Assalamualaikum, Salam Kenal dari Indonesia!

[AhmadKane]

Assalamualaikum, Salam Kenal dari Indonesia! 

 

My name is Ahmad, but I go by my English name Kane. You may use either one as you wish. I'm a Medical Student in Bandar Lampung as well as a lab researcher and paramedic. I hike, golf and travel in my spare time. My favorite hobby however, if I could, is trainspot. I've been a trainspotter since kindergarten, and would wait for the Tokyu 8500 Series with red and yellow PT Komuter Rail Line livery passing through. 

 

I don't know what else to say... I'm 188cm tall, coffee and tea loving guy. A hopeless romantic and an aspiring Jack of All trades. I'm a writer, a sketch artist, a chef and an entrepreneur to name a few of a shitton of things I somehow do but people don't believe I do. 

 

(CC206 Diesel Electric Locomotive by GE)

I would like to share about Indonesian trains. The unique fact about Indonesia is the inverse driving side of its commute. Normally in countries they would only adopt one type of driving side. If you drive on the left side of the road, you'd usually drive the tram and the train on that side as well. But Indonesia had been appropriated by the Dutch and the Japanese for years. As a result, we adopted the Japanese style of driving by driving on the lefthand side with a righthand car. But for trains, we adopted the Dutch where they drive on the righthand side.

 

Also, we have such a wide array of trains. In the 1950's we ordered nearly 100 steamers from across the world and a couple of diesels. But mostly due to the Asian Economic Crisis of 97 - 98. Only 3 survived and operable, the rest are unrestored and left for display. The rest are scrapped, and most illegally. 

 

(Tokyo Metro 05 Series with PT KRL livery)

Now it's been mentioned in this forum that Indonesia, loves commuter trains. We love them so much, and our favorite is from Japan. We would import commuter secondhand EMUs from Japan and paint it the red and yellow livery of PT KRL. The current favorite would be the Tokyo Metro 05 series, which you'll often see in Indonesia. 

 

(PT INKA DMU)

Did you know however, that Indonesia is actually a prominent Train manufacturer? Indonesia makes its own DMU, passenger rolling stock and various other products since the 1970s. We have exported our trains across the world. Mostly in Southeast Asia and Africa. Africa particularly, since we operate the not so narrow narrow 3 ft 6 in gauge, which is mostly used in Japan, Philippines and Africa.

 

Our latest creation is our very own diesel locomotive. The CC300, its design is purely Indonesian and is primarily designed to combat flash floods and still operate in flood situations, which is quite common in Indonesia, particularly far reach areas and Jakarta. Currently only four is being made, one in particular, in my city, Bandar Lampung. Being the flagship of the solemn task to expand the Trans-Sumatran Railway. 

 

Now with its track record in train and coachbuilding. You may wonder why the CC300 and the MDU made by Indonesia isn't really that famous? Even Indonesians themselves wouldn't know much about what they are capable of making. More importantly, why do we continue to import Japanese Commuters and rely on the GE CC206 locomotive? The main reason, according to the Indonesian Ministry of Transport and the Director General of the Indonesian Railway is simply cost. 

 

Indonesia, particularly Jakarta, is one of the few places in which you can get a train ride about 30 km far (Tangerang to Gambir) for a dollar or less. Apparently the easy maintenance and operation of the Japanese Commuter trains as well as their famed reliability is the reason why we still import secondhand commuters in Japan. Train rides are dirt cheap here, and properly maintained. You'll definitely enjoy a trainride across the archipelago.

 

Well that's about me. Thanks for reading!

 

[Clayton]

Welcome Ahmad! I am enjoying the discussions 

[cteno4]

Welcome Admad! 
 

glad you found us. A few others on the forum from Indonesia over the years here. Look forward to your layout progress and trainspotting. We have a lot of members here interested in trains around the world in addition to Japanese trains.

 

cheers

 

jeff