Willem I asleep in Ambarawa

Willem I station stands proudly with old locomotives. The station building is set to be Ambarawa Railway Museum since October 6 1976 In the era of the Dutch East Indies, the station was an important part of the railway line in the early days.

Willem I station was completed and started operating trains to cross Semarang branch-Kedung jati-Ambarawa on May 21, 1873 Name of Willem I pinned by name fort logistical and military barracks Dutch-Fort Willem-location not far from the station.

The Fort William I built in 1834-1845. Local people called it as until now Pendem Castle (undercurrent).

Willem I name was taken from the name of the first king of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, Willem Frederik Prins van Oranje-Nassau (1772-1843).

Ambarawa selected as a strategic military stronghold after Diponegoro War (1825-1830). The city became a crossing from the direction of Semarang to Yogyakarta and Surakarta.

Railway development in Ambarawa very important for the deployment of Dutch military at that time. Because of the critical importance of Central Java, in the Dutch East Indies era, the entire area of ​​the county or city in Central Java in the past the railway line. There is only one district that did not passed the railway line, which Salatiga. One of the reasons, geographical factors.

However, over time, economic growth, and the development of road infrastructure from Semarang to Ambarawa shorter, the train-slowly but surely-not compete, even abandoned.

On June 1, 1970, the railway line Kedungjati towards Ambarawa really is not enabled anymore. The path Ambarawa-Tuntang still turned on for tourist trains. The reverse direction, from Ambarawa heading Stasiun Jambu to Yogyakarta, also kept alive for tourist railroad.

Tourist train from Ambarawa also still in service today. Famous tourist train from Ambarawa to Bedono locomotive steam is jagged. Serrations on the spin machine was vital to the upward trajectory.

Now Willem I station was falling asleep. Not serve passengers and goods transport pathways. But Willem I Station ready awakened again. Not for mere nostalgia, but rather to be the solution of transport problems and the movement of people and goods. It's never too late to start and following the lines of the other dead. (nawa)