Java Sugar Steam 2001 - Private Mills

Rejoagung and Krebet are large efficient mills which got rid of their steam 10 years ago, having used it very little in the years before then. Both have large fleets of diesels. The same company runs the Cirebon mills for the Government, no doubt the attraction was the two new mills at Subang and Jatitujuh rather than the run-down steam mills. They won't be buying diesels for them, more likely, they will shut them down (they have made a start with Gempol, Jatiwangi and Kadhipaten). Trangkil and Kebonagung have the same management who have installed modern machinery within the mills but stuck with steam for their railways because 'it did the job'. Now Kebonagung is disposing of its field lines, it will no longer need steam power. Pakis Baru similarly has new mill machinery but kept the steam locos as the best economic proposition until it closed. Trangkil ought to last at least a couple of years more.

45. TRANGKIL Mill Index

I visited briefly on 18th June and found that the mill had already been working for a month and expected to run until October! Everything seemed totally 'normal', with all four steam locomotives and all the diesels very busy. Being on my pre-tour survey, this is the one time I could ride the trains, so I dropped the car outside the mill, enjoyed a quick beer, then hitched a lift back towards Pati where I had seen 1 going out to the far end of the line. I walked a km or so until the train approached and rode back to the mill. Progress was not wonderful as the rains had only stopped a day or two earlier and the bagasse was still wet. By the time I got back, 4 had vanished to Nguren, so I raced out to find it before the light went. This required another 'yomp', just what I needed to wake the body up. The crew used the standard scientific method of accurately assessing the maximum capacity of the locomotive in the prevailing conditions and then doubled it as usual. The result was quite predictable except that with damp bagasse we got exactly 1km before the train had to be split. I didn't see the rest as it was getting late and, more importantly, I was getting thirsty again. With Sragi in the morning, this had been an absolutely amazing day in the year 2001.

On 8th July we arrived just after lunch. 2 was working the road yard and 1 went out to the short branch opposite the truck holding yard. It came back just after 14.00 and we went out to Nguren where we found 4 + 3 double heading, fortunately 4 was the first locomotive. We chased the train back and as usual the train was split for the final climb to the mill. The only complaint I could have made about the afternoon was the fact that the beer outside the mill had to be taken with ice. Something which was rectified the next day. The morning saw the usual road yard shunts, but the afternoon was a disaster as the mill had decided to try to clear the backlog of trucks and all four locomotives were found sat in a line in the mill yard idle while the crews cracked a few coconuts and we cracked the Bintangs. The next day the same field lines were worked as on day 1. However, 1 and 2 worked from Nguren providing a different (albeit both tender-first) double header. 3 worked the mud train north before bringing the fulls from by the holding yard. 4 worked the road yard. Once again a diesel worked the Payang line - slow but sure was the reason as the local villagers do not like a steam loco brewing up for 20 minutes outside their house!

On 31st July only 1 was initially out - but fortunately this was at Payang. The others worked the road yard before 2 later went north on the mud train and 4 worked from Nguren. Right at the end of the day, 2 went to Kajar about 2km south of the mill. The next afternoon again found all the locomotives clustered around the mill initially. First 3 went to Kajar and back. Then 1, 3 and 2 were despatched to Payang. 3 and 1 then double-headed back arriving at the mill at sunset, but 2 would have been much later. The Nguren train was a diesel. A very pleasant two days for my second group.

Ross Sadler made it here at the beginning of September (note added 15th September 2001). He had two days of breakdowns and then three days of frantic activity. The mill was expecteing to see the season run into October....

These are 2001 pictures. Don't delay long visiting here, about a third of the field lines have been closed in the last couple of years as roads are improved in the area...

46. PAKIS BARU Mill Index

I found a 2000 visit totally depressing with the locomotives which had been immaculately cared for in 1999, pushed into the shed and abandoned.  I am sure that the mill will officially be closed soon.

47. REJOAGUNG Mill Index

Only the OK Mallet preserved at the north end of the mill by the road junction remains of the once large fleet of steam locos. Previously reported scrapped, 6 and 8 were in fact transferred to Candi where they survived dumped out of use (at least in 2000).

48. KEBONAGUNG Mill Index

I dropped by for 5 minutes on 23rd June, 4 was shunting within the mill, the rest were stored, mainly serviceable. The last field lines had not been closed as I had expected but there was only one diesel hauled train a day to them. Too bad if you missed on the action here, it was the most photogenic in Java.

49. KREBET BARU Mill Index

There are no steam locos left on site.

53. CANDI  Mill Index

This mill is not on my map, but is on the old main road just south of Sidoarjo, just north east of mill 32, Tulangan.

Two former Rejoagung locomotives (6, an OK 0-4-4-0T, and 8, a Vulcan 0-6-0T) are stored here. The management is keen to sell them but they are not in very good condition.

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