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