Finding Complex Railway Station in Indonesia

Traces track Milestones
Railway fringe

City of Semarang, Central Java, as a starting point railroad passengers and goods in Indonesia undeniable. However, finding the exact position of the first railway station complex in Indonesia, it makes a lot of disagreement.

Version where the first station is different. Some of the books published in Indonesia mentioned three names. However, only one is supposed to be true.

"It was very important for the history of the railways," said Tjahjono Rahardjo of Indonesian Railway Preservation Society (IRPS) Regional Coordinator (Regional Coordinator) Semarang, (02/20/2014) in Semarang. He is professor of Environmental and Urban Master Program at the Catholic University (Unika) Soegijapranata, Semarang.

In 2009, he traced the crowded areas in Gang Spoorland, Ronggowarsito Road, Village Kemijen, East Semarang, along with two co-IRPS is Deddy Herlambang and Karyadi Baskoro. Assisted by local residents, Ramelan, they found traces of Semarang station is almost gone and neglected as a first railway station.

Before the search, Karyadi Baskoro who find the coordinates of the location of the Station in Semarang. Then, the exact location can be traced.

Koninklijk Instituut voor de Tropen and photographs Koninklijk Instituut voor collection Taal- Land- en Volkenkunde (KITLV), then the combined maps from satellite imagery via Google Earth program.

Referrals are taken from the book manuscript many op Java Spoorwegstations posts Ballegoijen Michiel van de Jong (Amsterdam, 1993). Dated August 10, 1867, for the first time officially operated passenger trains from the station towards Tangoeng Semarang (Tanggung) stops along the 25 kilometer cross-Toewa Allas (Alas Tua) and Broemboeng (Brumbabung).

Construction of the station and the tracks lasted three years. The ground breaking on June 17, 1864 by the Governor General of the Dutch East Indies LAJW Baron Sloet va Beele.

Nederlandsch-Indische Maatschappij Spoorweg, abbreviated as NIS, referred to as a Dutch private company that owns and operates the rail transport of passengers and goods for the Semarang-Tangoeng path.

uncover

Before tracing the footsteps of the Station in Semarang in 2009, information is the first station in Indonesia Semarang Station Warehouse in Tambaksari, Kemijen. Also called Kemijen Station in Kemijen, Semarang. Both are adjacent.

Semarang Station Warehouse, Station Kemijen, and Semarang station was located in a region in Sub Kemijen now. But years of existence and different functions.

Historic railway complex that now many missing tracks. Decrease in surface soil makes the area inundated by overflow Kemijen complex tides (rob) and turned into a swamp.

According to residents of Depo Indah Boarding in the railway complex, inaugurated in 1985 Tanjung Emas, location of 2-3 kilometers from the railway station complex Semarang. "Since it is often flooded. Surface is ground down so it must be added every year". Rapid soil degradation makes sense. New port filled with large corporations who suck the soil.

Five important buildings

Semarang Station complex originally had five important buildings, including personenstation (passenger station), goederenstation (freight station), vaart van het station (station channel), Werkplaatsen (workshop or Workshop), and the station chef (the official residence of the head of the station).

The fifth building was now difficult to trace their original form. In addition to building construction and a lot of lost ground subsidence, inundation tidal marshes make. Ground subsidence estimated 3 meters. Through the excavation, the original building is still likely to be found. At least the foundations of the original building.

Important advance in the building before the Station in Semarang passenger station U-shaped form of the building there is a junction railway station to the north towards the canal. There, distribute trains to ship goods. Important ingredient when it exports include teak, sugar, coffee, and crops.

Station located at the intersection of goods other than the canal path to the station. Items that have not been accommodated in the station ready to ship the goods. Then, at the next station there is a passenger depot / workshop trains.

Now, the workshop called Workshop. Building Workshop greatest and shaped letter E. The trail now goes down the ground and covered swamp.

Analysis of ancient map

Ancient maps of the Koninklijk Instituut voor de Troprn (KIT / Royal Tropical Institute). Amsterdam, the Netherlands, tells a lot about the development of the station complex on the edge of Semarang Tanjung Emas now. Map in 1867, when the station was inaugurated Semarang, shows a simple rail line that connects the passenger station, canal station, freight station, and Workshop. The rail line connecting the station to the east of Semarang to Responsibility.

1898 map shows, the development of a rail line from the station until the end of the canal followed the main channel ports. This is due to the connecting channel no longer exists so the rail line continued until the main port.

The west wing of the building before the NIS office. The office then moved to Lawang Sewu building.

Based on the map in 1917, the major railroads NIS no longer stops at the Station in Semarang, but continues to Tawang Station. At KIT ancient map after 1925, there is a picture removed Semarang station and there were raised again.

That's what led to the first station information in Indonesia will disappear. However, traces of Semarang station building still exists.

During the Japanese occupation of 1942-1945, a difference abolished rail line. Most of the rail line width of 1,435 millimeters 1,067 millimeters shortlisted so. It includes the main rail line connecting the first time Semarang-Surabaya-Yogyakarta NIS.

Semarang station is a piece of the story of the long history of railways in Indonesia. Position as the first railway station no less important to the dynamics of change. That's all history traces extremely valuable, which is still neglected! (nawa)