Cirebon Prujakan Mechanical Workshop Maintains Reliability of 51 Rail Maintenance Machines for All of Java
The sound of lathe machines, welding activity, hydraulic system inspections and component testing form part of daily life for workers at the Cirebon Prujakan Mechanical Workshop. At the facility, various rail track maintenance machines are inspected and serviced before returning to KAI’s operational areas across the island of Java.
The Cirebon Prujakan Mechanical Workshop is PT Kereta Api Indonesia (Persero)’s main maintenance facility, located at Jalan Kesambi Number 2, Cirebon City, West Java, close to Cirebon Prujakan Station.
The facility handles periodic maintenance, heavy maintenance, repairs, function testing and technical capability adjustments of Rail Track Maintenance Machines. In KAI’s technical asset records, these machines are also known as Rail Track Maintenance Trains (KPJR).
KAI Vice President Corporate Communication Anne Purba said the work at the Cirebon Prujakan Mechanical Workshop is closely linked to route readiness and the safety of train journeys.
“Safe train journeys require stable track conditions that meet technical standards. Track maintenance machines help maintain these conditions. Therefore, every machine must be verified as reliable before returning to the lines,” said Anne.
Track maintenance machines assist with lifting and aligning track, adjusting rail height, compacting ballast, shaping the ballast profile, and stabilising the track after maintenance work.
Ballast is an arrangement of crushed stone placed beneath and around rail sleepers. This material helps support the sleepers, distribute the load of train journeys, maintain track stability and facilitate water drainage around the rails.
When the track position or ballast density changes due to traffic loads and environmental conditions, maintenance machines are used to restore the track geometry to technical requirements. Track geometry encompasses alignment, elevation, gauge distance and track gradient.
In 2026, the Cirebon Prujakan Mechanical Workshop has a maintenance programme covering 51 track maintenance machines. As of 17 July 2026, 22 units, or 43.1 per cent, had completed maintenance, with seven units in process. A further 22 units are scheduled for the next phase of maintenance.
Generally, the MTT, or Multiple Tie Tamper, is used to lift, align and compact the track. The PBR, or Plasser Ballast Regulator, is used to arrange and shape the ballast profile around the sleepers.
A turnout (wesel) is a rail track structure that allows trains to move from one track to another. The positional accuracy of turnout components must be maintained as it relates to the direction of train travel.
“Each machine has a different function. Some machines correct rail position, compact ballast, arrange material around sleepers, and assist with work on turnouts. All these functions support one another so that the track remains safe for trains to pass,” said Anne.
The machines serviced at Cirebon Prujakan support the needs of Operational Region (Daop) 1 Jakarta, Daop 2 Bandung, Daop 3 Cirebon, Daop 4 Semarang, Daop 5 Purwokerto, Daop 6 Yogyakarta, Daop 7 Madiun, Daop 8 Surabaya and Daop 9 Jember.
This coverage makes the Cirebon Prujakan Mechanical Workshop one of the main supporters of KAI’s infrastructure maintenance across the whole of Java. Once maintenance and testing are complete, machines can return to service according to the needs of each operational region.
According to performance data, the Cirebon Prujakan Mechanical Workshop completed 50 machine maintenance jobs in 2024 and 53 jobs in 2025. As of 17 July 2026, 22 jobs had been completed. Overall, there have been 125 completed maintenance jobs from 2024 to mid-July 2026.
The work uses P12, P24 and P48 maintenance patterns with their respective phases. P12 is maintenance on a 12-month cycle, P24 is carried out every two years, while P48 is conducted every four years with a broader scope of inspection.
The maintenance process covers inspection of mechanical, hydraulic, electrical, braking, propulsion and machine working systems. The scope of work is determined by each machine’s type, age, working hours, component condition and fault history.
The machines serviced range in production years from 1984 to 2024. Some 23 units date from the 1984–1994 period, eight units from 2013–2015, and 20 units from 2020–2024.
This diversity of ages and technologies requires workers who understand mechanical systems from various generations. Older machines demand precision in component inspection and spare part adjustment, while newer-generation machines are equipped with more complex control systems and electronic devices.
As of 1 May 2026, the Cirebon Prujakan Mechanical Workshop is supported by 48 workers, comprising 21 permanent employees, 20 outsourced maintenance personnel, three cleaning staff and four security personnel.
The workers handle tasks ranging from maintenance programme planning, component disassembly, damage inspection, repair, reassembly and function testing, through to quality control of the finished work.
A Service Level Agreement assessment of the 20 outsourced maintenance personnel in April 2026 recorded an average score of 96.6. This score reflects work performance based on quality, discipline, safety and achievement of established targets.
Workers’ competencies are strengthened through certification and training in general occupational health and safety (K3), chemical safety, first aid, fire suppression, wastewater management, and hazardous and toxic waste management.
The workshop also has workers certified in overhead crane, forklift and lifting jack operation, as well as technicians for lifting and transporting equipment, and power and production machinery.
“Machine reliability depends heavily on workers’ precision and competence. Every stage must be carried out according to procedure, from initial inspection, component repair and installation, through to testing before a machine is declared ready for use,” said Anne.
To support this work, the Cirebon Prujakan Mechanical Workshop is equipped with overhead cranes, lathes, milling machines, forklifts, cutting machines, hydraulic presses, lifting jacks, hand lifts, generators, nitrogen accumulator filling machines, scissor lifts and high-pressure washers.
This equipment helps workers lift large components, shape materials, repair parts, clean machine devices and carry out work on both upper and lower sections of the equipment.
The Cirebon Prujakan Mechanical Workshop implements the ISO 9001:2015 Quality Management System and the ISO 14001:2015 Environmental Management System. Environmental management is carried out through wastewater treatment installations, hazardous and toxic waste management, tree planting, garden revitalisation and hydroponics.
Control standard data up to April 2026 recorded zero work accidents, zero environmental pollution and zero delays in the maintenance process.
“Journey safety is built from a great deal of work behind the scenes. Track readiness in the field, the reliability of maintenance machines, worker competence and discipline in every process are interconnected elements that keep train journeys safe across Java,” Anne concluded.