The Merak–Tanah Abang railway is a railway line operated by PT Kereta Api Indonesia in Java that connects Merak Station with Tanah Abang Station. The line is operated by the Operation Region I Jakarta. This route is the westernmost route in Java.

The Tanah Abang Station to Rangkasbitung Station is a railway segment that has currently been double tracks. This line has no branch lines at all apart from Tonjong Baru (currently the condition is inactive) to Bojonegara Port and Krenceng to Cigading Station, but previously this line had branches in several places, including in Rangkasbitung to Labuan and Krenceng to Anyer Kidul.

History change

Construction change

On 15 July 1896, the government issued Wet 15 July 1896 Staatssblad No. 180. to allow SS to build a railway line from Batavia Station (now Jakarta Kota) to Anyer Kidul plus a branch from Duri to Tangerang and from Tanah Abang to Weltevreden (now Gambir).[1] SS began building this line starting from Batavia Station, turning north through the Amsterdam Gate, then towards Duri, and meeting at Tanah Abang. From Tanah Abang, the route was built westward to Rangkasbitung. This line was completed on 1 October 1899. From Rangkasbitung the line was continued until Serang on 1 July 1900 and ended near Anyer Kidul port on 20 December 1900. Fourteen years later, the railway line to Merak was completed to accommodate the Port of Merak. which is closer to crossing to Lampung.[2]

Double track construction and electrification change

The electrification process of the railway lines in this route is carried out in conjunction with the plan to open a new KRL Jabodetabek service, namely the Serpong Express. To support it, from 1990–1994, overhead power stations were built along this route, as well as double tracks to accommodate the growing volume of KRL services. With the switching on of the electrical substations in Karet, Limo, and Jurangmangu respectively as of 3 July, 3 August, and 3 December 1994, KRL (Electric Multiple Units) was finally able to operate on the Tanah Abang-Serpong route. This traffic capacity was then increased following the completion of the overhead power substation at Serpong Station and the ex-Pondok Betung Station as of April 1997.[3]

PT KAI and the Directorate General of Railways at many stations have also made improvements. The existing Serpong Station was inaugurated by President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono on 4 July 2007 as a pilot station with modern architecture, along with the inauguration and upgrade of the Tanah Abang–Serpong railway segment to become a double tracks.[4]

The improvements was also made after the inauguration of Serpong Station. The double tracks has begun to be extended again as part of the plan to extend the KRL Serpong Express. Parung Panjang Station began serving KRL trips since 2009.[5] In May 2012, the double tracks and extension of the KRL line network to Maja began to be trial run. Maja Station, since 17 April 2013, has served KRL Commuterline network.[6]

Since 2013, Maja Station to Rangkasbitung Station has been built into a double tracks.[7] The construction of the double tracks is estimated to cost up to Template:Idr billion, and is expected to be completed in 2016 so that it can be used to operate the KRL Commuterline to Rangkasbitung Station.[8]

With the completion of the Tanah Abang-Rangkasbitung double tracks and electrification, this segment will only be served by KRL Commuterline as of 1 April 2017.[9]

In connection with the development of the Rangkasbitung–Merak railway segment, the Directorate General of Railways will replace the rails from R42 to R54[10] as well as an extension of the KRL electrification again towards Serang.[11] While the Serang–Merak railway segment will be carried out at a later stage.

Services change

Passenger services change

Freight services change

  1. Steven Anne Reitsma (1928). Korte Geschiesdenis der Nederlands-Indische Staatsspoor- en Tramwegen. Weltevreden: G. KOLLF & Co.
  2. Staatsspoorwegen (1921–1932). Verslag der Staatsspoor-en-Tramwegen in Nederlandsch-Indië 1921-1932 (in Dutch). Batavia: Burgerlijke Openbare Werken.
  3. Buku Informasi Direktorat Jenderal Perkeretaapian 2014 (PDF) (in Indonesian).
  4. "SBY Resmikan Stasiun Serpong, Lalu Lintas KA Tetap Normal". detiknews (in Indonesian). Retrieved 8 April 2021.
  5. "Jalur Ganda KRL Serpong-Parungpanjang Beroperasi". Liputan6.com. 16 September 2009. Retrieved 16 Oktober 2017. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help)
  6. "KRL Lintas Tanah Abang Diperpanjang Hingga Maja". Suara Pembaruan. 17 April 2013. Archived from the original on 2019-07-11. Retrieved 10 September 2017. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |dead-url= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  7. Liputan 6: Dua Tahun Lagi, KA Jakarta-Rangkasbitung Pakai Jalur Ganda, berita tgl 17 April 2013 16:30 WIB
  8. Bisnis.com: KRL Commuter Line Sampai Rangkas Mulai 2016, berita Rabu, 25/09/2013 21:31 WIB
  9. "KRL Rangkasbitung-Tanah Abang Siap Beroperasi 1 April 2017 - Tribunnews.com". Tribunnews.com (in Indonesian). Retrieved 2017-10-16.
  10. Merdeka, Kupas (2020-01-18). "Kemenhub Akan "Upgrade" Jalur Kereta Api Rangkas-Merak, Pangkas Waktu Tempuh". KUPAS MERDEKA. Retrieved 2020-07-13.
  11. Media, Kompas Cyber. "2020, Rute KRL Diperpanjang sampai Serang Halaman all". KOMPAS.com (in Indonesian). Retrieved 2020-07-13.