressurized and yelled at by my past bosses still lingered. The effect of the SCS seminar that I took in Singapore also turned me into a blunt and vocal, rather explosive, person whenever I encountered something that I didn’t like. I didn’t hesitate to chastise anyone who I perceived as getting in my way.

Consequently, some began to antagonize me. I was seen as a villainous character by some students in the class.

But the worst side effect was when my anger got out of control. One particular bout that I remember was during a group work, a female student named Farrah who refused to budge during a heated discussion. She stubbornly insisted that her stance was a valid argument, despite the evidence proving otherwise.

Me, during a group work in 2006 at Enhaii restaurant. From left to right: Fahrin Hartias, Ferry Soraya (“Oya”), Lenawati, Firman Allani, and Farrah Dina Myranti. I had a beef with Farrah once, which I fully mentioned in the story.

When she scolded me, I ran out of patience and snapped. I exploded with anger and yelled at her. The whole class was shocked! I unleashed one of the worst furies I’ve ever made. But then I suddenly lost my balance and fell onto the floor. The whole class was in a state of bedlam and approached me, who was lying on the floor. I soon lost my consciousness.

Minutes later, I was awoken in the restaurant, surrounded by my friends, including Ahong, Tony, and Bani. The latter was the head of the class. My brother was there too, in his college uniform.

An AI illustration of Akpar NHI student collapsing on the floor. The original image can be found here.

“Are you okay, Bagus?” Tony asked me. “What happens?” I asked. “You exploded in fury minutes ago! The whole class was shocked!” Ahong replied. I was initially stunned by his answer. But as I regained my composure and memory, I began to remember the incident. It was embarrassing,

Surprisingly, Farrah, whom I scolded earlier, seems to have forgiven me. “You’re possessed, freak!” Farrah said. And we generally had a cordial relationship throughout the study year here.

Sadly, that rage episode wasn’t the only one that I had throughout my studies here. In subsequent months, I would also have had similar incidents. Some were even worse. One particular bout was so severe that I had to be carried by my classmates and taken to my rented room in a car.

The college management barely took notice of my problem. They didn’t provide any counseling service or even a referral to a psychiatrist. They dismissed it as a “personal problem”. “We have seen similar issues in the past, and it passes as time progresses,” one of the management staff told me when I discussed the problem.

Me (squatting at the front) with my classmates during the sophomore year in 2004. We posed in front of Nusantara restaurant.

To this day, I regret not going to see a psychiatrist or therapist to solve this problem. Psychological trauma, unlike physical trauma, does not heal with time. It would remain stored in our brain and would pop out whenever we faced moments that resemble our past traumatic experience.

And this will prove to be detrimental to my future study and beyond. To this day, I’m still affected by this problem and barely able to heal from it. Living in a toxic domestic family environment also exacerbate it.

So yeah, combinations of traumatic experiences of working in a Singapore hotel, added with emotional rage inherited from the SCS seminar from my involvement with the MLM program, conspired to sabotage my life.

To add insult, once I met Ris. The very same person who released and abandoned me to the “lion’s den”. Upon seeing me, he didn’t show any sign of remorse or regret. He just went on nonchalantly with his business. “Oh, hi Bagus! How are you? I hope you had a great experience in Singapore. I was so happy that you passed through it. I was even happier that I got a massive commission money from Garry for sending you there!” Ris bragged jovially while patting my shoulder.

Ris Linandar during a visit to London.

Fuck you, Ris! You gain profit at the cost of someone else’s life!

On the other hand, I don’t want to wallow in my problems. I definitely have to return to my railfanning hobby to reduce my personal problem. Honestly, it never solved it. But it helped to give me some activities to ease my psychological burdens. This hobby does have a positive effect on me, regardless.

In order to alleviate it, I decided to spend more time trainspotting while also testing my camera in the Bandung environment.

I first tested my video camera in Bandung station on the first Friday after the college started. It was wonderful to be able to revisit the station, and this time with a new gadget to record the moments here. Upon arriving, I was greeted by the sight of a track maintenance vehicle that returned to its home.

The station was also busy with the hive of trains and people activities. Train arrivals would mean some porters would flock or even jumped into the arriving train.

I also went to the locomotive depot to see the activities inside. Upon arriving, I was greeted by the sight of the BB 303 51 locomotive being parked idle. It was transferred to Bandung from West Sumatera in 2003, and was largely used for commuter and local trains. But its small horsepower meant that it wasn’t a popular motive power here.

But when I looked inside, I was astonished by the sight of a flashy, brand-new locomotive here. The CC 204 07 was the newest locomotive in Indonesia at the time and was part of the second batch of CC 204 locomotives delivered in that year (along with the number 5 and 6).

To call it “brand new” is actually an overstatement. It’s actually a rebuilt from the older CC 201 model, by replacing the engine and adding computer system and new electronical system. In recent times, I found out that it’s rebuilt from CC 201 12. I did see the locomotive in its original form during my first year in Bandung, and it was frequently used to haul local trains.

CC 201 12 in Bandung locomotive depot in 2003. It was rebuilt into CC 204 07 in 2004-2005.

Even its under parts were still in pristine condition. The sanding pipes were also still in place, a feature that back then was largely removed from the locomotives in Java.

The cab interior was also still in immaculate condition. No rust or oil marks were visible. The smell of paint still permeated inside. The electrical compartment doors were open.

The computer unit can be seen inside. It replaced the array of electrical switches that regulate the locomotive’s electrical functions.

Once I finished looking around in the depot, I moved the station to record whatever activities on the outside. And I have to say, its recording quality in the sunset is definitely excellent. The sight of the red and white locomotives was truly endearing. I was thrilled to be able to see them again.

Its level of clarity is astounding for a camera of its level.

Bandung railway station was very busy that afternoon. There were many train activities as most of the trains departed.

Although the number of passengers had already dwindled due to competition with the tollways, the train schedules were as frequent as before.

Some Argo Gede train were hauled by locomotives from Jatinegara depot in Jakarta, because since early 2005 some trainsets were based there.

I also recorded a rare train movement that afternoon. At first, I thought it was a locomotive running light engine.

Only when it gets closer, I realize that it’s a ballast train. Some people also took the opportunity to hitch a ride.

The driver was startled and delighted when he found out that I recorded his train. Back then, Indonesians were usually happy to be recorded on video, as such moments were rare. Talking about the era before the invention of smartphones, anyway. The iPhone was 2 years away from being launched.

As the train progressed, more and more people wanted to hitch a ride. Mostly were railway workers who had just ended their work and wanted to go home.

But then other ordinary people also wanted to have a free ride home. All of the deck spaces on the wagons were occupied by illegal passengers. This is the kind of scene that’s now history.

Although the number of Jakarta-bound passengers has dwindled, it doesn’t mean that Bandung station has become completely deserted. People still flocked to take the train, and it would be apparent when there were commuter trains.

The crowd of people would be at its peak when the long-distance trains to the east were about to depart. Their market wasn’t affected by the new tollway, so people would keep flocking to ride the train.

My camera wasn’t good for nighttime recording, so it was time for me to conclude the trainspotting and head back home.

TO BE CONTINUED

10th Anniversary of Java Steam and Sugar Tour (Part 3 Day 2 9th November 2024)

After the successful outing on the first day, it’s time for us to explore other places on the second day. This time, we only travel to somewhere around Surabaya.

As usual, I picked them up at 9 a.m. Unlike yesterday, this time they waited for me in front of the lobby. So, there was no waiting before they boarded my car and started the journey.

“I couldn’t sleep properly last night. The nearby mosque was so noisy! The loudspeaker chanted prayers for too long,” Michael complained. “Is it a normal thing in here?” he asked. “Sadly, it is. In fact, it’s a common thing that mosque organizers abuse their power to use the loudspeaker at their whim,” I replied.

Noisy mosques are, unfortunately, a common feature in Indonesia. And it has been a source of complaints, not just by visiting foreigners but also by locals. Those who complain aren’t just limited to non-Muslims; even a large number of Muslims are also showing their disapproval towards the excessive usage of mosque loudspeakers.

Our first destination today is Padeg village, near Gresik. In here, we will see the train activities on the Javanese north coast line. Hopefully, if we’re lucky, we should be able to see the freight train here, so Michael and Emily can get to see what the freight trains in Java look like.

The Javanese freight train as seen at Padeg in 2013. Back then the double track project was yet to be completed.

The weather here was very hot. Even hotter than the area around Sengon and Sukorejo that we visited the day before. Although there was cloud cover, it somewhat amplified the humidity of the place. The fishponds around the track were mostly dry. Although it would sometimes be used for rice crops, on our visit, they were bone dry.

Normally, I would prefer to withdraw to the shade or just head somewhere cooler. But the abundance of interesting traffic, plus the presence of the guests, kept me in here.

And the wait is somewhat worth it. A few minutes later, the first train appeared. It’s the Surabaya – Lamongan commuter train, operated by a DMU. In recent years, the service has gained popularity as the railway company adjusted its schedule to fit with commuter traffic.

While waiting for the next train to arrive, Michael made a goofy move that surprised everyone. For an unknown reason, he handed a $10 tip to the level crossing gateman. It was flatly rejected by him. “What are you doing, Mike? He doesn’t need a tip!” Emily reminded him. It was funny, though.

Several minutes later, another train from Surabaya appeared. Just like the previous one, this is also a local train. Unless it’s hauled by a locomotive and runs on a longer route to Babat.

There was a lengthy wait between that local train and the next one. Under the steaming hot weather, it wasn’t a comfortable period. “So, what’s the next train from now?” I asked the gateman. “There’s a freight train coming from the west. It’s currently in Bojonegoro, but it should be here in 30 minutes or so,” he replied.

Waiting for a freight train in Indonesia can be a gamble. While the passenger trains have improved their punctuality, freight trains still often run late. It’s common that they run several hours behind schedule. Their lateness is because they often have to give way to the faster express trains. The container trains copped a heavier penalty as they aren’t designed to travel beyond 80 km/hour.

“The train is coming! It just passed Duduk station. It should be here soon,” the gateman informed us.

At midday, a headlight can be seen appearing from the north. “That’s the train!” I shouted. Michael is trying to find a good place to fly his drone. “Wait, let me find a good spot to take a photo,” as he disappeared behind the signal building.

Moments later, the freight train passed. Unlike the passenger trains, the earth rumbled like an earthquake when there was a freight train. They’re obviously heavier than the passenger trains.

“And that’s how the Indonesian intermodal freight trains look like!” I told Emily. Moments later, Michael turned up. “How’s it going? Did you get a good photo or video?” I asked him. “No. I didn’t get any. It’s a pity, actually,” he replied.

After the freight train had gone, we returned to the car and headed to another place. This time is one of my favorite places due to its close proximity to Surabaya and the abundance of good scenery: Tarik and Kedinding.

What I like about the place is that we can take a photo of trains with the rice fields scenery. If we’re lucky, we can also take a photo of them with the backdrop of Mount Penanggungan and Welirang in the distance. In certain seasons, the cold mountain wind will make the place feel really pleasant.

Since my guests wanted to see what railway traffic management looks like, I took them to see the level crossing gatehouse near Tarik station. Ideally, it should be the signalling quarter at the station. But these days, trying to enter the room is difficult as we must obtain written permission from the railway headquarters (which we didn’t).

So instead, I took them to the level crossing gatehouse. The gateman is pretty friendly in here. They’re also amused by the fact that my guest works for a railway company back in the United States. Sharing knowledge and comparing railway companies with foreign railroaders is a precious moment for railwaymen in Indonesia.

I also noticed that the level crossing control panel has become increasingly sophisticated. In the past, it was just a small panel with a few buttons or switches. Now, it resembles signalling control!

The first train to come here is the eastbound Logawa train from Purwokerto.

The train featured a next-generation stainless steel trainset, which was commissioned a few months prior. So, the train looks pretty amazing under the clear sunny sky.

Tarik Station looks vastly different since the double-track project. The original Dutch-era building is now abandoned and repurposed for storage. Now all activities are relocated to the new building. The original mainline track has also been curtailed and replaced with the new track alignments.

From here, we move on to another spot: the Brantas River bridge. This large bridge crosses the Brantas River, which is the largest river in this part of the island. It was previously a single-track bridge, but now it has been duplicated as part of the double-tracking project.

During the Dutch colonial era, the river was what prevented the double-tracking project from going beyond Tarik. The Dutch couldn’t find enough money to build the second bridge. And worsened by the 1930s economic crisis, it meant that the second bridge remained unbuilt until recently. The longtime project was eventually completed by the Indonesian government.

Climbing the railway embankment proved to be rather difficult. We encountered some loose soil or brambles, which added to the challenge. Although the view from the top does provide us with a clear view of both bridges, in my opinion, it’s a mediocre place to take a train photo. Not really worth it.

Less than 5 minutes after we prepared ourselves, the first train to pass this place eventually arrived. It’s a Dhoho train from the west that crossed the bridge on its way to Surabaya.

“I think we have enough in here. This place isn’t pleasant. What do you think if we move elsewhere?” I suggested. “Yeah, good idea! Do you have any suggestions?” Michael asked. “There’s an open space where we can take a photo of the full train to the east from here,” I replied. “Great! Let’s go there!” Michael concluded.

The place that I’m referring to is an open rice field just to the east of Kedinding station. The place is my favourite as we can take a full photo of a long train in here, such as the Jayakarta train, which currently holds the record as the longest train in Indonesia.

While we’re travelling to our spot, suddenly at the big curve near Tarik station, there’s a fuel train approaching, hauled by an attractive liveried CC 206 locomotive. The locomotive sporting the livery that celebrates the 79^th anniversary of Indonesia. Alas, I wasn’t quick enough to photograph it. But Emily was lucky enough to get its photo.

“Why should they celebrate it every year? Why can’t they just celebrate it at certain years only, like 50, 60, or 70?” Michael asked. “It’s because our tradition is to celebrate anniversaries every year. Not just on the years with good numbers,” I replied. “Yeah, but it’s just strange for me,” Michael continued.

We finally arrived at our place. The weather has also mellowed a bit as the sun goes lower. This provides us with perfect lighting for our photo. And added with green rice, this should make a great photo.

And several minutes later, a level crossing alarm can be heard in the distance. Thanks to the absence of noise, we could clearly hear the level crossing bell in Krian, a kilometre away from our place. And it was then followed by a bright headlight appearance. The Jayakarta train eventually got closer. Thanks to the vastness of the place, its extra length wasn’t initially discernible.

Only when it gets closer are we finally able to take a photo of the full-length train. It’s incredible. Although I’ve seen longer passenger trains in Australia, this one does still look awesome.

Michael also finally found luck with his drone. This time he can take a photo of the train from above. It’s an awesome shot, indeed.

From here, we moved to somewhere to the west of our place. I chose the village of Banjarwungu, which is located between Kedinding and Tarik. The view is actually mediocre, but at least in here we’re still able to take a decent train photograph.

The signal of Kedinding station is actually visible from our place. But thanks to my partial nearsighted eyes, I couldn’t clearly see it. But Emily could discern it clearly. “It’s a green light! There must be a train coming!” she said. Indeed, moments later, the Ranggajati train from Cirebon came to our place.

We didn’t wait for long before another train appeared. This time it’s the Dhoho local train from Surabaya. As it got closer, I noticed that there was a strange pattern on its nose right underneath the logo. I have no idea what that is for.

The sky got darker as we waited for the next train. And there’s a sign that rain might come too because the dark clouds began to roll in.

But Michael somehow got creative with his photography. He decided to climb an electrical cabinet box on the trackside to take a photo of the next train.

At almost 5 o’clock, a headlight appeared from the west. Another is coming from Jakarta.

This time it’s the Argo Semeru train from Jakarta. This premier train runs on Java’s south coast line. It runs in conjunction with its north coast equivalent: the Argo Bromo Anggrek.

The train is one of the most popular train services in Indonesia. Although there was a doubt during its launch about whether the service would be profitable or not, it turned out that it’s a very popular service now.

It also runs so fast that it defeats the previous record holder: De Eendaagse Express, the daylight express train of the Dutch colonial era. It can be said that the Argo Semeru is the spiritual successor of that train, because it is not just able to emulate its status as the fastest but also the most prestigious.

But quite unusual for the daylight service, it features a sleeper class service.

The reason behind this is that the train shares the same train set as its night counterpart: the Bima express train. Consequently, it will haul its blue colored sleeper car even when running in daylight.

After the Argo Semeru train left, it was time for us to conclude today’s activity and the tour itself.

Michael and Emily were really satisfied by the way the tour had been run. They invited me to come to New York! “Bagus, if you ever come to New York, do let us know. I’ll show you around the Grand Central Station and see our railway operations,” Michael said to me.

This invitation sounds too good to be true, especially to New York, considering how expensive and difficult it is for Indonesians to travel to New York. Only the rich can go, whereas I don’t fall into that category. Maybe if I’m lucky next time, I can go there eventually.

With the conclusion of the third leg of the 2024 Java Steam and Sugar Tour, the curtain of my steam railway tour in that year has drawn to a close.

It’s hard to believe that my coveted tour package can celebrate its 10^th anniversary. Although not all years had a tour (especially during the pandemic), being able to run a steam tour 10 years after its commencement is an amazing achievement.  It’s a blessing that I could have run it that long.

Yet, signs of change are already apparent. As time progressed, more and more steam locomotives were put to pasture. The number of field lines in sugar mills has been gradually reduced; some no longer have it. Many of the famed steam locomotive attractions are now history.

Although it’s still possible to charter steam locomotives on the State Railways, the increasingly tricky and reduced running slot means that hiring them would become more challenging.

But the biggest annoyance has to be the increasingly hostile and uncooperative sugar plantation company, which harassed my Japanese tour group on the first leg of the 2024 tour.

It’s still possible to see steam locomotives or maybe ride the sugarcane trains in the field in the next decade. But they will never be the same like it used to be. At least, I’m grateful for all of my customers and those who made the successful tours possible.

THE END!

10th Anniversary of Java Steam and Sugar Tour (Part 3 Prelude and Day 1 8th November 2024)

I didn’t expect something like this, because throughout my years of running a railway tour business, I would normally run railway tours at their best twice a year. On average, I would run at least once a year. Some years, I may not run any railway tour at all. So, being able to run three tours in a year is truly special, indeed.

Yours truly, Michael Francis, and Emily Elizabeth Moser. This photo was taken at Kedinding in East Java. The Surabaya-Jakarta main railway line can be seen in the background.

And what’s the best occasion to celebrate it when my tour program commemorates its 10^th anniversary?

Several days after the conclusion of the previous tour, I received a message on Facebook from an American railway enthusiast named Michael Francis. It’s the second time I received a railway tour request, with the first being in 2020. And he’s also a newcomer who has never been to Indonesia before.

Just like many newcomers visiting railfans, he also has an extensive list of places that he wants to visit. And he wants to visit many of them in a short time. He only allocated two days for the whole railway tour, as he and his fiancée wanted to visit other places in Indonesia.

Initially, he wanted to visit many spots across the vast swathe of East Java. And all needs to be done in a single day! He probably thought that traveling across the intercity roads in Java would be as easy as in America. He failed to realize how crowded Java Island is, not to mention its associated traffic jams.

After several discussions and giving him insight about how the situation on the field is, we finally reached an agreement regarding our itinerary. The route was simplified into a single photo run along the Bangil – Lawang route. This is a realistic option as, after the train spotting concludes, they also want to visit Mount Bromo.  

The tour eventually started on 8^th November 2024 (or November 8, 2024, in American date format). I went to the Surabaya Marriott hotel to pick them up. The hotel, being a part of a major American hotel chain, is popular among visiting American tourists. Since the value of the US Dollar against the Indonesian Rupiah is strong, the room rate of this 5-star hotel is affordable for most Americans.

Once I cleared the security, I entered my car into the hotel premises before waiting in front of the lobby. It is common for someone to briefly park their car here while waiting to pick up someone. I’ve done the same thing before, when I picked up tourists on non-railway tours.

The wait was apparently longer than usual. Normally, it would take around 5 minutes for me from arrival to picking the guests up. But this one was more than 15 minutes! So much so that the bellboy and security grew suspicious of me. “Excuse me, could you move your car away from here?” a security guard asked me. “Wait, I’ll call them first,” I replied.

Thankfully, not long after that, they eventually turned up. “Hi! Nice to meet you! I’m Michael,” he greeted me as we shook hands. “Nice to meet you too!” I replied. His fiancée also came along. Her name is Emily Moser. A petite girl with a stern facial expression.

“Right, welcome on board!” I greeted them as we boarded the car. “Thanks! So where do we go now?” Michael asked. “We’re heading to Gajahrejo on the Surabaya – Malang line. In here, the train will pass slowly while the engine revs high. It should be a good place to do train hunting,” I replied.

We drove along the easy Friday traffic. Although the weekend is looming, the traffic wasn’t really congested. So it wouldn’t be difficult for me to reach the outer edge of the city before entering the tollway in Waru.

When we drive along Jalan Ahmad Yani, the railway track to Malang is parallel to the main road. Suddenly, on our left, a train appeared from behind and paced with our car. It wasn’t really fast, and since the road ahead was rather clear, it wasn’t difficult for me to outrun the train on some occasions.

But when I looked at the train closely, I realized it’s the Arjuno Express train! Normally, when I do train spotting near Malang, this would be my prime photography target. The train is already underway, while we’re nowhere near our photography spot. The chance of taking its photo is already way slimmer.

“Uh, oh…that’s one of the favourite photo objects when I do trainspotting. I don’t know if we would be able to catch up with it on our spot,” I explained to my guests.  

The drive along the tollway was a breeze. There was no serious traffic congestion. Other than the usual pack of slow-moving trucks between Waru and Porong, the road was largely clear. And after about 30 minutes of driving, we finally reached the Purwodadi toll gate, where our spot is nearby.

I soon reached the Gajahrejo village. Upon arrival, we were greeted by hot temperatures and a largely dry landscape. October and November are normally the most painful periods of the dry season, when the sun is right above our heads while the rains have yet to come. So this period of the year is normally the most unpleasant one.

About 10 minutes later, suddenly a train horn can be heard in the distance, followed by the rumbling sound of diesel engine acceleration. “There’s a train coming from Surabaya direction!” I shouted. Everyone prepared their cameras.

Michael attempted to fly his drone to photograph the train from above. But it kept breaking down, so he immediately gave it up and picked up his camera.

A few minutes later, the train began to appear. It’s the Arjuno Express train. The same one that we saw in Waru! Miraculously, we were able to outrun it by a large margin. So much so that we’re able to get ahead of this train and prepare our stuff.

Our luck was actually attributed to the fact that, in addition to a clear road, this train also made multiple stops along the way (while we travelled non-stop). These factors helped us to get ahead of the train and photograph it here.

After the train passed, we packed our belongings and headed back to the car. We wanted to visit as many places as possible, so our outing wouldn’t be so monotonous.

The next place that we visited is Kebon Duren, a small village located several kilometres downhill from the previous location. This place is the first that I found on this stretch of track, which dates back to 2019. In here, we can take photos of trains with the scenery of local plantations and rice fields.

We didn’t wait for too long before the train arrived here. It’s the Tawang Alun train from Bangil hauled by two locomotives, with the CC 206 53 leading.

Although the train is short, the usage of an additional locomotive has nothing to do with the steep gradient here. A single CC 201 has enough horsepower to haul the train on a steep gradient in here.

Instead, it’s due to the rule that forbids the running of locomotives in long hood configuration. This has been imposed since 2023. The reasoning is due to safety reasons. Long hood configuration often hinders the train drivers’ visibility, which can negatively affect the safety of the journey.

The Tawang Alun train itself has a route that requires the locomotive to be turned around in Bangil. It means that the train’s journey is divided into 2 segments. In the past, the journey from Bangil to Malang (or Bangil to Banyuwangi) would be handled with a long hood leading.

With the imposition of the no-long-hood leading rule, it means another locomotive in a short hood configuration is needed. In recent years, the rehabilitation of the locomotive turntable in Bangil meant that they can turn the locomotive around, and the presence of another locomotive is no longer needed.

“So what do you think about our trainspotting session so far?” I asked Michael. “So far so good. We’ve been getting a lot of trains in a variety of places,” he replied.

From Kebon Duren, we go to visit Sukorejo. This place was chosen because Emily wanted to see somewhere that looks classic. The only place that I know fits her requirements is Sukorejo station. It has a classic building, a steam water crane, and an old water tower. It looks almost like the colonial era.

Although this place is drier and hotter than my previous visit.

The locals were amused by the presence of Caucasian tourists in here. They don’t get to see foreigners often in their village.

Not long after we set up the camera, the first train arrived. It’s the northbound Penataran train from Malang to Surabaya. Just like many local trains in here, this train stopped at the station to pick up and drop off some passengers.

Emily wanted to take a photo of the trains passing the level crossing on the northern side of the station. So, I escorted her while Michael was busy experimenting with his drone.

The level crossing is probably unique to the Americans. Unlike there, the level crossings in Indonesia are mostly manned. There’s a gate attendant whose duty is to operate the gate and monitor the area’s safety.

A few minutes later, the alarm sounded, and the boom gates were lowered. There’s a train coming from the Bangil direction.

The train began to appear in the distance.

As it got closer, the train could be seen decelerating. It’s obvious that it’s going to make a stop at Sukorejo station.

The friendly driver is also happy to see us. Courtesy and hospitality are often associated with the Indonesian railway scene, and many visiting railway enthusiasts from the 1970s have experienced it.

We quickly returned to where Michael was waiting for the train.

This train had to be stopped here to make way for a northbound train from Malang.

While waiting, some kids suddenly appeared and took group photos at the locomotive. Apparently, they’re young railway enthusiasts who were having a joyride onboard the train. They used the opportunity to take photos here. Some of them also had a group photo with the drivers.

They were also happy when they saw us. They don’t get to see foreigners in a remote place like this often. It’s a rare moment for them.

Those gleaming railway cars surely look amazing under the clear sky.

Once the Jayabaya train passed, the clear signal was given to the Penataran train. It is slowly accelerating away from the station. Mike and Emily didn’t waste time and quickly photographed the train as it departed the station.

The driver happily replied to Mike’s peace sign gesture.

After we finished our trainspotting in here, we headed somewhere to have lunch. Since the closest “presentable” restaurant in the area that I know is Wapo in Pandaan, we headed there to have lunch. I remember on my previous tour with Geoff and Joop, we visited the restaurant multiple times, as there were no other restaurants that satisfied them, especially Remi.

I believe the servants must be familiar with me now!

We had a good lunch here. Although the Indonesian menu was initially unfamiliar to them, they eventually adjusted well to it. I directed them to choose the menus that aren’t too spicy nor have a strong taste.

Rawon is famous East Javanese menu that isn’t spicy nor having strong taste.

While we’re having lunch, we’re also conversing with each other. “I work on the Metro-North in New York. My office is at Grand Central Station. I work in the traffic controller division. So, my job is to monitor the train traffic in the Metro-North network. Sometimes, I would act as a pilot when a train from another company passes through our network. I would board the cab of their locomotive when they run on our network,” Michael explained.

Emily apparently also works in the same company. “I work in the division that creates the liveries. I’m a graphic designer who creates train liveries. Some of my works can be seen on the locomotives of Metro-North. I recently worked on an employee appreciation special livery on one of their Genesis locomotives. I even got a free static model from Rapido,” Emily said.

One of the Metro-North locomotives that features special livery designed by Emily.

After we finished our lunch and settled the payment, we resumed our journey.

On the way out, I showed them a sight that made Emily laugh hard. There’s a KFC restaurant that features towers that resemble a minaret. “Look, this KFC is the only one of its kind. Because it’s the only one that has Minarets!” I joked. Emily took some photos of it, and giggled.

KFC Restaurant in Pandaan which features minaret.

The remainder of the journey to Mount Bromo was uneventful.

What’s so special about the trip this time was the combination of trainspotting and mountain climbing. I’ve taken tourists to Mount Bromo regularly, and those on train-hunting outings. But never run both on the same tour before. Added to the contrast between the scorching heat of our train-spotting places and the freezing temperatures on the mountain, this really makes the tour one of its kind.

Just like in the previous Bromo tours, I didn’t drive my car all the way to the top. We made a stopover at Sukapura, where we met our jeep driver. In here, I parked my car in his house before we continued our journey to the top in his 4WD jeep.

Once on top, I’m surprised by the cold and cloudy weather. It’s truly contrasting with the scorching hot weather that we had earlier. It was freezing in comparison to those on the lower level.

“This is freezing cold for me,” I remarked. “Really? Well, for me these feels like in springtime. Spring in New York is like this,” Emily replied. “Wow! I can’t imagine how cold it is in winter,” I exclaimed. “Twice cooler than this, complete with the snow!” Emily answered.

After exploring the National Park, it was time for us to return to Surabaya for an overnight rest.

TO BE CONTINUED.

10th Anniversary of Java Steam and Sugar Tour (Part 2 Day 7: 13th October 2024)

After a week of lengthy and rigorous adventure, our journey finally came to its final phase.

Our first program today will be chasing after the Sepur Kluthuk Jaladara steam train across the Jalan Slamet Riyadi. This street running section is popular among the trainspotters as they can see the classic steam loco trundling along the modern city.

In the initial plan, we were supposed to charter this train today. But unfortunately, it was fully booked. These days, they limit the number of steam locomotives running per year. And it tends to be fully booked fast. I wasn’t quick enough to secure the booking for my group.

But at least, they were willing to inform the schedule of the trains running. Thankfully, there’s one that coincides with our visit to Solo.

Had we been able to book the train, it would be our second trip with this train since 2014. I remember back then, I organized a run with Geoff, plus Paul and Hayden. We were able to book it at the last minute (about 3 days before the journey), and we even got a police escort for our steam train journey!

The Sepur Klutuk Jaladara train in 2014. Note, Geoff and Hayden can be seen on the right.

We had a good night’s sleep and woke up feeling pleasant today. This should be a good start, as today’s plan will be quite physically rigorous. Although our itinerary covers only the city of Solo and the Tasikmadu sugar mill, there will be a lot of physical activity involved today.

After taking a shower, dressing up, and having breakfast, we were good to go.

Our first destination today is the Solo Purwosari station. Although this is the starting point of the Jaladara train, the aim of the visit wasn’t to try to get a free ride, or even watching that train being started.

Instead, we actually came to see this steam locomotive, the sole surviving D52 class.

Built by Krupp in Germany in 1951 and numbered 100, it was once the most numerous steam locomotive class in Indonesia. The locomotive design was derived from the German BR41 locomotive, which explains why they looked identical. It was very much the narrow-gauge version of that famed German locomotive.

The video of D52 construction in Krupp in Essen, Germany.

It was originally planned to be the standard mainline locomotive for Indonesia and would replace the steam locomotives from the colonial era.

D52 class locomotive in Cirebon in the 1970s.

The locomotive also had the highest boiler pressure of all of the steam locomotive types in Indonesia: 16 atmospheres! It was still 2 atmospheres larger than the largest ever steam locomotive to see service in Indonesia, the DD52 class.

DD52 mallet class locomotive was the largest type of steam locomotive ever operated in Indonesia. It’s seen in Cibatu in 1972.

It was also the reason why the locomotive was barred from operating in the Priangan mountains, as it was difficult to control its speed. Its high horsepower was designed with speed in mind, instead of heavy haulage. The large diameter of the main wheels also made it tend to go fast.

D52 080 locomotive at Tasikmalaya station in 1968. The station is located at the eastern end of Priangan mountain.

Although Indonesian State Railways at the time of its introduction wanted to make the type the standard motive power in their network, the dieselization (plus the above-mentioned speed problem) meant that this plan never materialized.

D52 049 locomotive arriving with Dhoho train in Kertosono station in 1972.

The D52 class locomotives lingered on until the 1980s before they were withdrawn from service in the middle of that decade.

Despite the numerous members of the class, sadly, only one example is preserved: the D52 099. It was originally displayed at the Jakarta Transport Museum.

D52 099 when it was still displayed at TMII Museum in Jakarta in 2004.

But in 2016, it was relocated to Solo Purwosari station, along with the D1410 locomotive. It was initially planned to reactivate these steam locomotives for the Jaladara excursion train. The change in management that same year led to the dissolution of the heritage division responsible for the work. As a result, the locomotive sat abandoned here. The D1410 was much luckier as it got the chance, although the work wasn’t thorough.

There’s also a concern that her tendency to bolt off when accelerating would render her unsafe for branchline works, like the one normally plied by the current Jaladara train.

In recent times, the locomotive was refurbished cosmetically. But other than that, there were no other works done on this locomotive.

I initially thought that going to see this locomotive would be difficult, as the security around the station premises has been beefed up. In the past, people could go inside the yard and take photos as they pleased. But since 2017 or 2018, the Indonesian State Railways have stepped up security on their premises.

So, taking a photo of trains has become difficult. Using a DSLR would raise suspicion from the station security. Using a tripod on the station’s platform is a big no.

I approached the ticket checker at the platform entrance and made inquiries. “Excuse me, miss, do you mind allowing my group to see that steam locomotive over there?” I asked her. Expecting rejection, I was surprised that she let us in! “Wait here, sir, I’ll call security staff to accompany your group,” she replied.

Minutes later, a young security guard came, and then we were allowed to pass through the ticket barrier and the platform before reaching the D52 099 steam locomotive in the station’s yard.

This locomotive now looks immaculately dressed. She looks as if she’s ready for an excursion today.

But look can be deceiving, though. Internally, she’s anything but complete. Her piping and fire tubes aren’t in place. Some control handles are missing. So there’s still a lot of work to do before she can run again.

After we finished looking at this steam locomotive, it’s time for us to move somewhere else.

Remi wanted to see the street running along Jalan Slamet Riyadi. The main avenue of Solo has a unique feature where an active railway shares the same space with road vehicles such as private cars, motorcycles, and city buses. It is the last of its kind in Indonesia.

Back in the old days, street running was commonplace in Indonesia. It was normally found on the rural branch or tramline with a small axle load clearance. The reason behind such construction was a cost-saving measure, as utilizing the existing road for railway rights-of-way was much cheaper than clearing lands to build a dedicated railway line.

The street running on Madiun – Ponorogo branch line in the early 1980s, featuring B50 07 locomotive.

But as the road traffic increased, and the railway service itself lost popularity to road transport, many were closed and abandoned.

At the corner where the railway track merged with the road, there’s a level crossing guard house where some railwaymen were relaxing inside. I made the train schedule inquiry to them.

“Excuse me, sir, when is the next train that will come here?” I asked them. One of them looked at his watch and said, “There’s a local train from Wonogiri which will pass here at 10.” “What about the Jaladara train?” I asked him. “Oh, that’s still a long way to go. I think around 11 o’clock,” he said.

After thanking him and passing the information to our group, we’re preparing ourselves to photograph the incoming train from Wonogiri. We waited for more than 45 minutes near the curve, and under the hot midday sun of Solo. Although the morning weather was pleasant, beyond 9 o’clock it was already steaming hot.

At 10 o’clock, a bright headlight appeared from the east. It’s definitely a train, as it was brighter than the road vehicles’ headlights. Plus, the traffic at Jalan Slamet Riyadi runs to easterly direction. The lights gradually grew bigger and before long we could see the diesel railcar approaching the curve.

The Batara Kresna train is a DMU service that serves the Solo Purwosari station and Wonogiri, as well as the intermediate stations. The service was inaugurated in 2012, replacing the old loco-hauled local trains that plied the same route. It also offers much better comfort, including air conditioning.

We waited in the same spot for several minutes to photograph the same train as it headed outbound to Wonogiri.

It turned out to be the last time we saw this particular diesel railcar used on the Batara Kresna service. By the following year, it was replaced by an older Japanese-built DMU, which had been heavily modified with increased comfort. The original railcar was notorious for its poor reliability, so the decision to replace it was seen as the correct step.

There was a more than 30-minute gap between the departure of the Batara Kresna train and the arrival of the Jaladara steam train. So much so that the guards abandoned their post after the former left. But as soon as they returned, we knew that the steam train would pass anytime from now.

About several minutes after 11 o’clock, the traffic police on their motorcycles began to close down the road from the traffic. And in the distance, a steam whistle can be heard.

Moments later, the steam train turned up. A lot of locals also used the opportunity to take photos of this train as its appearance is very rare.

A lot of its passengers are also fascinated by the occasion. They don’t get to travel onboard a classic steam train often. So, a steam train journey in Java always felt magical to everyone, whether onboard or for anyone in the trackside. It’s a rare moment, indeed!

However, unlike my previous encounter with this train in 2014, this time they’re using a newer and bigger locomotive. Since 2020, they have been using the D1410 steam locomotive as the motive power for the Jaladara train. The sole survivor of its class, it’s now the favorite for the train.

“Quick! Get back to the car and go after the train!” Joop commanded everyone to get into the car. I quickly started the engine and chased after the Jaladara train. It was a tricky undertaking due to the heavy traffic. Dealing with meandering motorcycles and slow cars can be frustrating.

It was only helped by the fact that the train trundled slowly. Plus it also made multiple stops along the way.

We made our first photo stop right across the road from Sriwedari Park.

I remember, back in 2014, we (Geoff and I, actually) made a photo running in the same place. But back then, the road was largely empty. Plus, the train was chartered by us. So, we had total control of the situation.

Although things are more difficult now, it was still within our reach. At least we were able to photograph the train decently.

Not far from Sriwedari, the train made a stopover at Danar Hadi Batik Museum. In here, the well-heeled passengers from Jakarta would spend their money buying the expensive textile products sold in the shop at the corner of the museum. The city itself is well known for its Batik traditional clothing, which is highly popular.

The stop also allowed some additional opportunities to photograph this train, even up-close. This was also a risky proposition, as we had to stand in the middle of the street. At least the traffic jam, caused by the nearby traffic light, protected me from being hit by speeding vehicles.

After finishing taking photos here, it’s time for us to move somewhere else to find another vantage point.

Geoff initially suggested a spot in the Galabo Food Market near the old fortress. Back in 2014 we were able to photograph the Jaladara train at an elevated position, which enabled us to take a great photograph.

Unfortunately, Joop and Remi had another, less sophisticated, idea. “No, we stay here and find another spot somewhere around here,” Joop explained. Geoff and I were disappointed by the decision. “This is sad. Why do they insist on staying in this mediocre spot? We all know that the spot near the market offers a much better angle,” Geoff lamented.

We waited for quite a long time under the hot sun near where the steam train stopped. The heat was pretty unbearable for me. But I choose to stay, to ensure that I will get a good photo.

I chose a spot just next to the traffic lights where I could photograph the steam train with the backdrop of the modern city.

About 30 minutes later, the train finally resumed its journey. It slowly trundles its way to its next destination while being escorted by patrol motorists.

It’s truly a contrasting sight to see a Jurassic steam locomotive made in 1921 operating normally 103 years later.

This kind of scenery is what makes the train truly unique. To see a centenarian steam locomotive running along the modern city is not just contrasting, but also special occasion too.

Once the train left, we quickly returned to the car to chase after the train. Trying to get another spot for street running is now impossible as there are series of traffic jams. So, we headed directly to its final stop: Solo Kota station, also known as Sangkrah.

Located at the southeast corner of the city, this station is the first stop for trains to Wonogiri. It’s also the regular terminus for the Jaladara steam train.

Prior to the commencement of the Jaladara steam train service in 2012, this station was partly neglected and poorly maintained. But with the new steam train, the station becomes a tourist destination. So many have been invested to make the station cleaner and presentable. In addition, they also add some facilities to support steam locomotives, namely a water crane.

Although our journey was partly hindered by traffic congestion, surprisingly, we came ahead of the train. When we entered the platform, the train had just approached the station.

Once the train stopped, the passengers disembarked to stretch their legs. Some also used the opportunity to take pictures of the unique locomotive.

The crew quickly detached the locomotive and brought it to the water crane to have its tank topped up.

Although the D14 has bigger water tanks than the smaller C12, for some reason, they still need to top it up here. Although this station is the limit of the steam train service, in the past, there have been some instances where tourists hired the steam trains to travel beyond here to the Wonogiri direction.

The station has also undergone renovation works, which added high platforms and their associated roofs.

It seems that this station has been in some kind of perpetual renovation works. 10 years earlier, when I chartered a steam train here, the station had also undergone renovation works. In the past, it was to prepare it for the steam operations; now it’s for expansion.

After they fully topped the locomotive’s water tank, it’s time for them to shunt the locomotive back to the train. This time it’s on the opposite side of the train, to prepare it for its return journey to Purwosari.

We quickly return to our car to photograph the train on its return journey. We didn’t go very far. This time, we photographed the train just as it passed under the home signal at Solo Kota station. This classic scenery is definitely unique.

Although we were satisfied with what we have achieved so far, we’re far from done today. We still have to return to the Tasikmadu sugar mill to see if they really run the steam locomotive as they promised yesterday.

“What time do they close the theme park, Bagus?” Joop asked. “They said 3 o’clock,” I replied. “Well, then we need to go there immediately!” Geoff suggested. It was 12.45 already. Obviously, we didn’t have much time left, as a long drive was needed to reach the place.

We quickly hopped back in the car, and once I started the engine, I drove quickly to reach the Tasikmadu. The drive from the city to Tasikmadu was fairly easy, as the traffic on the weekend in Solo isn’t crowded. And before long, we finally made it.

Unlike yesterday, this time the theme park is more crowded. There are more visitors than on the previous day. But still, it’s a pale comparison to the previous years.

We quickly went to where the steam train would normally be parked. To our relief, it’s there! In steam, and ready to run!

The loco sat idle as it waited for the customers. The crew is standing by around the locomotive. We asked one of the crew, “Is the locomotive running?” “Yes, it is,” he replied. “When will it start moving?” I asked him. “As soon as there are 15 paying passengers, then we will go,” he answered.

I passed the message to my group, then they quickly responded. “Let’s collect money equal to that amount, then we go,” Joop suggested. Then he, Geoff, and Remi gathered the correct amount of money to be given to the crew. I didn’t need to collect my money, as I’m the tour operator.

After that, I gave the money to the locomotive crew. As soon as they counted the money, they said, “Alright, it’s good to go, sir. Hop onboard!” The driver started opening up the throttle, and the whistle sounded. We’re departing!

Our train slowly trundled along the track. Some other passengers, who had already paid their ticket but had to wait due to the lack of passengers, were overjoyed that their trip finally commenced.

Since the purpose of the trip is not merely riding the train, we would occasionally ask the driver to stop the train for photo runs.

Although the track only runs around the mill premises, it has a surprisingly diverse scenery. Some parts looks rural, some industrial, while others looks bleak.

While enjoying the trip, a group of locals also interacted with us. The young kid also happily took a photo of my group.  

“Excuse me, young lad, are you the guide of this European?”  an old man who joined our trip asked me. “Yes, sir. Why?” I replied. “Are you also interested in collecting historical artifacts? Or maybe do you have any information about anything for sale?” he continued.

“May I know why you ask me that? I honestly have no idea regarding your inquiry,” I answered him. “I often helped the management of this place, or anywhere else, to organize the heritage museum. I wonder if you could help me to expand the heritage museum?” he asked.

“Well, thanks for your concern. But I don’t do that sort of business, actually. I only do tour businesses, including the heritage ones,” I replied. “Ah, I see. Well, in case if you’re interested, here’s my business card. My name is Cicup,” he gave me his business card as we concluded the conversation.

Somewhere near the entrance, our group asked the driver to briefly stop here. We wanted to do a photo run when the train rounded the curve.

Although the photo is great, the video is spoiled by Remi, who suddenly wandered into the frame. So, I decided to stay in here to make another recording of the train while others reboard the train.

While waiting for the train to return, I was captivated by the sight of the abandoned premises around here. The security post near me is already deserted. In the past, even when outside the harvesting season, it would have been manned and secured. But now, it is neglected.

The houses behind it are now fully abandoned. None of them is occupied. All are empty. Some are already showing signs of damage.

The deserted housing really gave an eerie sensation, which would have been a good backdrop for a horror movie. It’s sad and bleak but somehow evokes a lot of memories too. I believe that at the height of the mill’s operation, these houses were reserved for the top bosses of the mill.

At least, I did see these houses when they were fully occupied, when the mill was fully operational in the past. When I first came to Tasikmadu in 2012, the majority of the houses were occupied. It was still like that 2 years later. In my subsequent visits, the number of occupied houses began to be reduced.

The last time I saw any of the houses occupied was in 2018, which coincidentally was the last time I visited Tasikmadu when it was still crushing the sugarcane.

A few minutes later, I hear a steam whistle approaching. The steam train is coming! I quickly prepared my camera for its arrival.

Moments later, the train appeared. This time it carries many more passengers than in the previous trip. Joop jumped out of the train and started taking photos of it.

Its presence truly breaks the silence of this place. Its high-pitched whistle can be heard from a distance.

Although her days of hauling sugarcane trains are far behind her, she still earned her keep.

Once the train is near, I could finally get a mastery shot of this excursion train. My video camera also able to record a good video of it.

After I concluded my activity here, I packed my cameras and tripod and headed back to the theme park. Upon arriving, I noticed the park looks much more crowded than when we came here earlier. Some of the shops that were closed are now open. There was even a music performance.

When I got near the train, I finally met Pak Samiono, who happened to wait for me. “Ah! Here you are! It’s good to see you again!” he greeted. “It’s good to see you again, sir,” as I shook hands with him.

“I know it was you because the train departed without my consent,” pak Samiono explained in a half-scolding tone. “What? Did we do wrong?” I asked him. “Normally, the steam train can only depart if I give the clearance. Your train didn’t have it. But when my employee told me that the train was chartered by the “European who came yesterday”, I decided to give leniency,” pak Samiono said.

“Anyway, is your group free now? I want to show you something,” pak Samiono offered me something. “What is it?” I asked him. “Just call your friends, and I’ll show you,” he answered. I quickly called Geoff, Joop, and Remi to come before we followed pak Samiono entering what seems to be an abandoned convention hall.

“Parto, that famous comedian, has been here before. I remember he used to hold a party in here with his friends and family members. It was really lively,” pak Samiono said as he reminisced about the past event that was held in the place.

We were eventually taken to a closed swimming pool behind the building. But what’s really special about the place is the presence of a steam locomotive on a pedestal at the corner of the pool.

“This is Colomadu number 1. It’s one of the several steam locomotives from that sugar mill, which was relocated here when they abandoned their railways in late 1991. I remember when it came here, it was briefly used for sugarcane haulage service. When they set up the theme park, I relocated the locomotive to here,” pak Samiono explained.

“Since it’s no longer running, I decided to repurpose it into a water heater. So the firebox is used to heat the water in the boiler, which will later be poured into the pool,” he added.

I looked closely at the locomotive and realized that, other than its boiler and firebox, everything else is no longer in place. The driving rods are no longer there. A lot of the control handles have disappeared.

But there’s an addition which was probably used to support its role as the pool water heater: a vertical structure above the left water tank. This tank-alike object didn’t exist when the locomotive was still in operation.

It was getting late when we concluded our activities in Tasikmadu. We eventually bid farewell to pak Samiono. “Thank you for your kindness and hospitality, sir. We’re very grateful for your effort,” as I bid farewell to him. “Thank you too for your visit. I hope that you and your group are satisfied with what we have. I also hope that we can meet again,” pak Samiono bidding us farewell.

With that, our tour eventually concluded. Although several things didn’t go according to plan, the tour itself has been a resounding success. Everyone got what they wanted, and in some places, we even had additional bonuses.

Although honestly, in recent times I found out that it was the last time the steam locomotives were running in the Tasikmadu theme park. By the end of the year, they stopped the steam locomotive operations and even closed the theme park altogether! The park was renovated throughout 2025 and reopened in late that year. Although it’s now a much better-looking park, sadly, the steam locomotives have been permanently sidelined.

Back to the tour, in the evening, we celebrated the success with a small party in a restaurant near our hotel, where we bought some Bintang beers for the toast. I didn’t drink the beer as I’m a teetotaler, but we had a fun evening.

On the following day, after we checked out from the hotel, I dropped them off at Solo Balapan station, where they caught the train to Bandung.

“Okay, Bagus, see you later. It’s been a wonderful tour with you. Thanks for organizing everything,” as Joop bid us farewell. “Thank you, Bagus, for organizing this tour. I’m very grateful for all your efforts. I hope that we can meet again in the future,” Geoff said as we bid farewell. “Thanks, Bagus, for the tour. See you again next time,” as Remi bade me farewell.

With the conclusion of this tour, it means my duty is finished, and it’s time for me to go home to Surabaya.

But just when I thought that it was the last railway tour of the year, a few days after the conclusion of the tour, I received another last-minute request from a railway enthusiast from a country that I consider the home of the nicest tourists I’ve ever taken.

END OF PART 2.

10th Anniversary of Java Steam and Sugar Tour (Part 2 Day 6: 12th October 2024)

After a pleasant overnight sleep, I was really relieved that I could finally wake up and feel fresh. Today’s itinerary will be slightly easier than yesterday’s. So I wasn’t burdened with having to prepare myself for an extremely long journey.

Today’s itinerary covers our visit at Tasikmadu sugar mill to see its steam locomotive in action. Seen here is Tasikmadu I at work in 2015.

According to our plan, after checking out from our hotel in Salatiga, we will visit the Tasikmadu sugar mill. Located near the city of Solo, this place was one of several places in 2024 to see real steam locomotives in action. Not diesel locomotives, propped up as steam. Although they were employed to haul excursions train inside the amusement park, at least it’s a real thing.

But first, we want a massage!

When I checked in, the hotel receptionist gave a free massage voucher for each one of us. Joop and Remi have claimed their voucher, whereas Geoff and I haven’t. Ideally, we were supposed to have a massage after returning from the tour. But the problem is, the parlour closed at 6, whereas we returned to the hotel around 8 or 9 o’clock.

So after we had breakfast and packed our luggage, we decided to claim our vouchers that morning. The massage was truly pleasant. The masseur’s hand delivered perfect pressure. It’s neither hard nor weak. It’s right on the spot.  

After we checked out and put our luggage in the car, it was time for us to head to Solo. The drive to Solo is an easy one. After refuelling my car and negotiating the tight roads in Salatiga, I entered the tollway, and it was a breeze.

Salatiga toll plaza overlooks mount Merbabu volcano.

The drive between Salatiga and Karanganyar (the nearest toll gate to Tasikmadu) took about 45 minutes. Once I exited the tollway, I drove my car to the access road that connects the main highway with the Tasikmadu sugar mill.

Parts of the backroad actually intersect with the former right-of-way of Tasikmadu’s field lines. Joop, who had seen them in action in the 1980s and 1990s, recognized the place. When we passed in front of a factory, Joop commented, “There used to be a railway track on the embankment in front of that factory. Back then, this place was very rural. No factories. Very few houses. Most of the crops were sugarcane, not rice.”

A former railway embankment in front of Duniatex factory. It was formerly part of Tasikmadu’s plantation railway network.

Tasikmadu sugar factory is a place where the sugar cane train operation in the past really intrigued me. I always wanted to know what their field lines operation really looked like.

They have the best steam locomotive fleet in Java. Among them is the Tasikmadu VI is definitely the largest and most impressive steam locomotive I’ve ever seen in any sugar mills I’ve ever visited. I even saw it at work in 2012 and 2014. Seeing this locomotive working in the field, hauling a long sugarcane train, would have been an impressive sight.

Tasikmadu VI was the largest locomotive used on sugarcane railways in Java. Seen here in 2014.

Alas, by the time my interest in sugarcane railways grew in 2012, the majority of sugar mills had abandoned their railway network. And those who still do no longer operates their steam locomotives. So basically, I missed all of those best moments in sugarcane railways’ history.  And ironically, when my interest in railways revived in 2001, sugarcane railways weren’t initially on my radar.

In fact, Tasikmadu itself began closing its field lines in 1990, when a tragic accident led to the closure of the eastern half of its field lines network. The remainder of them soldiered on for the remainder of the 1990s. The last recorded field lines working was in 1997.  

It was a pity as they actually had what was probably the most scenic field lines in Java. Some of them plied the hilly terrain at Matesih, at the foot of the mount Lawu. It’s the reason why they operated a large Luttermöller axle locomotive like the number VI.

After several minutes of driving, we finally arrived at Tasikmadu. At first, I was surprised by the number of renovations that had been done to the premises. Now they built a large gate arch at the entrance. It’s also where they put the ticket booth now.

But I’m shocked by how quiet the place is. In the past, weekend was always crowded. The day was Saturday, and the steam locomotives were supposed to be running today. Yet there were no visitors other than us. It was dead quiet. Having seen the park since its heyday in the pre-pandemic era, this is a saddening sight.

“You can park your car inside! There’s ample space in front of the sports hall,” the ticket attendant told me. I promptly returned to my car and drove it to the place that he mentioned. It is really pleasant as it’s much closer to the steam attraction, and also under the shade.

My car is in front of the sports hall of Tasikmadu.

In the past, Saturday would have been a busy time for this theme park. People would have flocked to the place and enjoyed the attractions. In addition, both of the steam locomotives would pull the excursion trains around the park and mill premises. In addition, one diesel locomotive would be used for the third excursion train.

Dual steam locomotive workings at Tasikmadu sugar mill theme park in 2016.

And it would get busier on Sunday.

But today, there’s nothing! Aside from the ticket seller and some food tenants, there was not a single soul to be seen. We’re essentially the sole visitors in this place today.

The state of the railway operations has also gone into decline. In recent times, they stopped the diesel-hauled excursion train. And the number of the live steam locomotive have been reduced to just one.

They have also created a small diesel railcar to replace the diesel-hauled train. This tiny railcar can accommodate a handful of passengers.

Behind, there’s a rail vehicle that resembles a rickshaw. Despite its shape and size, this vehicle actually dates back to the colonial era. It was originally used for rail inspection, with the passenger at the front and the driver in the back seat, just like a rickshaw.

When Tasikmadu closed its field lines, the vehicle was retired and, for several years, dumped. It was revived and returned to service at the amusement park in 2016.

I’m shocked to see the parts of the track that would normally be used for the second steam train have been installed with this roof structure. I didn’t see it in the previous year.

Its position is so low that it’s impossible for a steam locomotive, or even a large diesel, to pass underneath it. Despite its aesthetic purposes, it clearly shows the decline in railway operations here.

Next to it are the carriages that are normally used for the excursion train. Its steam locomotive is nowhere to be seen.

Back in the old days, both steam trains would meet in several places around the mill. This place was one of them.

The same site as above, but taken in 2016. Both steam trains would meet in here.

We also explored the housing around the mill, where some old artifacts are exhibited. One of them is this old steamroller. It was still usable until recently, but since the passing of the founder of this theme park, it’s now preserved in static conditions.

At the corner of the park, near the southern entrance, the Tasikmadu I (Roman number) steam locomotive is found to be derelict conditions.

This locomotive was last used in 2023.

In the last years of the steam locomotive operations in Tasikmadu theme park, they only operated one out of the two locomotives each year, alternating between the number I and 3. I believe it has been like that since the post-pandemic years.

It’s really a sad sight to see the theme park deserted like this. The majority of the food stalls in here are empty. Other than the ticket sellers at the front and us, there was not a single soul to be seen here.

This is really sad as today is a weekend. In the past, there would be a hive of activity in here. Visitors would flock to the place. All three of the excursion trains would run, including both of the steam locomotives. The stages would see music or dance performances.

While exploring, we suddenly come across one of the park attendants who walks through the place for inspection. I approached him and had some conversations with him.

“Excuse me, sir, are you in charge of running the theme park?” I asked him. “Oh yes, I do,” he replied. “I wonder if the steam loco will be running tomorrow?” I asked him again. “Well, I don’t know the answer. I’ll take you to the manager in here,” he replied. He promptly took us into the housing area adjacent to the theme park.

On the eastern side of the theme park, there’s a row of houses. They were originally built around the 1970s for employees’ housing, and sometimes for guests’ lodging. Their architectural style reminds me of the fancy houses that I saw in my childhood. I guess they were intended for those in managerial ranks. When the mill premises were converted into a theme park in 2008, many of them were repurposed into shops and hotels.  

“You wait here, I’ll call pak Samiono,” as he asked us to sit at the veranda. “Who is he?” I asked him. “He’s the manager in charge of this place,” he replied. We sat in the chair provided there. About 5 minutes later, an elderly man with slightly long hair turned up. He looks more like an artist than an administrator.

“Good day, how are you? You must be a tour guide,” pak Samiono greeted me as we shook hands. “Oh yes, I’m carrying this group of Europeans on a railway tour in Java today,” I replied. “Where are they from?” he asked. “The guy in the yellow hat is British, while the rest are Dutch,” I replied.

While we conversed, he lamented a lot about the problem that the theme park is facing right now. “You see, our theme park is deserted now. Not many visitors right now. In the past, we would have seen a lot of visitors coming in here. But since the pandemic, the number of visitors declined,” he explained.

“But worse, since the new company managed all the sugar mills in Java, we began to lose money. Not because of the lack of visitors, but because they took away most of our revenues!” he divulges his story. “What! That SGN company?” I asked. “Yes, that one!” he replied.

“This new company is greedy. They extorted the sugar mills to satisfy their needs. Even the closed sugar mill like Tasikmadu isn’t spared. We have to meet their gluttonous quota,” he lamented. “So, we have to transfer the majority of our revenues to them these days,” he added.

“Consequently, a lot of the employees in here left because we can’t pay their salaries,” he said. “And the majority of the tenants in here also packed their goods and left as we have to raise the rent fee,” pak Samiono explained.

“But the worst of all was when they plundered the payment of a steam train charter a few months ago,” he explained in anger. “I remember back then, there was a booking for steam running during a working day. This group booked through SGN. Since we don’t normally run steam loco outside the weekend, of course, this was considered overtime as we need extra work to prepare it,” he recalled.

“The steam tour proceeded smoothly. But when the payment time came, that’s when the trouble started. The tour group paid us. But when they left, the representatives from SGN asked us to hand over all of the money from the customers. I was shocked as we gave the money, and they simply went away smiling, while we were left broken,” he said in a trembling voice.

“What?? That’s so vile! I didn’t know they were much more evil than I thought. Last August, my other tour group was also mistreated by them. I was impeded when arranging the permit. My group was even harassed when we visited Pagotan sugar mill,” I said to him.

“You see, the new plantation company is so morally bankrupt. Their business acumen preceded their morale. These new guys definitely don’t know how to do a sustainable business. They only think about their personal profit,” pak Samiono added.

“These guys are new?” I asked him. “Yes, they are. I’ve never seen them before. I believe they were previously working in another government company,” he replied.

“You know, young man, I’ve worked in Tasikmadu since 1984. So, I know every management guy from the plantation company. I know some who started from a junior rank and made their way to the top, even becoming the manager of PTPN IX,” he added.

“So you have been working since 1984? You must have seen a lot then,” I asked him. “I do, I have to admit I have become part of history in here too,” he replied. “I have been working in various jobs here. From the plantation supervisor, machinist, mechanics, and eventually managerial roles,” he replied.

“Did you also work on the narrow-gauge trains when the field lines were still in operation?” I asked him. “Yes, I did. Sometimes I also travelled on the train and also helped collect the harvested sugarcane. It was an awesome experience,” he replied. “Where did the field lines go?” I asked him again. “They went everywhere in this district. Some to Karanganyar. Some went all the way to the foot of Mount Lawu. I think I went to most of the lines when I was assigned to the railway operations,” he replied.

“When did they close down the field lines?” I asked him this milestone question. “I can’t recall precisely. I think it was around the late 1990s or early 2000s. I don’t know the exact time. My memory is a bit hazy. As far as I remember, they closed the lines in small segments over a long period of time. When they were running the last one, I was posted to another mill.  Since they never officially announced the abandonment, I never knew if they had officially closed it. All of a sudden, those tracks were just abandoned, and trains only operated around the yard,” he replied.  

“Do you also know pak Megan?” I asked him in reference to the past theme park manager. “Of course, he was my workmate in here. I remember how we ran the theme park together in the past. I miss him dearly,” he replied.

Mr. Megantoro (second from right) was the founder of the Agrowisata Sondokoro theme park. Seen here during my visit with a Malaysian tour group in 2016.

“Yeah, I do too. I’m saddened when I hear of his passing in 2020,” I added. “He was a visionary guy. I remember when we started the theme park in 2008 from scratch; he always came up with brilliant ideas. We teamed up to make this theme park into a big tourist attraction, like what we know. He was pretty much the brain of the business in here, while I handled the technical aspects of it,” he replied.

“I remember when we went through the highs and lows when running the Agrowisata Sondokoro, and winning the support not just from the mill management but also from the plantation company, and even the provincial government! It can be said that we reached the zenith of this theme park’s operations just before the pandemic started. Pak Megan actually had a lot of project plans in the pipeline that unfortunately never saw the light of day,” Pak Samiono explained.

Tasikmadu I during its prime years in 2016, hauling an excursion steam train.

“What projects are they?” I asked.

Unfortunately, before Pak Samiono answered my question, suddenly Remi interrupted and rudely said, “Alright! That’s enough of the conversation today! Let’s go somewhere else!”

Damn it! That’s a rude and culturally insensitive act. Just because he paid for my service doesn’t mean that he can abuse the locals or me. We missed a lot of important information because of Remi’s selfishness and ignorance.

But then again, the Dutch are known for being blunt and unabashed. They will speak their mind easily, sometimes with disregard for the situation. I guess it’s the reason why the Indonesians went to war with the Dutch in the past to claim their sovereignty. The Dutch bluntness truly contrasts with the reserved culture of most Indonesians.

Joop never behaves like this because he fully understands the local cultures and customs, thanks to his marriage to an Indonesian woman.

“So are you going to run the steam loco tomorrow?” I asked pak Samiono. “Yes, I will,” he replied as we bid farewell.

Before we left, we still did a bit of exploration in here to see the steam locomotives displayed in the premises.

While I also take some photos of the derelict attractions in here, including this mini train.

It’s sad to see it in such a poor state. The locomotive is now derailed and leaning sideways. The area is now covered in dried leaves. While she would normally hauled train full of kids on every weekend, including Saturdays, today she looks completely abandoned and forgotten.

After that brief exploration, we returned on board the car. “Alright, where do we go now?” I asked them. “Let’s do trainspotting on the mainline,” Joop answered. “There must be somewhere worthy to take train photos around here,” Geoff commented. “There should be. But honestly, this place is foreign to me,” I replied. ‘

Remi quickly browsed his phone and, within minutes, gave it to me. “Follow this direction on Google Maps! We’re going there,” Remi commanded me. I promptly started my car’s engine, and we started driving to the requested place.

I drove my car back to the main highway and drove along in a northerly direction before taking a right turn to the east. After several hundred meters, we finally reached a level crossing, which is the destination place of Remi’s Google Maps.

We arrived at Grompol. The place used to be the site of a small railway station, which also served a short siding into the Pusri Fertilizer warehouse, just across the track from the former railway station.

The level crossing that we visited near the former site of Grompol station.

There’s nothing left of the station. The station’s siding has been replaced with double-track lines. The short branch into the warehouse has long been removed. And the station building itself was demolished when the double-track railway line project commenced in 2019.

“What do we do now? When will the next train pass?” Joop asked. “I’ll ask the gateman,” I replied. I parked my car right behind the small level crossing gatehouse, while everyone else bolted out to seek a good photo spot.

The gateman was amused by the sight of foreigners in his place. He smiled at me as I locked the car. I quickly approached him to inquire. “Good afternoon, sir,” I greeted him. “Good afternoon. How can I help you?” he greeted me. “I would like to know when the next train will pass?” I asked him.

He looked at the train’s schedule on the wall behind him. I also looked at the schedule board. “The next train is Argo Semeru from westerly direction, which will pass after 2 o’clock,” he replied. It was 12.30, so there would be a lengthy wait if we wanted to photograph trains in here.

“Thanks for your information. I’ll tell my friends whether we should stay here or go somewhere else,” I said to the gateman. “Okay. By the way, where are they from?” he asked. “One from the UK, the others from the Netherlands,” I replied. “Hahaha. That’s so cool. They must be coming to see what their grandparents built,” he said in a jovial manner.

I caught up with Geoff, Joop, and Remi again. “The next train will pass in the next 2 hours,” I told them. “Well, I think we’d better move to somewhere more scenic then. This place doesn’t give a lot of view,” Geoff replied. Remi pointed to a place to the south of here. “Let’s go to this place. This has 2 bridges,” he commanded.

We returned to the car again, and I drove to the location that Remi asked. We went to a village named Waru. Located 1,2 kilometres from the previous location, here we have a pretty good rice field scenery, complete with a pair of railway bridges.

Our presence also amused the locals, as they don’t often see foreigners visiting their village. The local kids cheered us on. Some of them are trying to practice their English with Geoff or even Joop.

Their presence really adds the local nuance to our activity.

This place turned out to be a good place for train photo hunting. The first train to pass here is this eastbound Argo Semeru train. Since it shares the same trainset as the overnight Bima Express train, it also features a blue sleeping car which can be seen near the end of the train.

We didn’t wait long for the next train to arrive. About 10 minutes later, the westbound Sancaka train from Surabaya turned up at this place.

We obviously came at the right time, because the intercity train traffic was busy. About 25 minutes later, the eastbound Argo Wilis train from Bandung to Surabaya passed through the place. Nowadays, this train features a “Panoramic” luxury car, which features roof windows and fewer seats. It enables the passenger to better enjoy the Priangan mountain scenery.

That particular car can be seen just behind the power van.

There was a 30-minute gap between the Argo Wilis and the next train to arrive. We used the opportunity to buy some refreshments at the store in the small village. The local store owner was happy to greet foreigners in his shop.

An example of cold drinks storage in a minimarket in Indonesia. The one in the village was smaller and didn’t sell alcoholic beverages.

After a brief rest, we returned to our activity of hunting for the train photos.

The next train is quite special because it features a brand-new train set, which was commissioned a few weeks prior. Taking a photo of a brand-new train is always a special moment. And right at 15.30, the train eventually turned up from the east, hauled by the old CC201 08 locomotive. It’s a contrast to see a brand-new trainset hauled by an old locomotive.

The train cars still looked flashy and relatively spotless. It’s an amazing sight, indeed.

As the sun lowers on the horizon, it’s time for us to seek another spot better suited to dimmer lighting. We went to several different spots to get the best view of the track possible. I went near the wall of a factory to get the best angle of the track. Geoff went further out. I can’t recall where Joop goes.

Remi stayed near the track. The sight of him putting his hand on the waist reminds me of the colonial era when the Dutch colonial masters would inspect their property.

By the way, putting your arms on your waist is considered a rude gesture in Indonesia. For many of us, it’s a reminiscent of the days when we were third class citizen during the Dutch colonial era.

The next train to appear was a westbound economy class train that I forgot its identity. It’s probably the Pasundan, Kahuripan, or even Sritanjung train. Unfortunately, I can’t recall it. To make matters worse, the weather was briefly cloudy, just as the train passed, which ruined the perfect lighting.

For the next photo, I decided to move deeper into the rice fields. Along the way, my boot accidentally got embedded in the mud, which made it really dirty. But the sacrifice is worth it. I was able to take pictures of the westbound Brantas Express train under a perfect blue sky.

That was it for the day. That was the last train to pass this area in daylight, as the next train would turn up just after sunset. Normally, it’s time for us to withdraw to our hotel for rest after a tiring day.

But apparently, Remi and Joop were still not satisfied. “There must be more trains that we can photograph!” Remi exclaimed. After a brief online research, we decided to go to Palur station where a lot of railway actions happening.

Despite of its classic appearance, the current Palur station is actually brand new. It was built in 2018 when the line was doubled. In 2021, it was further upgraded to accommodate the new electric commuter train service. This station is now the eastern end of the electrified line.

Prior to that, Palur station was just a small country station that saw few trains stopping in here. The building was small and originally built during the Dutch colonial era. The old station building was demolished when the new station building project commenced, as it was in the way of track 1.

Now, the station sees plenty of train traffic. Although not as busy as in Jakarta, the electric train came and went at a frequency that was several times more frequent than its predecessor.

Everyone, except me, was busy taking photos and recording the train activities here. And true to the schedule, there was not a single loco hauled trains we encountered in here. Only the electric commuter trains.

I only wander around the station area and watch people go by. Once in a while, some buses with a very loud musical horn pass the level crossing. Their blaring sound is unbelievable and could endanger other road users as it blurs their focus and concentration.

As the sun was near set, they were finally satisfied with today’s outing. “Let’s go to the hotel!” as Joop returned back from his trainspotting. We packed our belongings and then headed to the city centre.

Anyway, there’s a dramatic backstory behind the selection of our hotel in Solo for this trip.

I initially wanted to lodge the group in my favorite hotel in Solo: the Swiss Bel Inn Saripetojo.

Swiss Bel-Inn Saripetojo hotel, seen from Purwosari station in 2018.

This hotel is a perfect place for railway enthusiasts as it features lavish bedrooms that overlook the railway line below.

But when I tried to book it a few weeks prior to the start of the tour, their reservation informed me that the hotel was full! I was shocked by his explanation. It was highly unusual. Normally, there would be plenty of rooms, especially since it wasn’t in the middle of the peak holiday season.  

I began to look for another hotel in Solo. One of my selections was the Aston Hotel, where I stayed several years ago. Although not as good as the previous one, it’s still a fantastic hotel.

Again, when I tried to book, they also said the same thing. “I’m sorry, sir, only the upper-class rooms are available,” the reservationist said. Befuddled with the situation, I asked him, “Could you tell me why most of your rooms are booked? This is so unusual as I never had something like this before when I go to Solo.”

“There’s a Paralympic Sport Event in Solo. Which means all the hotels in the city are fully booked for the athletes’ accommodations,” he replied. I was shocked by his answer. I was probably too busy focusing on the tour that I overlooked this major event. It will surely attract many people to the city.

After thanking him, I began to search for another hotel. It was quite a challenge to find a good hotel that’s not too expensive and strategically located. Thankfully, after several attempts and browsing, I finally came upon a good hotel that’s located right in the city centre: Solia Yosodipuro Hotel.

Situated very near the Mangkunegaran Palace, this hotel was built on the site of a large colonial-era mansion. The old mansion wasn’t demolished. Instead, it’s repurposed into the front lobby of the hotel.

It was so crowded when we arrived that finding parking was initially difficult. And upon finding a slot, and unloading our stuff, entering the hotel was a struggle due to the crowd. We eventually decided to go in through the side door.

The check-in went smoothly, and before long, we finally entered our rooms. It’s surely comfortable. Not as spacious as the Swiss Bel Inn, but good enough for overnight rest.

The shower room is also clean and spotless. It’s basic but functional and comfortable.

The montage photo of the shower room.

Each rooms have their own balcony. So, guests could enjoy the unrestricted view of the scenery outside. Although our room overlooks decrepit houses around the hotel. Those who stay in luxury rooms will get the view from the other side, where they can see the royal palace.

After settling in, it was time for us to enjoy the evening and relax. Tomorrow, we will have an even more hectic activities to be done.

TO BE CONTINUED.

10th Anniversary of Java Steam and Sugar Tour (Part 2 Day 5: 11th October 2024)

After a tiring day yesterday, we finally had a good night’s sleep in Salatiga. We stayed at Kayu Arum Heritage Resort, a heritage-themed hotel with a lush garden on its premises.

I first stayed here 10 years earlier, back in 2014. Coincidentally, it was with Geoff and on a steam railway tour too. Unless the other 2 participants were different. And I was so satisfied with the hotel that I decided to stay in the same hotel in a tour in the following year.

What I like about this hotel is the vast garden with lush greenery. It’s good for an early morning stroll and enjoying the fresh air here.

Unlike in my previous stay, this time we stayed for 2 nights. This would enable us to enjoy the hotel more.

The hotel actually has a nice swimming pool. But we don’t get to enjoy it this time due to the tight schedule.

The funny thing about this hotel is that it has a replica of a London phone booth. But when we looked at it, its interior is empty. Geoff finds it amusing.

Geoff is checking out the replica of a London-style phone booth in the hotel’s garden. There’s no phone inside, though.

After a short morning walk, we have breakfast in the hotel’s dining area. The menu selection isn’t a lot. And it has been like that since I first stayed in here a decade ago. But at least it’s delicious and enough to fill our stomachs.

Once we finished our breakfast, it was time for us to start today’s adventure. Our first destination is the Ambarawa Railway Museum, which is located in the nearby town of Ambarawa. The drive to the place is easy, and before long, we finally arrived at the place.

For them, the Ambarawa railway museum looks different now. In the past, visitors could park their car right in front of the platform. The entrance has been relocated near the locomotive depot, and that’s the only entry door. Now, after paying the ticket, we must walk across the long corridor before reaching the museum area.

In the corridor itself, there are plenty of information boards displayed on its walls. Mostly related to the history of the Indonesian railways themselves.

Some of them are bilingual, so foreign visitors would be able to understand whatever is displayed in here.

But some are only displayed in Bahasa Indonesia, which wouldn’t be informative for the non-speaker.

Walking along this corridor also enables us to see the museum’s locomotives exhibit from another angle. Like this sole survivor of the Henschel-built C28-class express steam locomotive.

The largest exhibit in here, the CC5029 2-6-6-0 steam locomotive, looks much better now. Just like the majority of the exhibits in here, she’s now placed under the roof.

Here’s an interesting fact: although the builder’s plate says the locomotive was built in Winterthur, Switzerland, in 1928, some sources say it was actually built by another manufacturer, in a different year. There’s a practice by the Indonesian State Railways to put the wrong builder plate on a preserved steam locomotive to make it “aesthetically pleasant”. This would happen if the locomotive no longer has its original builder plate in place.

But the new star in here is the CC200 15 locomotive. The sole survivor of the first class of mainline diesel in Indonesia is now preserved in Ambarawa. She was introduced in 1953 and was a part of the GE Shovel Nose locomotive family series. It’s also unique as she has idle bogies in the middle of her body, to allow operations on lightly laid tracks. Making her configuration Co-2-Co, which is said to be the only one in the world.

It’s good to see her in mint condition in here. She’s now even sporting the color, which is said to be very close to her original 1950s livery.

I was involved in her preservation effort in the early 2000s.  At the time, the locomotive was neglected in the Cirebon locomotive depot, along with her two sisters (numbered 8 and 9). None of them was in operational conditions at the time.

The derelict CC200 08 locomotive inside Cirebon locomotive depot in early 2000s.

After decades of being the favorite locomotive for premier trains, they were set aside in the late 1960s. Some said it was due to the embargo from America, but I believe it was because of the termination of its Alco 244 engine spare parts production. Itself was the result of the closure of the American Locomotive Company.

CC200 26 locomotive at Bukit Duri in the 1960s.

The engine type was well known for its poor reliability in America. Many railroad companies in America by the 1960s had largely disposed of their fleet of Alco 244-powered locomotives and replaced them with either the types powered by the newer Alco 251, or those from rival manufacturers.

Alco PA was a famous mainline passenger locomotive in North America that was powered by Alco 244 engine.

The majority of CC200 class locomotives were withdrawn in the 1970s. By the 1990s, only 4 of them were in operation: the numbers 8, 9, 15, and 26. The last one was said to be in perfect working conditions. But when she was sent to the Yogyakarta workshop for maintenance around 1998 or 1999, she never returned as she was scrapped immediately upon arrival.

CC200 26 locomotive in happier times in 1995.

Those locomotives soldiered on to be used for local trains between Cirebon and Cikampek until the year 2000. The majority of the works were done by the number 9, as it had the best mechanical conditions.

The derelict CC200 09 locomotive in Cirebon in 2003.

Uniquely, when the preservation works started in the early 2000s, the chosen locomotive was number 15, as it was the youngest. She also has the best frame conditions. Consequently, the numbers 8 and 9 were used for the spare parts donor to keep her in running conditions.

The newly repainted CC200 15 in early 2015.

I did occasionally see her running. I even joined a trip onboard her in 2003. I was also lucky enough to try my hand at driving the locomotive at a railfan gathering that year.

Me, on the cab of CC200 15 locomotive during an excursion trip in late 2003.

The sound of its old Alco engine is truly amazing. It sounded different than the contemporary GE, MTU, or EMD engines currently used by Indonesian State Railways. Its throaty sound really gave a classic sensation to anyone who saw it.

Unfortunately, the locomotive’s fate hung in the balance in the years that followed. To make the matter worse, its 2 unpreserved sisters were sent to the Yogyakarta workshop in 2007 to be condemned.

A derelict CC200 locomotive in Yogyakarta locomotive works in 2013.

Her preservation efforts seemed to be doomed back then.

The idle CC200 15 locomotive inside Cirebon locomotive depot in 2007.

But the miracle suddenly happened. The head of Surabaya railway works ordered her to be transferred from Cirebon to Surabaya. He apparently has an affinity for railway heritage and decided to repair the locomotive to operating conditions. She even sported a new livery with a different pattern and darker green.

The CC200 15 locomotive, sporting a revised livery that was painted by Surabaya Gubeng railway workshop.

For several years, she was used for a “heritage train” where she was paired with a couple of refurbished Dutch-era coaches. She was also used for special occasions, sometimes with the president in attendance.

But thanks to the improper maintenance and lack of attention by the Indonesian State Railways in general, the CC200 15 saw its last running around the year 2010 or 2013.

The last recorded running of CC200 15 locomotive.

The locomotive was subsequently mothballed and sat abandoned in the Cirebon locomotive depot.

After several years of lying idle in Cirebon, the locomotive was eventually relocated to the Ambarawa Railway museum in 2015, where she’s put on permanent display today. She’s also the first mainline diesel exhibit in the predominantly steam locomotives collection.

But in a bitter footnote, her 2 siblings in the Yogyakarta workshop were eventually scrapped in 2023. For years, they lingered in storage. Talks about their preservation come and go. The advocates argued that they were rare examples and should be preserved like their number 15 sibling. But detractors insisted that one preserved locomotive is enough.

Sadly, at the end of the day, the detractors won.

In addition to locomotives, the Ambarawa Railway Museum now also displays old railway halts.

These wooden structures were originally located next to the railway lines, both the main and branch ones.  They served small, and previously isolated, villages that were passed by the railway lines.

It normally consists of a ticket booth and platform roof, without the presence of station masters or train dispatchers. Their purpose was solely for passengers to embark and disembark from the train. Their size and wooden construction often made them indistinguishable from village homes.

As more villages became accessible by road, and fewer people were interested in taking trains, a lot of them were abandoned. Large numbers of them were eventually demolished. But thankfully, some surviving examples have now been repatriated to the Ambarawa railway museum and renovated for display.

They have also preserved the old signal gantry too. This one was originally located at Surabaya Kota Railway Station and was probably the last semaphore signal gantry to see operations in Indonesia. When the station swapped its mechanical semaphore signal for the electric lights, it was dismantled and later brought here for display.

There’s also some bogies displayed in the museum. Like this type of bogie (classified as K7 by Indonesian State Railways) which was built in Eastern Europe. It was commonly used on express train coaches due to its smooth ride quality. The type was superseded by the semi-bolsterless bogies in the 1990s, and has largely been retired now.

Behind it is an old railway crane that dates back to the Dutch colonial era. Unlike modern cranes, which are powered by machinery, this one was operated manually. Operators must move the crank to lift an object. You could imagine how tiring and physically demanding it was to operate it.

I went inside the platform area with Geoff. The place felt unusually cold, almost as if an air conditioning system were in place. “This place is so cold. Right Geoff? Don’t you feel like we’re in an air-conditioned room now?” I asked Geoff. “Yeah, the Dutch must be really good at designing the ventilation. This feels like having air conditioning, despite the fact that there’s no such thing in here,” Geoff replied.

In the past, sellers were allowed to open their stalls at the platform. Of course, as a result, the place was crowded and slightly disorganized. It was unpleasant. This is also the same place where tourist train passengers embarked and disembarked the train. So imagine starting and ending a steam train excursion among the crowded stalls.

After the sellers were relocated to another corner of the museum, the place feels much more spacious. Now visitors can see the old wooden signal box, where the station master operated signal levers, and also the level crossing bell which is still operable.

Historically speaking, this was the platform for the standard gauge train, whereas the platform on the other side of the station was used for the narrow gauge. The station was essentially a gauge-changing place. All tracks were standardized to narrow gauge during the Japanese occupation era in World War II.

The museum also has several new exhibits that weren’t previously placed here. One of them is this ticket booth. This unique wooden structure was originally located in the Demak railway station, on the line between Semarang and Rembang. When the line and the station closed, it was relocated to Semarang before being placed in here.

Another new and unique exhibit here is the printing machine of the Edmondson ticket. This classic carton ticket was the only type of train ticket issued by the railway companies, all the way from the Dutch colonial era until the indepent Indonesia.

Its importance began to wane in the 1990s when Indonesian State Railways began to use printed paper tickets for the executive class. Later, the lower classes also began to use printed paper tickets, relegating the Edmondson ticket to the local and commuter trains only. The Edmundson ticket itself ceased to be produced in 2009, when the commuter train service began to use magnetic cards.

An example of a printed train ticket in Indonesia. This version was introduced in 1995 and was used until 2017 or 2018.

This machine was originally housed in the printing division of Indonesian State Railways in Bandung, before being relocated to this museum a few years ago.

On the same track as the CC200 15, there’s a steam locomotive with a unique history behind it. This D51 locomotive was previously placed in a position that made it difficult to photograph its front part. But now, we can easily take a photo of it from many angles.

Built by Hartmann in Germany in 1920, the locomotive was part of a batch originally ordered for the Hejaz Railway in the Middle East. The locomotive never arrived at its intended destination due to the destruction caused by Lawrence of Arabia and his gang.

The undelivered locomotives were eventually taken up by the Dutch East Indies State Railways. The minor margin between the 1050mm (3ft5in) and 1067mm (3ft6in) meant that these locomotives can be used on the mainline here without too many modifications.

It’s a pity that despite its historical significance, only one has been preserved.

Another unique locomotive in here is the F10-class locomotive. This locomotive have an unique wheel arrangement of 2-12-2, also known as “Javanic” wheel arrangement. Back in the days when the engineers weren’t confident with the Mallet technology to tackle steep gradients in Priangan mountain, they resorted to this unique wheel arrangement.

But apparently, they couldn’t easily negotiate sharp corners. So the locomotives were eventually relocated to other places that have leaner corners. After their retirement, 2 have been preserved. One in here and another in the Jakarta Transport Museum.

Next to it, there’s the D10 class 0-8-0 steam locomotive. Although it looks like any other steam locomotive with a similar wheel arrangement, it actually has Klien-Lindner axles. Also known as “hollow axle”, this unique axle was designed to negotiate sharp corners in poorly laid track. This technology is commonly used on sugarcane railways, but only 2 classes of mainline locomotives in Java are equipped with this: the D10 and D15.

This locomotive is now placed in a corner that’s difficult to photograph, so I can only take a photo of its unique axle. The presence of the bazaar stalls made it even more obscure.

Several rows next to it is this Beyer-Peacock-built class C51. Its British lineage is clearly visible. The shape of its front boiler and the smoke deflector reminds me of the steam locomotives in UK.

But Geoff said that it doesn’t look like any of those in Britain. “Each of them was designed with customers requirement in mind. So, often they don’t look anything like what’s in Britain,” Geoff said.

It can be said that now the museum premises is well maintained and the grasses are manicured. Even the area surrounding the turntable have been paved to allow visitors to get near it.

The locomotive depot is also seems to be well-maintained and tidier these days.

From this angle, you can see that it consists of 4 bays. And if you look closely, the two bays on the left have smaller doors than the other two. That’s not for aesthetic reasons. They were originally designed to accommodate both standard and narrow-gauge locomotives. Although the gauge has been uniformed to the narrow ones, one of the standard gauge bays is still retained.

A tourist train is parked in front of the depot. The museum said that they will run it as an excursion train later in the afternoon. “I want to join the trip!” Joop said when he heard it. Although Remi, Geoff, and I decided not to join.

Near the depot, there’s a row of old machinery displayed here. These were originally used in the Gubeng railway workshop in Surabaya. But when they switched to the new machinery, instead of scrapping the old machines, they delivered them to the museum.

But one of the most amazing exhibits here has to be these standard-gauge bogies. They were found inside the Manggarai workshop in Jakarta without the coach during a cleanup work in 2005. They were found among the pile of disused bogies that were sent for disposal.

Their origin is unclear. They were probably made in the Netherlands, Germany, or were manufactured locally. Some said that their coach had long been scrapped (which is plausible), but others theorized that these were originally spare part bogies.  

To add to the mystery, these bogies were originally owned by Nederlandsch-Indische Spoorweg Maatschappij (NISM). They were the only company during the Dutch colonial era to own a standard-gauge rail network. Yet this line only covers the middle of Central Java.

So how did they end up 400 kilometres away in Jakarta? Did the Manggarai workshop (which was owned by a different company) also catered NISM heavy maintenance duty?

To put these bogies into the scale with the contemporary ones, there’s a K7 bogie placed nearby. You can see how massive they are. Even the wheel diameter are 1,5 times larger.

But not everything is positive in here.

For the start, the public access to the locomotive depot is now restricted. General public visitors are no longer allowed to get in. In fact, a few months earlier, a railfan was harshly reprimanded and kicked out by security after wandering into the depot area. This is sad, as up until 5 years earlier, we could get inside and look at the steam locomotive up close.

Secondly, several locomotives that were used to haul tourist trains in the past are unfortunately now unserviceable.

The D300 23, which I believe is the last surviving of its class, is no longer in working condition. In the past, during the early years of the reopening Ambarawa – Tuntang line, this was the preferred diesel motive power for the tourist train.

But it hasn’t been in use since 2018. According to the notes attached to the cab, the locomotive is suffering damages on its transmission gear. It is also suffering from leak damage on its turbocharger and water pump.

Built by Krupp in Germany in 1958, it was originally designed for shunting as well as branchline operations, where the lightly laid tracks could only be passed by small locomotives. It was later assisted by its smaller sibling, the D301 class locomotives (which are also present in the museum).

The type can be distinguished from the D301s by the number of its headlights. This only has one, whereas the latter has two of them. Some literature said that this locomotive is actually larger and more powerful, despite its identical shape to the D301. It was largely withdrawn from service in the 1990s.

But the biggest shock has to be the mothballing of the B2502 rack steam locomotive. This was one of the two locomotives in the museum designed for use on the rack railway line to Bedono. It was frequently used for excursions from the day the museum was opened in 1976.

After almost 5 decades of operation, it’s eventually deemed no longer serviceable. Just like the D300, its listed damages are also written on paper on its body: boiler damage and cracked firebox.

Upon seeing this, Geoff commented, “This kind of damage isn’t actually serious. It’s not terminal. It can be easily repaired if they have enough funds for that.”

Now I remember. Since the dissolution of the Heritage Division of Indonesian State Railways in 2016, it can be said that the museum management here is rather muddled financially.

In the past, the income of the heritage locomotive charters was kept by the Heritage Division and used to fund the maintenance of the heritage railway assets in here. So all of those locomotives and rolling stocks were in top condition, as they received proper care.

The headquarters of Indonesian State Railways only received the profit from the Heritage Division. They didn’t keep all of the revenue money.

But now, all of the money from the heritage trains revenue is pooled at the Indonesian State Railway bank account. Consequently, the funding for heritage train maintenance often falls short of what is required. And the result can be seen in the D300 23 and B25 02 locomotives in Ambarawa.

Ignasius Jonan (left) was the general manager of Indonesian State Railways between 2009 and 2014. During his tenure, the company saw a turnaround from a money-losing business entity into a highly profitable one. It was during his era too that the Heritage Division was formed.

This is actually tantamount to corruption. In the days before Ignasius Jonan became the general manager of Indonesian State Railways, corruption was rife in the company. He had successfully stamped out the practice during his tenure. But his successor seemed to reintroduce that accursed tradition.

Edi Sukmoro was Ignasius Jonan’s successor as the head of Indonesian State Railways. During his tenure, the company saw a lot of decline, including the return of feudalistic mentality among its management.

After we finished exploring the museum, it’s time for us to move on.

However, the next phase of the tour is unique. Joop will join the excursion train to Tuntang, while we will do the lineside photos (and videos). We will then pick him up from Tuntang station before proceeding to Kedungjati.

After bidding Joop a temporary farewell, I, Geoff, and Remi boarded the car where we would look for a good spot to photograph the train. I initially had no clue about the good place to take a photograph. But then Remi suggested, “Let’s go to the lakeside!”

Although the place is a popular vacation destination for the locals, for me it’s completely foreign. So, I had to rely on Google Maps satellite navigation. But after negotiating twisty backroads, I eventually arrived at the place.

Our chosen spot is a floating market complex on the Rawa Pening lake shore, where the fishermen’s boats are docked. Some of the dock owners decided to build a restaurant. Some of them features second level, which would afforded unimpeded view of the railway track as well as the lake itself.

The place isn’t exactly pleasant to wait for the train. Some owners (including the one where we waited for the train to pass) played loud music. They love dangdut music, including the new “koplo” subgenre, which involves elements of dance music. Annoyingly, they also played it at maximum level!

An example of a Dangdut Koplo song genre.

Despite the inconvenience, thankfully, we were able to spot the tourist train’s arrival at the place. Having seen fast mainline trains regularly, seeing this slow train looks surreal. I’ve seen slower sugarcane trains before, but this one is larger, which makes it different.

This train is reminiscent of the rural branchline workings that were commonplace in Java up until the 1970s. The largely quiet and unprofitable routes were mostly served by small locomotives. In the steam era, a variety of unique mini steam locomotives were used for the service. But by their last years of operation, small shunter locomotives like this D301 were used instead.

All of the passengers are obviously happy to be able to ride the tourist train. Joop is also happy. He can be seen in the fourth window from the right at the last carriage.

We’re also glad to be able to photograph this train from a perfect angle. Although my video recording is tainted by the loud sounds from the floating markets below.

Actually, this wasn’t the first time I came here to photograph train. Back in 2014, Geoff and I (plus Paul and Hayden) also visited this place to do trainspotting in here. Unless we came by the tourist train and do photo running at the place.

The Tuntang floating market area in 2014, complete with a steam excursion train hauled by the newly refurbished B51 12 locomotive.

The next part will scatter our group even further.  We wanted to photograph the tourist train as it traveled back to Ambarawa. And after that, we will go to Tuntang to pick Joop up before proceeding to Kedungjati.

But Geoff wanted to stay in here. So, we reached an agreement where Geoff will stay, while Remi and I go to somewhere else to photograph the train. When we’re done, we will pick Geoff up before proceeding to Tuntang to pick Joop up. We will then head to Kedungjati.

Remi and I have chosen a spot right next to the overpass bridge on the bypass road. In here, we have a spectacular view of the rice fields with the backdrop of the clear blue sky.

The train trundled slowly. Although we could see the train appear not long after we set up our camera, it took more than 15 minutes for the train to reach the ideal spot for photographing.

But once it’s there, I was thoroughly satisfied with the photo result. It’s spectacular. It truly reenacts the scene of the bygone era. It would have been perfect had the train been hauled by a steam locomotive.

Once we conclude the trainspotting in here, it’s time to pick up Geoff and Joop and resume our journey.

After a brief visit to pick up Geoff in the floating market, we headed to Tuntang station to meet and pick up Joop.

They also used the opportunity to explore the new museum premises here.

This time I don’t join them. The reason that I told them is that I need a brief rest before a long drive to Kedungjati, as well as the return trip to our hotel in Salatiga.

But in reality, it’s due to a personal dispute with one railfan who turned out to be a security officer in the museum. A few years prior, I made a light joke (which itself was a criticism) about one young railway enthusiast group, which was so privileged and arrogant that they seemed to be able to do whatever they liked in the railway properties.

A group of local railway enthusiasts is seen flocking to the steam train, hauled by B25 03 locomotive.

Apparently, these thin-skinned goons got offended by the joke, and before long, many of their members made attacks on social media. The attack was so intense that some of my friends decided to delete their Facebook profiles. Some, including this guy, made a personal threat to me.

It was shocking, but it also shows how toxic the Indonesian railway enthusiast communities are. Although this group itself went defunct after a scandal in 2018, it still left a lingering negative impression on many people, including me.

After a few minutes, they eventually returned to the car. “That was great! We even see a BB200 locomotive inside the garage near the station!” Joop said in satisfaction.

There was a plan to expand the Ambarawa railway museum to include a satellite wing dedicated to mainline diesel exhibits in Tuntang. So far, the plan is partly materialized as there are several mainline diesel locomotives in the museum.

But with the dissolution of the Heritage Division, as well as the mass scrapping of heritage diesel locomotives in storage in 2023, it seems that this plan is hardly likely to be completed.

Once we’re all back on board the car, it’s time for us to resume the journey. The drive from Tuntang to Kedungjati will be a long one.

I’ve travelled through this road, albeit in the opposite direction, in 2006. At the time, I was traveling with a group of railway enthusiasts who had just celebrated New Year’s Eve in Kedungjati, followed by a railway archaeology trekking the abandoned railway line to Tuntang. 

The video of the aforementioned railway trekking can be seen from 39:38 minute mark.

At the time, I was just a passenger. So I had no clue about how the road conditions were. But now, since I do the driving, I realize that the road between Tuntang and Kedungjati is truly challenging. It’s winding along the hilly terrains, teak forest, and occasionally punctuated by the drive along the rice fields and small towns.

Parts of the road that we traversed can be seen in this video.

It’s much more challenging than I previously thought. Night driving in this place would have been even more difficult.

Along the way, we passed through the Tuntang-Kedungjati mainline, where reactivation work has been on hold for more than a decade. Although new bridges, abutments, overpass bridges, and many more have been built, the works are currently suspended.

The derelict Bringin railway station. The area around the station was cleared in 2010 in preparation of reactivation works, which were sadly cancelled in 2014.

Nevertheless, after an hour of driving, we finally reached Kedungjati. This is my first visit to this place after 19 years. And I’m amazed that it still largely looks the same as it was.

For heritage architecture buffs, the station is the twin sister of Ambarawa station. It has the same kind of architecture. In fact, there are actually 3 railway stations in Java that have this type of architectural design. In addition to the previously mentioned stations, the third one is Solo Purwosari station. Although that station has undergone significant changes in recent years, which made it looks vastly different.

The Solo Purwosari station during the Dutch colonial era. Note the standard gauge track. In 2010, an additional platform roof was added above the tracks.

The station is immaculately preserved. It still retains the tiles that date back to the colonial era. It’s so identical to Ambarawa that it gives visitors an idea of what that station looked like before it was converted into a museum.

Things that make the place look different from my last visit in 2006 are the fact that the southern platforms have been refurbished. Now, new railway tracks have been placed in the previously abandoned platform area.

Back in 2011 or 2012, a project was launched to reactivate the railway line between Kedungjati and Ambarawa. This project was a part of a major nationwide railway revitalization program, which was commenced around the same time.

A lot of work was already underway back then. The southern wing of Kedungjati station has been refurbished, and looks as if it were ready to receive its first trains. The former right of way on its mainline have been cleared and the soil compacted, and it is ready to be installed with railway tracks. Several abandoned station buildings have also been renovated and revitalized.

But when President Jokowi took the office in 2014, he suddenly announced the cancellation of the project. He also ordered all of the rails and concrete sleepers, which were already in place on the site and ready to be installed, to be transferred to Sukabumi for the double track project there.

Such a decision was seen as controversial and met with anger from many. The Kedungjati-Tuntang reactivation works were halfway done. The demand for regular train service on this line is high. On the other hand, the double-track project in Sukabumi is redundant. The low train traffic never generates enough demand for additional track, so much so that the second track at Bogor-Sukabumi line is now overgrown.

Many said that the futile double-track project in Sukabumi was aimed to win the locals’ hearts to vote for him in the 2019 election, as he fared poorly in the 2014 election. But it proved to be useless as the locals didn’t vote for him for his second term.

Had the reactivation program been completed, the railway line would have gone well beyond the platform area.

Although these days random visitors aren’t allowed to access the passenger area in other stations (even in the small ones), the station master here is kind enough to allow my group to see inside.

What makes the station unique is that the signalling box is literally inside a wooden box! The Siemens & Halske signalling equipment control isn’t a carryover from the colonial era, as it was installed sometime in the 1970s or 1980s. But the old bell (used to signal the switchmen) from the old signalling system is still in place.

“This station hasn’t changed much,” I said to the station master. “Oh yes, it is. The design is still like in the Dutch colonial era,” the station master replied. “It’s the first time I revisit here, actually,” I commented. “Oh, really? Have you been here before?” he asked. “Yes, on the very last day of 2005. We even celebrated the 2006 New Year’s Eve here, too. Some of our group members slept in the station master’s office,” I replied. “Wow, that was a long time ago! The station master from that time has recently passed away,” he replied, while delivering the unexpected news.

He’s also generous enough to allow us to get inside the station master’s office, where an old clock is displayed. “This clock has been in here since the station’s opening, and it’s still in perfectly working condition!” the station master explained. He also demonstrated how the bell is activated and how he rewinds the spring.

Joop and Remi took a closer look at the machine. “It’s made in Switzerland!” Remi said. “Oh wow! The Swiss clock is the best in the world. No wonder it can last that long,“ the station master said in amazement.

The station itself is surprisingly busy that afternoon. There was plenty of train traffic while we were there. One of them is this southbound empty flatcar train. hauled by a CC206 locomotive.

Once that train was gone, I moved to a spot in the yard where I could take a photo of the train with the backdrop of the station building.

A few minutes later, the first train appeared from the south.

Just like the majority of trains that pass this line, it doesn’t stop here. Nevertheless, the local villagers here seem to have a habit of spending their pastime in the afternoon watching trains. Watching trains is truly entertaining, indeed. Sometimes, it would also entice the younger generation to become a railway enthusiast or even a railway worker!

The Matarmaja train doesn’t stop here. It passes through here as the route connects Malang in the southern part of Java and Semarang on the north coast, before resuming its journey to Jakarta.

While waiting for the next train, I was also looking at the area around here. Being a relic of the Dutch colonial era, there are plenty of old houses around the station premises. Those houses were originally used by employees as a part of their employment benefit. But these days, most have been abandoned as they railwaymen often prefer to commute from their home in other places, and travel back at the end of the work.

The next train to arrive made a stopover here. The Joglosemarkerto train runs on a circular route around the Central Java province, and stops at many minor stations to disembark and pick up passengers.

These days, the number of trains that make a regular passenger stop in Kedungjati has increased more than in 2005. Although it’s still a small number when compared to other stations in the area.

I didn’t record the departure of this train, as my camera ran out of battery. But once that train was gone, it was time for us to bid farewell to the station master and head back to Salatiga for an overnight rest. Although the drive back to our hotel from Kedungjati was lengthy and arduous, I’m glad that I could finally reach our destination safely.

TO BE CONTINUED.

10th Anniversary of Java Steam and Sugar Tour (Part 2 Day 4: 10th October 2024)

After several days in Surabaya, it was time for us to move on to our next hunting place in a faraway place.

According to the plan, we will go train hunting in Central Java, specifically around the Solo area. And then after that, we will stay overnight in Salatiga before visiting the Ambarawa Railway Museum, as well as visiting several spots around there.

Ambarawa Railway Museum during the tour in 2015.

After bidding my parents farewell, it was time for me to drive to the hotel where all three of my European guests stayed to pick them up. “Good morning, Bagus! How are you? Are you ready for today’s journey?” Joop asked. “Yeah! I’m ready!” I replied. “Good. Just a few minutes, please, as Remi and Geoff are still packing their stuffs” Joop said as he left me briefly.

While waiting in the small lobby, the receptionist asked: “Are you working for a travel agent?” “Yes, I do. I actually own it,” I replied. “Oh, really, do you do tours often?” he asked. “At least once or twice a month,” I replied. “That’s not a lot. Where do you take your customers to?” he asked again. “Normally, around Surabaya, or going to Mount Bromo,” I answered his question.

“Oh, that’s interesting. Can I have your business card so I can refer to your service whenever there are tour requests?” he asked. “Sure!” I replied and then headed to my car to retrieve my business card. I then handed one to him. “Okay. You’re in the east of Surabaya?” he asked again. “Yeah, about 10-15 minutes from here,” I replied. “Great! I’ll give you a call whenever there’s a request,” he assured me.

Not long after that, all of them turned up. “Okay, Bagus, we’re ready!” they said while hauling their bags. Once they finished the checkout process, we headed to the car and loaded their bags. Upon finishing our work, we boarded the car, and then I started driving to Salatiga.

The driving itself reminds me of the very first Steam and Sugar Tour that I undertook back in 2014. Even Geoff was one of my guests back then. A long drive along Indonesian roads can be a tiring journey. Especially due to the chaotic nature of the traffic, where locals (especially motorcyclists) disregard the manner of driving.

The ordinary highway in East Java. This one is in Warujayeng near Nganjuk. You can see the slow motorcycles and even cycles that drove near the center lane.

But the obvious difference now is that there’s a tollway, a type of highway with paid access, which is exclusively used for cars and larger vehicles. Motorcycles, pedestrians, and cycles are barred from it. Its presence spared the car driver from having to deal with traffic lights, wayward and slow motorcyclists, which would normally slow our journey on the ordinary highway.

The tollway in Central Java. This one is near Surakarta.

Everyone spent the journey relaxing and resting, occasionally conversing, while I focused on the road ahead. Although I don’t have to deal with chaotic traffic, the complacency caused by the peaceful road can lead to drowsiness or even microsleep. I definitely need to be well-focused, which is why I always play my favorite music playlist when driving to keep me awake.

At Ngawi, we made a stopover at one of the rest areas. It was time for us to stretch our legs and enjoy some drinks or snacks sold at the convenience shops here. We also discussed about our plan for the day.

The rest area near Ngawi, looking eastward.

While relaxing here, Joop asked me: “Hi Bagus, can we make a stopover at the Fort van Den Bosch in Ngawi. I’m curious about how does it look like.”

The recently renovated Fort van Den Bosch in Ngawi.

We already passed the Ngawi exit. If we want to reach that fort, I must drive along the tollway until the next exit before turning back and reentering the tollway to Ngawi and then proceeded to Fort van Den Bosch. According to Google Map the whole journey would take more than an hour. It’s definitely a time-consuming and laborious work. “Sorry, Joop, I can’t grant your request,” I replied.

After we had enough rest, it was time to resume our journey to the west. Up until this point, none of us had any idea where to do trainspotting, other than going to Salatiga first to check into our hotel. The only thing in the initial plan up to this point is just go to our hotel in Salatiga.

But somewhere before Solo, Geoff asked me to exit the tollway. “Bagus, could you exit the tollway at Sragen? And then from there we head to Sumberlawang,” Geoff instructed me.

I’ve never heard that name before. But I believe something is interesting over there. I exited the tollway at Sragen, and once I reached the main road, I turned left and headed north to the Sumberlawang direction. The drive to that place is a bit tricky. Although there’s no jam, once in a while I would encounter slow motorcyclists who suddenly veered onto my lane!

After driving for more than 30 minutes on a scenic concrete road, we finally reached Sumberlawang. At first, I had no idea where to go. All I see is just a level crossing, and there’s nothing scenic about the place.

The level crossing at Sumberlawang.

“Could you drop us here? We’ll have a look at the level crossing gate house,” Geoff asked. I obliged his request, and then went to look for a parking spot. After browsing around briefly, I eventually found a good parking spot under a tree in front of the market. Once I parked my car, I disembarked and packed my belongings before joining the group.

The Sumberlawang market. I parked my car under the tree on the left.

Everyone was spread in several directions. I can’t recall where Joop and Remi go, but I met Geoff next to the level crossing. “What do you think about the place, Geoff?” I asked him. “Well, this place looks quite nice,” Geoff replied. “Really, but I think it’s rather bland,” I commented.

I looked to the northerly direction, and it looks really leafy. “You know Geoff, that place looks nice. What do you think if we go there?” I asked him. “Yeah, we’ll go there,” he replied.

We walked in that direction and, along the way, saw a group of track maintenance workers working on some kind of rail replacement works. They probably never saw foreigners in this place before, so when they saw Geoff, they waved and happily greeted us.

One of them engages in a brief conversation with me. “Hi! Where are you guys from?” he asked. “We’re from Surabaya, and wanted to do some trainspotting here,” I replied. “Oh, I see, where do your guests come from?” he asked again. “He’s from Britain. I also have another guests from the Netherlands who do photography somewhere in the south there,” I replied.

“I see, happy hunting!” as the track worker bid me farewell.

The view from the north initially looked more scenic than from the level crossing. But I wasn’t satisfied. I wanted to explore more. Geoff, satisfied with the view, decided to stay on the top of the embankment next to the track near the station’s small yard.

I kept walking.

And after walking a few dozen meters, I came across a spectacular view of the railway at the top of a tall embankment, with the backdrop of a teak forest.

This is awesome, but also potentially dangerous, as there’s a sheer drop on the trackside. The height of the embankment is around 30 meters. One wrong move meant falling into the ravine below, which could lead to serious injury or even death!

I kept walking until I finally reached the teak forest.

In many ways, the view reminds me of the railway line in Saradan and Wilangan in East Java before the track was doubled.

Although the place is wonderful for trainspotting, at the time, I had no idea about train schedules. And the line between Solo and Gundih (and eventually Semarang) is traditionally known for its sparse train schedules. I imagine, had there been a train passing here, it would have been wonderful.

Thankfully, the wait turned out to be much shorter than I thought.

About 20 minutes later, the start signal was raised. A train from the south is about to pass here. I quickly grabbed my camera and prepared the video cam. Minutes later, a train horn can be heard in the distance. It’s a Nathan Airchime, which is definitely a CC206 class locomotive.

I was very lucky as it’s one of my favorite locomotive classes, and it’s rarely used on secondary passenger trains. And when the train turned up, it was really hauled by the CC206 class locomotive, number 91.  Unless this time, it’s hauling a train of empty flatcars. I have no idea about its route, but I was very lucky indeed.

I took a few minutes’ break under the shadow of the teak trees. The leafy place truly endears me. I felt truly relaxed and peaceful in here. The Central Javanese countryside felt quieter and more peaceful than that in East Java. I didn’t even hear Mosque loudspeaker in this place.

As the day progresses into the late afternoon, the train traffic suddenly sees a significant increase.

When the upper quadrant of the home signal raised, I knew that a train was coming from the north. This time, I chose another spot to photograph the train. I headed to the embankment where I could photograph and record the train as it came from the teak forest and rounded the curve, with the sun in my back. This would make a perfect photo!

However, the spot also has its downside. The space between the track and the edge of the embankment is rather narrow. If I’m not careful, there’s a good chance that the blast of the passing train could knock me off into the ravine below. So I need some bravery and careful positioning.

Several minutes later, a train horn can be heard coming from a distance. It’s a Wabco AA2 horn, which is normally used on the CC201 and CC203 class locomotive. I began to prepare my cameras. And moments later, a train (whose identity I forgot) turned up.  I managed to get a good picture of it under golden hours.

Thankfully, I also managed to remain unscathed. The windblast of the train didn’t knock me and my equipment off, thankfully.

After that train disappeared, I packed all of my belongings and headed back to the place where Geoff was waiting. Upon returning to that spot, I was met by all 3 of my tour participants.

“Hi Geoff, did you get good photos?” I asked him. “Yeah, quite nice in here,” he replied. “We have some good photos of the train around here and the level crossing,” Joop also replied.

I’m honestly quite surprised that this place turned out to have many good spots to photograph trains.

Even more amazed by the fact that the locals are incredibly hospitable. While we waited for the train, the owner of the house where we stood offered us some drinks! This was truly refreshing amidst the hot weather.

I believe this should be my next destination for train spotting, if I have the time and money. I’ve known the great scenery along the line between Solo and Semarang, but learning its schedule should be beneficial for my future trips in this area.

Sumberlawang station itself still retains the classic Dutch era building, with its unique architecture.

Even the employees’ housing still uses the classic Colonial era building. I believe when the station was first opened, they didn’t have any neighbors.

For the history buffs, the line was originally built to the standard gauge in 1867. But in the lead-up to World War II, the authority inserted a third track and made it a dual gauge track.

The scene at Gundih railway station, on the same line, during the Dutch Colonial era. At the time the tracks were still in standard gauge.

During the Japanese occupation, it was converted fully to the narrow Cape gauge, which is still in use to this day. Several railway stations along the line are still sporting platforms that were originally designed for a wider standard gauge.

Tanggung railway station was the second railway station built in Indonesia (then Dutch East Indies), and the oldest currently in operation. If you look closely, the railway track is offset to the right as the platform was originally designed to accommodate the wider standard gauge.

As it was nearing sunset, the train traffic seemed to be increasing.

Many of them are Joglosemarkerto train that runs on a route that circles Central Java province.

But some of them are actually long distance train that start from cities in southern East Java that access this line to reach the North Coast Line before traveling to Jakarta. One of them is this westbound Brantas express train

After that Brantas train passed, it was time for us to resume our journey to Salatiga for an overnight rest. The journey will be a long one as there’s a significant distance between our place and that town.

We decided to stay there, instead of in the nearer and larger Solo, as we wanted to have better access to Ambarawa and its surroundings.

But just when I thought that today’s trainspotting session was over, Joop and Remi suddenly had another idea. “Bagus, could you go near the track? We want to photograph a train with a signal of Salem station,” Joop asked. I duly obliged his request, and after finding a good spot in front of a vast open field near a college, I parked my car, and they disembarked.

Sukawati Gemolong Polytechnic High School near Salem station, with their vast courtyard field.

Geoff didn’t join them and decided to wait with me near the car. “They’re really unbelievable. I mean, it’s already dark now. Why should they hunt for another train?” Geoff lamented.

Salem railway station.

After a train passed, both of them returned, and we then resumed our journey to Salatiga. I followed the road south. As we’re near the border of Solo, I entered the tollway and resumed driving to Salatiga.

In the past, the drive would have been very long as I had to pass the city centre and negotiate a series of traffic lights, as well as traffic jam areas. But the tollway essentially bypassed all of those things, which enabled us to have a much quicker journey.

It was actually the first time I drove on the tollway beyond Solo. And the drive turned out to be quite challenging, not least because of the steep gradient. I haven’t driven on such a steep gradient for long. I used to do that regularly in Bandung, but rarely in East Java. This tested my driving skills and was exacerbated by the fact that it was already dark.

The same stretch of highway seen in the morning in 2022.

Thankfully, we eventually made it to Salatiga, where we checked into our hotel and then had dinner before having an overnight rest.

Kayu Arum resort in Salatiga. We stayed in this hotel. I also stayed in the same hotel in 2014, during a steam tour with Geoff. In fact this photo was taken in that year.

TO BE CONTINUED.

10th Anniversary of Java Steam and Sugar Tour (Part 2 Day 3: 9th October 2024)

Although I love doing trainspotting and would normally be excited about taking guests to do train hunting, this tour felt unusually tiring. Perhaps the anhedonia, and possibly a nervous breakdown caused by the pandemic still affecting me. Exacerbated by Remi’s rather obnoxious attitude, it only worsens the situation.

However, we still have another day of trainspotting in the East Java area.

Today’s agenda includes a return to the railway line between Bangil and Malang to observe the trains in this area. I initially planned to take them to either Kebonduren or the Ngawen-Parerejo area. In fact, I’ve taken Joop to the latter, and he was satisfied with the place.

The empty fuel train from Malang as it descends the gradient near Sukorejo.

But Remi have other idea. Although he had never been to the place before, armed with access to Google Satellite Map, he suddenly had the knowledge of the places there, even though he had never set foot in those places before. And admittedly, neither do I, as I never found the places that Remi mentioned as interesting in the past.

Remi blabbered and said a place that vaguely sounded like Sengon or Sukorejo. Only when I asked him again did I get the clear message: “Wonokerto! Near the signal!”

I’ve never been there before and would normally overlook it, as I would go to other places around the area that have better scenery. Geoff and Joop would normally listen to my advice. But since this Dutchie insisted, I have no choice but to comply.

If that wasn’t enough, he also dictated my driving directions as he operated his Google Map back then. I decided not to follow this order as his map directed us to the road that’s often jammed and even narrow in some places. Instead, I drove along the tollway and exited at Pandaan, where from there I followed the main road and then the secondary road to Wonokerto.

The tollway from Surabaya eventually reached Malang, and this helped us to access many trainspotting places on the mountainous part of East Java.

Along the way, we crossed the level crossing near Sukorejo station. Upon looking at the place, Geoff commented, “This place looks good. I think I will do trainspotting in here later.”

But we proceed to our first destination, anyway.

We all know that nowadays, the Indonesian State Railways tend to be somewhat allergic towards railway photographers. And it was at its worst when the company was headed by Edy Sukmoro. Although his successor has officially said that taking photographs in railway facilities is allowed, the stories about trainspotters being harassed by security or even railwaymen persist.

So, not to spoil our day, I decided to park my car near the spot. The parking place is precarious as the road is narrow. But we could eventually disembark and start the train hunting.

The place indeed looks scenic. It definitely met their expectations with the presence of a signal. To add the scenery, Mount Arjuno and Welirang complex can be clearly seen in the background.

The signal is in the up position. Obviously, a train from Malang is on the way.

In fact, about 5 minutes later, a horn can be heard sounding from the uphill direction. It’s a CC206 class locomotive with its distinctive sounding horn. The train would normally be used to haul premier trains or heavy freight trains.

All of the express trains have passed, so this one has to be the fuel train. And indeed, once the train appear, we could see the silver painted tank cars right behind the locomotive.

The friendly driver is also willing to pose for the photo. Since the train trundles slowly, it means that he had time to prepare himself.

It was really sunny that day. The sky was so clear that the mount Arjuno and mount Welirang volcanic complex can be clearly seen.

While other participants dispersed and went to each of their spots, I got acquainted with the local villagers who volunteered as a gateman at the nearby level crossing.

“Where do these guys come from?” he asked. “One guy from Britain, the other two are Dutch,” I replied. “Cool! Are they here on vacation?” he asked again. “Yes, they are. Specifically, to hunt down trains for photos and videos,” I answered him. “Haha! What a hobby!” he laughed.

I also noticed that there are plenty of mango trees in this place. I was curious about it, so I asked the gateman. “Do you guys grow mango around here?” I asked him. “Yeah, we have a lot of them. We even sell the spring mango tree for anyone who wants to grow their own mango tree,” he replied.

“What sort of Mango?” I asked. “Gadung!” he replied. FYI, Gadung is considered the finest variant of mango in Indonesia. It has a freshly sweet taste with a hint of tanginess. It’s considered the most popular variant of the mango in Indonesia. I initially considered buying one to plant in my house, especially since the spring tree is quite affordable.

But then the lack of space in my house meant that I decided to forego any plan to buy it.

After I finished the conversation, I decided to catch up with the rest of the group, who were waiting for the train in the uphill part of the station area. I walked past the station platform and was quite surprised that the railway workers were unfazed by my presence.

The Wonokerto station yard as seen from the south.

I guess they have loosened the restrictions towards trainspotters in here.

All of them are waiting under the trees just near the signal at the northern exit of the station’s yard. In here, we can actually see the start of the steep railway gradient. It would have been better visible if we use tele lens. Since I don’t have it, the gradient is only partly visible in the distance.

At around 10.20, the signal goes up, and it’s an obvious sign that a train is coming from the Surabaya direction. And about 5 minutes later, the train appeared. It’s a Penataran train hauled by CC203 36 locomotive.

While waiting for the next train, Geoff explained several terms to describe the variety of railway signals in English. The signal that gave the train driver clearance to leave the station is called “Starter Signal” or “Starting Signal”. And the nearest to us is called “Home Signal”, which gives the train driver clearance to enter the station’s yard. And lastly “Outer Signal”, which gives the driver notification that his/her train is approaching a station.

The diagram of Kebumen station layout and signals position.

And not long after we concluded the conversation, the Home Signal is erected. It’s a sign that a train from Malang is arriving. I looked at the schedule that I brought with me, and there’s not supposed to be any trains passing around this time. What that could be?

The home signal of Wonokerto station, on the southern side. Remi can be seen underneath it.

Several minutes later, a Natchan Airchime horn can be heard in the distance. It’s obviously a CC206 locomotive. But what train does it haul?

It turned out that it’s a CC206 70 locomotive running by itself into the Bangil direction. I wonder why is that?

Once that train left, we decided to return to the level crossing near our car. Upon returning, I noticed that the gateman is now a different person. But he’s still as friendly as the previous one. Just like the other guy, he’s also amused by the presence of foreigners in here.

At midday, we suddenly hear the horn sound from the north. It’s the Nathan Airchime from the CC206 locomotive. Could it be the same locomotive that we saw earlier? Now it supposed to be the time for Tawangalun train to pass this place.

Indeed, a few minutes later a CC206 locomotive can be seen in the distance hauling a train.

When the train got close, we could see that it was the same CC206 70 that we saw earlier. But this time it’s hauling the Tawangalun train, with a CC201 locomotive behind it.

Since around 2023-2024, a new rule has been enacted that forbade the running of locomotives in long hood configuration. All in the name of safety. Consequently, some trains have to be hauled by another locomotive that runs on cab first, especially those that couldn’t get access to the turntable during turnaround.

After that train left, our group was split into two. Geoff wanted to go to Sukorejo to do trainspotting, whereas Joop and Remi wanted to stay near Wonokerto.

I drove Geoff to his destination. Honestly, I’ve never done trainspotting in this place before, because I didn’t know if there were any good spots around here. “Just keep going. Who knows if there’s anything special over there?” Geoff assured me.

Since I wasn’t familiar with the area, I initially struggled to find a parking spot. But eventually, I found one.

Back when I regularly took the Surabaya-Malang train in the 1980s, my train would normally be stopped at this station to give way to the Surabaya-bound train.

But it seems that these days the crossing schedule has a different timing than in the past.

Even this Penataran train doesn’t stop here.

Once that train was gone, it was time to pick up Joop and Remi. “You can go there now. I’ll wait for the next train here,” Geoff said.

I quickly returned back to my car and drove to Wonokerto to pick up Joop and Remi. My movement meant that I missed the train that would normally be my favourite photography object: the Arjuno Express train. But that can be repeated for another day, anyway.

Joop wants to be picked up at a spot to the south of Wonokerto station. It’s located in the middle of a small mango plantation. Although the road is narrow, thankfully, it’s passable by my car. There’s also a spacious parking spot underneath a mango tree, which isn’t far from the track.

Once I parked my car, I headed to where Joop and Remi waited for the train. It was already past midday, and it was really hot here. Surprisingly, both of them were unfazed by the weather. “Hi Bagus! We’re here, waiting for the next train. There was another express train that passed while you were out with Geoff,” Joop explained.

We didn’t wait for too long in here before the next train passed. It’s a Jakarta-bound Jayabaya express train hauled by CC206 54 locomotive. The locomotive also sported a sticker that commemorated the 79^th anniversary of the Indonesian State Railways. (Although the railway itself is much older, having been opened in 1867).

Once the Jayabaya train is gone, we all go to my car to catch up with Geoff in Sukorejo. While walking to the car, Joop marvelled at the abundance of mango trees in this place. “Look, Bagus, you said that you want to have mango trees? I think you can buy this land because they have a lot of it. And it’s near the railway track, so you can do trainspotting as much as you like,” Joop joked.

I drove back to Sukorejo, and along the way, Geoff asked me to take my group to the parking lot in front of the station. “Please come here! You will love the scenery!” Geoff told me.

Upon arriving at the designated place, I was marveled by the scenery. It feels like a throwback to the colonial era. The station building itself still retains its Dutch-era architecture. To add to the classic atmosphere, several steam locomotive-supporting facilities, such as a water tower and pump, are still standing, although steam locomotives last ran here in the early 1970s.

Sukorejo station seen from the rail side. The track has obviously been raised, so much that it necessitates the raising of the platform.

Geoff also directed us to one gorgeous spot. “Come over here!” as Geoff took us. We went to the small road next to the station, and upon arriving, we were greeted by the sight that looked very classic.

The water tower next to the track and the semaphore signal in the distance really give this angle a classic look. All it needs is a steam train, which would make the scenery complete.

Although the ugly building in the background ruined the scenery a bit.

I honestly began to fall in love with this place. This will surely be my trainspotting place in the future.

Suddenly, the home signal in the distance is raised. It’s obviously a green light for the downhill train from Malang. And not long after, a train hauled by a CC206 locomotive begins to appear. Everyone quickly jumped into their positions, ready to photograph the train.

It turns out to be an empty tanker train hauled by CC206 45 again! It seems that throughout our train hunting days here, we always came across this locomotive! Although in the last 2 days, she hauled a tanker train.

Once that train left, it was time for us to have lunch. We were hungry already. Since the only good restaurant that we know around here is Wapo (which we already visited yesterday), we decided to go there to have our meal.

The palatial-looking Wapo restaurant at Pandaan. Despite its fancy appearance, the food menu is affordable.

We finished our lunch quite late in the afternoon. I would normally conclude the trainspotting and head back home. Geoff and Joop usually follow my suggestion.

But Remi insisted on doing another trainspotting. And this time he wants me to take us to Sukrejo’s northern home signal. Although the spot itself is not located in difficult terrain, accessing the place is tricky due to the narrowness of the road. I initially resented the idea of going to that place and suggested an alternative location.

As usual, his reference is Google Maps, where previous railfans have marked the place as a destination. He got wind of it while we were enjoying lunch. He seemed to be fascinated by the photos taken by previous visitors to the place, so he wanted to go there.

Driving to the place is tricky as usual, as I’ve never been there before. The place is quite near our previous location. The access road is a narrow kampong alley, which is as narrow as I expected, but thankfully still wide enough to allow my car to pass through without scratches.

We eventually arrived at the place, and indeed it’s gorgeous.

The place sees the “sunset” much earlier than the lowlands, as the mountain blocks the sun after 4 pm. We’re at the foot of Mount Arjuno, so the volcano is visible prominently here. I imagine taking a train photo with the backdrop of this mountain in the morning would have been awesome.

At about 16.45, the signal rose. A train is coming from the Surabaya direction. We quickly went to the spots of our choice. Joop went in another direction, to the outer signal.

Several minutes later, the train turned up. It’s a petrol train hauled by a lone CC206 locomotive.

Unlike the petrol train that we saw earlier today, the one hauled by this CC206 41 locomotive is a loaded train.

The train carries the supply of petrol for the city of Malang and its surrounding area. So its role for the local economy is very valuable.

However, due to the combination of steep gradient and heavy load, the train is normally split in Bangil, where the locomotive will then shuttle between that station and Malang. The one that we see in here is the first part of it.

After the petrol train left, it got darker. It’s almost like after sunset, thanks to the towering mountain that blocks the sunrays. Normally, I would go home, but they want to photograph another train with a signal in it.

Their wish was granted, and at around 17.15 a train horn can be heard from Sukorejo station. We decided to take a train photo from near the car park. And several minutes the train appeared in the distance before it eventually come to our spot for a good photo.

Once that train was gone, it was time for us to head back to Surabaya for an overnight rest. Tomorrow we will move to Central Java, and it’s going to be a tiring day for me as the driver.

TO BE CONTINUED.

10th Anniversary of Java Steam and Sugar Tour (Part 2 Day 2: 8th October 2024)

The schedule of today’s activities revolves around the trainspotting, just like yesterday. But this time, we’re taking different routes.

I wanted to show them the train activities on the Northern line. So I took them to the nearest train-hunting spot from Surabaya: Padeg village. I have known this place since 2013. Initially, because I wanted to see the remains of the former junction station in the village of Sumari.

Spotters tend to have an unobstructed view of the trains and could even see the headlights in the distance. Although the downside is that, especially during the transition from dry to wet season, the temperature can be a scorcher. And October is very much the transition period.

We decided to take the train photo from across the pond here. In the past, this pond would normally be used for fish farming. During the dry season, the pond would be deliberately dried out by the locals, and the land would be used as a football pitch. But in the past 5 years, the place has been continuously submerged.

The first train to turn up is the morning Argo Bromo Anggrek train from Surabaya Pasar Turi station. The train is hauled by CC206 46 locomotive.

The train is currently listed as the number 1 train in Indonesia. And before the opening of the Jakarta-Bandung high-speed railway, it was the fastest train in Indonesia.

Although the premier express train that serves the Surabaya-Jakarta route through the North Coast line has been around for a long time, the morning service was introduced in 1997. Prior to that, all executive class runs at night, whereas the morning slot was served by slow economy class ones.

Another thing that helped us to detect the arrival of trains is the level crossing gate guard. Up until 2023, the level crossing was unprotected. It was only guarded by local volunteers who would close the bamboo gates. In mid-2024, a manned level crossing gate was built.

Its presence is pretty beneficial as the guardsmen know exactly when the train will pass. They even have a radio which would give them up-to-date information about the train’s location.

And it wasn’t very long before we finally sighted a headlight appearing from the north. We quickly set up our cameras, and before long, the package express train from Jakarta passed through.

The train service was inaugurated in the late 1980s or early 1990s. It was initially not taken too seriously by the Indonesian State Railways. But its popularity grew as the years progressed, and now become one of the money-making train services.

Originally equipped with repurposed cement boxcars, it was later replaced with old baggage vans. In 2009, it was equipped with brand new green liveried baggage cars, which they still use to this day.

Not long after the package train had gone, the signal that regulates the northbound traffic suddenly turned green. There’s a train coming from Surabaya direction!

The signalling in Padeg. Remi can be seen standing on the right.

We waited until a headlight appeared in the distance. And a few minutes later, it turned out that the train was a DMU commuter train. This train service connects Surabaya and Lamongan, where workers would use it to commute between the two cities.

As the sun goes higher, the temperature also becomes quite intolerably hot. We actually wanted to photograph the container trains. But as its schedule is unreliable (they tend to turn up late), we decided that whatever train comes after this would be our last in here.

20 minutes later, another train from Surabaya arrives at our spot.

It was a westbound economic class train hauled by the ever-present CC201 class locomotive. I can’t remember the train’s identity. I think it was either the local train to Cepu or even an express train to Semarang.

Once the train disappeared, it was time for us to leave this place.

“Alright, where do we go next?” Joop asked. Before I made my reply, Remi suddenly intervened. “Let’s go to the mountain again. I want to take train photos in Sukorejo,” Remi insisted. So, there we go. We quickly returned to our car and made a long drive to that place.

I have been in the scenario where I would do trainspotting on both the North and South lines in Java on a single trip in the past. Those lines are almost 100 kilometres apart, and it would be lucky if we could get many trains, especially since the latter tend to be quiet in daylight. But this is the first time I’m doing so with paying customers.

I haven’t been to Sukorejo before. So, I was unfamiliar with the place.  I never visited the place before because it’s pretty far from the toll gate. Plus, there’s a considerable length of drive along a traffic-jam-prone road. Combined with my ignorance, I never got interested in visiting the place.  

The chosen place is a classic level crossing located several hundred meters uphill from the station.

It was the first time I visited the place, and I was pretty amazed by the classic atmosphere in this place. Although the gate has been replaced with the newer one, they still use the same building from the Dutch colonial era.

Once we disembarked from the car, my Dutch guests quickly went away to a spot near the signal. I can’t recall where Geoff went. Whereas I choose to stay near the gate. The gateman himself is a friendly person. He’s also generous in providing information on the train traffic during our visit.

And it doesn’t take long before the first train in here appears. It’s the Jayabaya express train hauled by CC206 67 locomotive.

Compared to Padeg, which we visited earlier today, this place is much cooler. Thanks to its location at the lower slope of Mount Arjuno. Consequently, the railway line has to be built with gradients. And the climbing effort by the locomotive meant that the driver had to apply extra power.

Not long after the Jayabaya train disappeared into the distance, I could hear the horn of a departing train from Sukorejo station. Apparently, one Penataran train was waiting at the siding to allow the Jayabaya train to pass. Once the latter was gone, it was time for this train to resume its journey to Malang and Blitar.

The level crossing gate was closed to let this train pass. The reverberating sound of the GE 7FDL8 engine was really thunderous. The train had to deal with the steep gradient upon starting its journey, so you could imagine the amount of power the driver had to apply here.

A few minutes after that train left, Geoff turned up. “Hi Geoff, how was it? Did you get good train photos?” I asked him. “Well, fantastic! I got the photos of the train, plus the signal as well. We need to document them before they’re swept away,” Geoff replied.

Not long after that, Joop and Remi also returned. “How was the trainspotting? Did you get good photos of the train?” I asked them. “Not bad. We got a good angle in here,” Joop replied.

We actually wanted to conclude our visit, but suddenly the gateman told us that a fuel train from Malang is approaching. Being able to photograph this train is some kind of privilege. Anyone would be lucky to catch one, as they tend to deviate from their assigned schedules (either late or not running at all).

And before long, the aforementioned train appeared.

It turned out the train was hauled by CC206 45, the same locomotive that ran over someone in Bangil yesterday.

Although it was just an ordinary moment of seeing a passing train, for me, it felt rather overwhelming to see the exact same locomotive that was involved in yesterday’s tragedy running in front of me again, but hauling a different train. It was weird and somehow eerie.

Once the train left, we bid farewell to the gateman and continued our journey.

Our first destination was the Wapo restaurant in Pandaan, where we had lunch.

The palatial-looking Wapo restaurant in Pandaan. the name “Wapo” is short for “warung pojok” or “corner food stall”.

I’ve known the restaurant name since my high school days in Surabaya. Originally a small open-air food stall at the corner near Airlangga University campus, it eventually evolved into a big restaurant with air-conditioned rooms. The one in Pandaan is their most successful branch outside Surabaya.

Since many of their former student customers in the 1990s have become wealthy career and business people, it enables the restaurant owner to expand and upgrade their level of service. Yet, all of their popular menu items from their beginnings are still available, albeit in upgraded form.

Upon finishing our meal, we resumed our journey.

I initially offered to take them to visit Kedinding, where we would see some passing trains. “Is it good?” Joop asked. “Yeah! And now there’s an overpass bridge where you can take a train photo from above,” I replied.

“Okay, let’s go there. But first we need to visit the Tulangan sugar mill in Sidoarjo,” Joop added. “The Watutulis sugar mill is near Kedinding station. Would you like to visit there as well?” I asked. “Okay,” Joop replied.

The drive from Pandaan to Tulangan is rather tricky, so I have to rely on a satellite map on my phone, especially since the sugar mill is located well away from the main highway. I followed the tollway route that we plied earlier, but in Kejapanan I took the exit and travelled along the scenic, but jam-prone, main roads.

After several minutes of driving, we finally reached the Tulangan sugar mill.

The exterior of Tulangan sugar mill in 2016. This photo was taken before the harvesting season started.

This historic sugar mill was founded in 1850 and considered as one of the oldest in existence in Java. It’s said to retain many of the old steam machinery where some dates back from the 19^th century. Thanks to this, the mill has been a historic buffs favourite destination.

Just like the sugar mills in Java it used to have a network of field lines which was used to haul harvested sugarcane. Originally operated by steam locomotives, they eventually reverted to diesel when the former retired in mid-1970s. The field lines itself ended operation in 2008.

The field train of Tulangan sugar mill in 2003. Photo by Joachim Lutz.

Joop was lucky enough to see Tulangan’s field lines network when it was still in operation. He have many photographs of the sugarcane trains when they were still plying the field lines. He even recorded them on video.

Its antiquity have become a favourite choice by the previous sugarcane company management to turn it into a “living and breathing museum” where visitors would see how does a working sugar mills look like. But its closure, and the change of central management, meant the project will not see the light of the day.

Although it haven’t been in operation since 2017, the mill is still fully guarded and some management staffs are still working on daily basis. So I have to ask permission to them to allow my group to explore the place.

Funnily, before I even went to see them, Joop and Remi have already wandered and disappeared into the mill complex and doing the exploration. By the time the management staffs gave the permission, both of them have already concluded their activities.

From Tulangan, we moved on to the Watutulis sugar mill which is located on the main highway near Krian.

Just like Tulangan, the Watutulis sugar mill has been around since the mid-19^th century. It’s actually older, having been opened in 1838. But unlike Tulangan, the mill has been modernized in the 20^th century and never achieved the same cult status as the former.

Similar to the previously visited sugar mill, this one has actually been closed. Its last crushing season was 2018. The declining number of available sugarcane plantation fields, poor management, and unfair competition with imported sugar led to its eventual closure.

Yet, just like Tulangan, the place is still heavily guarded. Some of its management staffs are still working in the office.

I was directed by the security to meet the chief supervisor here. He came about 15 minutes after we arrived at the mill. He had just come from a visit to Tulangan sugar mill (strangely, we didn’t meet). Alas, I can’t remember his name.

The head supervisor is a friendly and welcoming person. He welcomed our group to the mill. His humble appearance belies the fact that he has the highest authority, not just in here but also in Tulangan mill. It can be said that his position is equivalent to the general manager of a mill. And he’s in charge of two of them!

But then, he’s leading the mills that are essentially no longer at work. And other than security personnel, he has a very small number of subordinates under him. His power seems to be hollow. How ironic…

While Geoff, Joop, and Remi were exploring the mill, I spent the time chatting with him. The change of management and consolidation of plantation companies has become a heated debate among many who are involved in the business. I wasn’t spared from it, as the visit to sugar mills to see the steam locomotives is akin to a pilgrimage.

“Now the company is based in Jakarta. It’s no longer in Surabaya. So, the decision-making process is longer than it used to be. In the past, whenever there’s a problem arose, I would report it to the office in Surabaya and they would respond to it quickly. Now, I would be lucky if I could get an answer. Especially if it’s a minor problem in an abandoned mill like this,” he explained to me.

“Now that reminds me of my previous steam tour. I remember back in the past, arranging a permit was reasonably quick. But on my recent tour, I was ghosted! My permit application wasn’t answered! I never had something like that when the top management was in Surabaya,” I responded.

“That’s strange. They never did something like that before,” the superintendent replied in a surprised mood.

“And that wasn’t the only problem. When we went to the Pagotan sugar mill, my group was still refused entry. They didn’t just rudely reject us when we photographed the steam locomotives from the outside of the mill; we were harassed and kicked out of the place. I’ve never had such unpleasant treatment as that before. Even when I do trainspotting on the mainlines!” I exclaimed.

The fireless locomotive number 8 or Pagotan sugar mill in 2023.

The chief supervisor seemed to be startled by my story. “That’s awful. I’ve never heard that kind of story before. And I personally know the boss of Pagotan sugar mill. He’s a nice and polite guy. He wouldn’t treat a stranger, let alone foreigners, in an abusive manner like that,” he commented.

“But then again, since the new company was set up in late 2022, there are many newcomers coming here. I’ve never seen them before. I don’t know who they are or what their background is. They are definitely not from the sugar industry. I also didn’t get along with them because they’re so bossy,” the supervisor added.

After a few minutes, Joop, Geoff, and Remi returned back. “I see a locomotive parked at the back there. It’s a Schoema unit,” Joop told me. “All looks derelict in her,” Geoff added.

The middle cab locomotive of Watutulis sugar mill.

Watutulis sugar mill, just like many other sugar mills in Java did employed mini trains to haul harvested sugarcane from their fields to the mill. But, probably due to poor financial management, their fleet of steam locomotives disappeared before anyone could record their activities.

So, during their last years of operation, the sugarcane trains were hauled by tractors, which supplanted their sole ailing Schoema locomotive. Their field line network was closed at the end of the 2008 harvesting season.

The derelict Schoema diesel locomotive of Watutulis sugar mill. The locomotive had been retired long before the cessation of field workings.

After our visit to Watutulis, we bid farewell to the head supervisor and continued our journey.

It was already sunset. All of the Mosques around here have already sounded their evening prayer call. Normally, I would have concluded my trainspotting session and gone back home.

But Remi wasn’t done yet. “You said there’s a good place for train hunting near here?” he asked. “Yeah, it’s behind there in Kedinding,” I replied. “Let’s go there!” he commanded. And we quickly went there in my car.

The area around the Kedinding station and the nearby Tarik have long been my favourite trainspotting destination. I’ve known this place since 2013, when my late friend, Edja, taught me about finding great train-spotting areas around Surabaya. I would frequently visit the area on the weekends.

I’ve seen the area changed from single track with a strong rural theme to the current double track. They have even replaced the old Dutch-era railway stations with new buildings.

The new Kedinding railway station which was opened in 2024.

There’s even an overpass bridge now, which enabled me to take train photos from above.

The Surabaya-bound Sancaka express train is seen traveling at Kedinding. The photo was taken from the overpass bridge, which was built in 2022 to eliminate the nearby level crossing.

While this wasn’t the first time I took foreign guests to see trains in here, this one felt rather different. Remi is a highly ambitious, almost selfish, person who wants to get as much as possible in a short space of time. In some ways, it reminds me of some German tourists who travelled on non-railway tours in the past.

Although I’ve been to Kedinding often, doing trainspotting in the dark felt rather sad. In addition to poor lighting, we were barely able to identify what type of trains were going to pass. If there’s something positive about it, we could see the train’s headlight clearly from a distance. They’re much brighter than the headlights of road vehicles.

Still, I could no longer use my DSLR and video camera as they would struggle to capture fast-moving objects in the darkness. So, I have to use my phone camera to record the train movements.

The first train to turn up was the Wijayakusuma express train. This train runs on an unusual, but surprisingly profitable, route: Banyuwangi to Cilacap via Surabaya and Yogyakarta. Its success can be attributed to the oil refinery workers who commute between Cilacap and the cities along the way.

The next train we see is the Surabaya-bound Dhoho train. This local train runs on a circular route from Surabaya to Blitar, and eventually Kertosono, where the locomotive swaps position before returning to Surabaya again. I travelled onboard this train once in 2004, as part of a railway adventure with my friend.

The horseshoe-shaped overpass bridge where I took the image of the Sancaka train above. Up until 2023, there was a level crossing in a spot in front of the locomotive, but it was closed and the traffic is now directed to use the bridge.

Once that train disappeared, it was time for us to conclude today’s trainspotting activity and head back home.

Although I love to have an adventure of doing trainspotting across a variety of places and chasing after trains, this one truly tested my limits. It really tested my physical endurance and patience.

While I would normally enjoy doing such a thing, this time I felt rather burdened by today’s activity. I wasn’t just fatigued physically, but surprisingly also mentally. While I would normally feel satisfied upon the completion of a train hunting outing, this time I felt drained.

Perhaps the combination of anhedonia, the upset from the previous tour, and my growing disdain for Remi’s pushy attitude meant I perceived today’s trainspotting activity differently.

TO BE CONTINUED.