Java Sugar Steam 1997 - West Java

PG Rajawali II (previously PTP XIV, before that PNP XIV) operates all the mills in West Java. Six used steam at one time, not listed here are the mill at Karangsuwung (tractor/rail operated) and the new mills at Jatitujuh and Subang further west which are thought to have no railways at all. All can be reached easily from Cirebon which has good facilities.

1.KADHIPATEN Mill Index

On the afternoon of 5^th July, 2, 4 and 5 were in steam, for shunting the yard. 1 and 6 were cold in the shed along with the stored original 4. By 19.00 the mill yard was quite busy by Kadhipaten standards (with an arrival from the town/fields by the only working diesel), although wet bagasse meant that the firework display was modest. 1 was now being lit up for the morning. Visitors are told that steam rarely leaves the yard during daylight, although in the event of a diesel failure 1 would certainly be used. The Hotel Libra in town provides more than adequate accommodation, probably as close as you can stay to a steam mill anywhere in Java. Next morning the mill was suffering one of its regular breakdowns and 4 had been retired for a boiler washout. However, road deliveries were coming in well and there would have been plenty of activity later in the day when/if the mill was repaired. On the morning of July 21^st, 1, 4 and 5 were shunting the yard and provided entertainment for my tour group.

2. JATIWANGI Mill Index

Despite reports that the mill would be used only for refining molasses brought from Australia, the season started (very late) on 25^th June and was expected to run for about 60 days. Unfortunately all cane is coming in by road and the two diesels are sufficient for shunting the yard. It seems likely that steam will not be used again here, reducing the number of 600mm mills in Java with active steam to just five.

3. GEMPOL Mill Index

This mill will not reopen - officially it is now a sub-unit of Sindanglaut and the little cane grown in the area is delivered there. I was told at HQ in Cirebon that one of the locos has been 'sold to Germany'. Enquiries at the mill confirmed that the two Henschels 12 and 10 were indeed about to be exported. These and all the other locos were locked in the shed as usual. 7, 8 and 9 were probably still serviceable and available for the other mills in the area if needed.

4. SINDANGLAUT Mill Index

Note that some of the locos here have been renumbered (again). See the complete roster of current and recent industrial steam locomotives in Java for details.

Despite this mill having a motorway/freeway/autobahn being built straight through its cane fields, a June visitor found eight locos in steam in the early afternoon with the usual busy fieldwork. The locos have returned to their traditional green livery after one year of orange. A quick exploratory visit to the western part of the fields at midday on July 6^th found 10 and 11 returning from delivering empties with every sign that this part of the fields will survive the intrusion of the new road - it will fly over the line. At 14.00 on July 17^th, 9 locos were in steam in the mill yard ready for the afternoon shift (1, 4, 6, 7, 8, 10, 11, 12, 13). However, the first loco did not leave for the fields until 15.30 and most of the rest were still there at 16.30 - possibly because it was the holiday for the Prophet Mohammed's birthday. However, on the next day (Friday) the pattern was similar with 7 going out at 15.00 to clear a few fulls blocking the north line and other locos heading out between 16.30 and 16.45. I suspect that trains are running later because there are insufficient cane cutters now, but it is difficult to get a definite reason. At 15.00 on July 21^st, nine locos were again in steam, with 1 and 6 busy in the yard, the rest either in the fields or due to work to them. 7 and 13 were found some 2 km south-east of the mill, from where they eventually made a spirited departure at the head of some forty-nine fulls just after sunset.

5. TERSANA BARU Mill Index

Gempol shuts and its locos may have a future at mills like this one. Ex-Gempol 1, 3 (2 here) and 6 have all been transferred in the last few years. On the afternoon of July 6^th, 8 locos were in steam to shunt the yard, 1, 2, 3, 6, 11, 12, 18 and 20 - unfortunately most of it consists of propelling half a dozen fulls in fits and starts, just about passable for video but challenging for the still photographer. 4, 8 and 19 were spare on shed, with four more locos well out of use (another 4, another 8, 9 and 10). The afternoon of July 22^nd produced a repeat performance, this time I stayed on to the early evening to observe the fireworks display which was first class. Note that I have corrected the identities of the dumped locos with number 4 here and at KB in the complete roster of current and recent industrial steam locomotives in Java - they have swapped number plates at some stage.

6. KETANGGUNGAN BARAT Mill Index

During a five minute visit in the late afternoon of July 6^th, 5, 6, 7 (Maffei) and 10 were in light steam on the shed. 7 (DB) was delivering empties about 1km east. At 11.00 on July 17^th, 5 was receiving maintenance, 6, both 7's and 10 having not yet returned from Luwung Gajah. The other 3 dumped locos were still present. Staff indicated that the overnight transfer trains to Tersana Baru were running in the normal manner. At 07.00, on July 19^th, 5, 7 (DB) and 10 were at Luwung Gajah waiting for empties to take back. No further locos were expected.

At 07.30 on July 22^nd, a convoy of trains consisting of 10, 6, Diesel 6, 5 and 7 (DB) was halted at Mayag, 5km short of Luwung Gajah awaiting a shift change. Just after 08.00, the trains moved off in turn, although by now 7 had been substituted by a tractor. 10 was halted by a derailment 1km short of Luwung Gajah. During the process of rerailing 10 and 6 were replaced by Tersana Baru diesels and only 5 actually headed a train in. Final arrival was just after 10.00. We did not wait for the return empties which would have left around midday.

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