DVDs of real steam and narrow gauge lines in Java, China, Cuba, France, Germany and elsewhere
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DVDs of real steam and narrow gauge lines in Java, China, Cuba, France, Germany and elsewhere |
This page lists the final steam-worked railways on Java, Indonesia. The focus is on real working steam locos not those retained for charters. Your input is most welcome.
Initial posting 4
July 2013
Sudhono gauge corrected 9 July 2013
Begininning of an attempt to catalogue mills with only
diesel yard work and those that only use tractors, bullocks, etc. 9 July 2013
After China, the second largest remnant of real
working steam is on the sugar mill railways on the Indonesian island of Java.
The list is again in several versions – by status, location and gauge
This is a re-working of the summary I produced after my
July-August 2012 trip. Rob Dickinson maintains an excellent database of
information about Javan sugar mill steam and diesel locomotives here.
Bernd Seiler arranges trips to Java to see the sugar mill railways and plans
his next trip for August 2014. Details will appear here.
Rob Dickinson has suggested that the following mills are probably still operating and either use diesels for yard work, use tractors or bullocks only or have removed their yard railways. I will try to divide these up shortly can can anyone else help with rceent observations of their status? My first comments (yard diesel) relates to my own observations on recent trips.
Karangsuwung, Sindanglaut (yard diesel?), Tersana Baru (no railway), Cepiring, Madukismo (yard diesel), Rendeng, Mojo, Pakis Baru (re-opened?), Trangkil, Rejoagung (yard diesel), Lestari, Merican, Pesantren, Ngadirejo (tractor?), Mojopanggung (yard diesel), Kebonagung (no railway), Jombang, Cukir, Gempolkerep (yard diesel), Tulangan, Krembung (yard diesel), Watutulis, Candi, Wonolangan (yard diesel), Pajarakan (yard diesel), Prajekan (yard diesel).
There are 3 versions of this list. Click on the links to navigate to these lists on this page.
| By Location | By Gauge |
Key: 1. steam field and yard work, 2. steam yard work only, 3. steam only available for charter (mill is normally diesel), 4. mills with diesel field work
1. Mills with steam field and yard work
(also diesel field and yard work):
Olean, East Java, Situbondo 700mm
Sumberharjo, Central Java, Pemalang 700mm
2. Mills with steam yard work (also
including diesel yard work and yard and field work at Semboro only):
Kanigoro, East Java, Madiun, 700mm
Purwodadi, East Java, Madiun, 700mm
Pagottan (fireless), East Java, Madiun, 700mm
Pangka, Central Java, Tegal, 600mm
Semboro (fireless), East Java, Jember, 700mm
Sragi, Central Java, Pekalongan, 600mm
Tasik Madu, Central Java, Solo, 750mm
3. Mills with steam available to be chartered
(In some cases, the steam locos may be used occasionally for normal - field
or yard - work in case of diesel failure.):
Asembagus, East Java, Situbondo, 700mm
Gondang Baru, Central Java, Yogyakarta, 700mm (loco used for tourist train on
Sunday and public holidays)
Jatibarang, Central Java, Tegal, 600mm (loco in need of repair),
Rejosari, East Java, Madiun, 700mm
Semboro, East Java, Jember, 700mm (2 conventional locos can be chartered. The
2 fireless are used daily),
Sudhono, East Java, Madiun, 600mm
Also included for those who would like to see the full traditional sugar mill field railway not just yard shunting (even though now dieselised):
4. Mills with diesel field and yard work
Asembagus, East Java, Situbondo, 700mm
Gending, East Java, Probolinggo, 600mm
Jatiroto,
East Java, Jember, 700mm
Kedawung, East Java, Probolinggo, 700mm
Krebet Baru, East Java, Malang, 700mm
Panji, East Java, Situbondo, 600mm
Semboro, East Java, Jember, 700mm
Wringinanom, East Java, Situbondo, 700mm
| By Location | By Gauge |
Locations are arranged by nearest big town and area of Java from west to east. Status is shown as 1. steam field and yard work, 2. steam yard work, 3. charter steam only, 4. diesel field and yard work
3. Jatibarang, Central Java, Tegal, 600mm (loco
in need of repair),
2. Pangka, Central Java, Tegal, 600mm
1. Sumberharjo, Central Java, Pemalang 700mm
2. Sragi, Central Java, Pekalongan, 600mm
3. Gondang Baru, Central Java, Yogyakarta, 700mm (loco used for tourist train on Sunday and public holidays)
2. Tasik Madu, Central Java, Solo, 750mm
2. Kanigoro, East Java, Madiun, 700mm
2. Purwodadi, East Java, Madiun, 700mm
2. Pagottan (fireless), East Java, Madiun, 700mm
3. Rejosari, East Java, Madiun, 700mm
3. Sudhono, East Java, Madiun, 600mm
4. Krebet Baru, East Java, Malang, 700mm
4. Kedawung, East Java, Probolinggo, 700mm
4. Gending, East Java, Probolinggo, 600mm
4. Jatiroto, East Java, Jember, 700mm
2., 3. & 4. Semboro (fireless), East Java, Jember, 700mm (2 conventional
locos can be chartered. The 2 fireless are used daily),
4. Wringinanom, East Java, Situbondo, 700mm
1. Olean, East Java, Situbondo 700mm
4. Panji, East Java, Situbondo, 600mm
3. & 4. Asembagus, East Java, Situbondo, 700mm
| By Location | By Gauge |
Status is shown as 1 steam field and yard work, 2 steam yard work, 3 charter steam only, 4 diesel field and yard work and the west to east drift has been maintained in preference to alphabetical order.
600mm
3. Jatibarang, Central Java, Tegal, 600mm (loco in need of repair),
2. Pangka, Central Java, Tegal, 600mm
2. Sragi, Central Java, Pekalongan, 600mm
3. Sudhono, East Java, Madiun, 600mm
4. Gending, East Java, Probolinggo, 600mm
4. Panji, East Java, Situbondo, 600mm
700mm
1. Sumberharjo, Central Java, Pemalang 700mm
3. Gondang Baru, Central Java, Yogyakarta, 700mm (loco used for tourist train
on Sunday and public holidays)700mm
2. Kanigoro, East Java, Madiun, 700mm
2. Purwodadi, East Java, Madiun, 700mm
2. Pagottan (fireless), East Java, Madiun, 700mm
3. Rejosari, East Java, Madiun, 700mm
4. Krebet Baru, East Java, Malang, 700mm
4. Kedawung, East Java, Probolinggo, 700mm
4. Jatiroto, East Java, Jember, 700mm
2., 3. & 4. Semboro (fireless), East Java, Jember, 700mm (2 conventional
locos can be chartered. The 2 fireless are used daily),
4. Wringinanom, East Java, Situbondo, 700mm
1. Olean, East Java, Situbondo 700mm
3. & 4. Asembagus, East Java, Situbondo, 700mm
750mm
2. Tasik Madu, Central Java, Solo, 750mm
| By Location | By Gauge |
In addition, steam can be chartered at Ambarawa and Cepu (both Central Java) gauge 3ft 6in.
I welcome news of additional mills that can be added to this list or any corrections. 2013 information is preferred to older information.
Note that any sugar mill visits will be better if you have permission from the relevant mill headquarters which is often located in a distant large city. Except in a few cases (possibly Krebet Baru and Regoagung), access to the mill area will probably be denied without this letter and most mills will leave you frustrated if you have to stay outside the mill area. The easiest way to visit these railways is with a group tour. These are quite rare these days but Farrail plan a 2014 visit.
For details of where to apply for permission, you will probably need to contact Rob Dickinson for a list of sugar mill headquarters. To start that process, see here. If you make contact with Indonesian enthusiasts via the yahoo group Indonesian Industrial Railways SIG, they may be able to help you obtain permission. As this will cost them in terms of their time, phone calls or visits to the headquarters, you should be ready to compensate them. You may also find local enthusiasts willing to guide you to the mills. This should be seen as a commercial transaction where they are your paid guide. Please don’t abuse their generosity. To get shots of trains in the fields, riding on the locos or chasing with a motorcycle works best. Chasing by car can also work but requires a better knowledge of the road and rail networks and how they interconnect. Many mills also have stationary steam engines and pumps inside the mill and permission to visit a mill will often allow you to see these working as well.
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DVDs of real steam and narrow gauge lines in China, Java, Cuba, France, Germany and elsewhere |
The only other country with a significant amount of real working steam is China. You can see a summary of real working steam in China here.