Java Sugar Steam 2003 - West Java

PG Rajawali II (previously PTP XIV, before that PNP XIV) operates all the mills in West Java. These can be reached easily from Cirebon which has good facilities. Alone among the nationalised sector, these mills do not charge visitors. On the other hand, all the mills are now rather run down and activity of any kind including the steam locomotives is quite limited. Most years I try to spend two or three days in the area in the hope of some interesting action but in recent years I have invariably been disappointed. 2003 activity is about the same as 2002.

1.KADHIPATEN Mill Index

Closed in 2000. By June 2003, the mill was 99% dismantled/scrapped the locomotives survived locked in the adjacent shed, but were scrapped in early July.

2. JATIWANGI Mill Index

I was told at Kadhipaten in June 2003 that the mill had been totally dismantled. The steam locomotives were cut up in early July.

3. GEMPOL Mill Index

I was told at Kadhipaten in June 2003 that the mill had been totally dismantled. No doubt the remaining steam locomotives were scrapped.

One of the Henschel locomotives (12) from here has now been sent to Taman Mini in Jakarta. When I visited in 1999, staff told me that the other Henschel was now on a tourist railway in Jambi (Central Sumatra), a fact I am unlikely to be in a position to check out!

4. SINDANGLAUT Mill Index

Working 'normally' on 5th June having started on 2nd June. 8, 10, 11 and 12 were at work with the first two used in the fields along with the two diesels. 10 came back first after dark as usual. On 26th June, I found a diesel and 8 working the lines south-east of the mill but I did not investigate in detail, I was more involved in researching the stationary steam at Karang Suwung mill nearby. On July 19th, 8, 10 and 11 were in the fields by 15.30 and 10 returned at sunset.

5. TERSANA BARU Mill Index

Started on 19th May. Nick Bryant found 1, 2, 3, 6, 12 and 20 in steam in use at the end of May with more cane on the railway than in recent years (when there is little cane it goes directly to the crusher without using the railway which is largely a big storage buffer). However, the mill was broken down and nothing was moving. On 20th July there was sporadic activity through the afternoon.

6. KETANGGUNGAN BARAT Mill Index

Closed in 2002 owing to bridge problems and this will have been the end of steam here. On 26th June, I found the fleet on shed minus fittings etc. It seemed the diesel was in use from time to time, I assume that any cane it brought in would have been transferred to trucks for the journey to Tersana Baru, the bridge still being out of use and Luwung Gajah yard overgrown. 

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