Electric train projects

Electric train projects

I am writing in response to The Jakarta Post's front page
article of Nov. 25, 1998, on Indonesia's subway project. The
projected cost of the Jakarta subway, US$1.5 billion, seems
reasonable, although some unexpected expenses may be encountered
when actual construction is started.

I cannot, however, envision that an electric railway between
Jakarta and Surabaya will only cost $1.5 billion. I assume, of
course, that the projected line is not just an electrification of
the existing line, replacing diesel locomotives with electric
trains. Just electrifying the present line will not produce any
tangible and effective results. Just electrifying the line will
not speed up train services and will not increase travel comfort.

I assume the Jakarta-Surabaya line will be a completely new
line, with about the same attributes as Japan's Shinkansen or
France's High Speed Train. In this case, standard gauge double
track will be used and not the present narrow gauge single track
of 1067 mm. The track will be completely new and will be
completely separate from the present track. Also, the new track
cannot be laid parallel to the old one because surface road
crossings have to be avoided and curves will have to have greater
radii of curvature.

I imagine the new track will have to be located a little south
of the present track, especially in Central Java, where the soil
in the northern coastal areas is reportedly not sufficiently
stable. A tremendous amount of land has to be purchased (760
kilometers long by 40 meters wide?). Elevated parts of the track
must be built and long tunnels may have to be dug. I can see the
necessity of a tunnel just west of Semarang and bypassing the
city of Semarang.

In my humble opinion, the cost, including the cost of high-
speed trains, stations, workshops, electric power supplies and
sophisticated signaling and centralized operating systems, would
be more in the area of $3 billion to $5 billion.

I trust that the approval for the Japanese company to start
the projects was preceded by careful considerations of the many
reports available produced by German, French and other experts.

I am just an old railroad aficionado who is trying to keep
abreast of railroading here in Indonesia and abroad.

DJOKO SOEJOTO

Bandung, West Java