View Full Version : Sabah State Rlwy:2 dead in train plunge
From a Malaysian newspaper:
KTMB plans railway line linking Kuching and KK
The Star, Sunday September 25, 2005
KOTA KINABALU: A railway line linking Kuching and Kota Kinabalu is among the long-term plans proposed by Keretapi Tanah Melayu Bhd (KTMB) for the establishment of a trans-Borneo railway service.
KTMB managing director Datuk Mohd Salleh Abdullah said it was also proposing that the sole railway line in Borneo from Tanjung Aru in the city to Tenom in the interior be extended to Lahad Datu and Tawau.
“We have submitted an initial proposal of these plans to the Government,” he said after the opening of the 26th annual KTMB - State Railway of Thailand Senior Officials Meeting here.
von Hirschhorn
12-10-06, 11:24 PM
Before this project will start its worth to go and see the existing line from Tanjung Aru till Tenom. A lovely railway in the backwater of today’s (railway) world.
Before the main station was situated in the heart of Kota Kinabalu – former Jesselton - but in the light of increasing traffic and thus building new roads, shortened by 6 kilometres till Tanjong Aru where also the workshop and depot is situated.
http://i9.tinypic.com/2j0ktu8.jpg
The first line was build in 1984 - now abandoned - and run from Beaufort till Weston a distance of 32 Km. However, this line began on the other side of the river so passengers had to cross by a railway owned ferry.
For the diehards among the enthusiasts with special interest in archaeology: the end of the line in Tenom goes a bit further beyond the station where it ends in impenetrable undergrowth, however, this is the line to Melalap where it ended before. Here the station and some buildings are still there rusty under a tropical sun and forlorn amidst what looks like a jungle.
The rest of mother nature’s beauty – or what’s left after the big slaughter of woods – can been seen between Beaufort and Tenom. Another pictures for the appetite.
http://i9.tinypic.com/2powj0o.jpg
Presumably this is the Tanjong Aru Terminal!?
North Borneo Railway Turntable
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hKU0-haWe5U
von Hirschhorn
23-10-06, 06:51 PM
No, this newly constructed turntable is situated at Papar, 33 Km from Tanjung Aru.
Thanks for that! I was trying to figure out why a train would wish to pull a train tender-first out of its main terminus. I presume the turntable was built there because Papar is the 'new' tourist destination of the line, as opposed to its original destinations of Beaufort, Tenom or Melalap. I also suppose the small hut alongside houses an electric donkey motor. In the old days, a turntable at a secondary station might even have been hand-powered (pushed, pulled or cranked). I've seen pictures of steam engines in Burma being manhandled around in recent times on simple timetables. Or was it an elephant? Such lapses of memory are probably what leads to urban myths!
von Hirschhorn
23-10-06, 08:28 PM
Yes, normally the twice weekly running train ended in Papar, gives it show on the turn table and return for Tanjong Aru. The train can be hired to explore the rest of the line, but as far as my information goes did not came to Tenom yet. Melalap is out of the question of course.
Found the following description & maplink on the KTMB site. You may have to scroll down a tad to see the original. Plus the fact that their site seems awfully slow every time I've used it: -
http://www.ktmb.com.my/article.asp?id=1386
Rehabilitation Of Infrastructure for Sabah State Railways
The first phase of the Short Term Improvement Plan for the Sabah State Railway (SSR) was completed in November 2003. This RM10.67 million project was carried out jointly by KTMB and SSR to sustain the present train operation and ensure that the minimum safety standard of the railway is maintained. Scope of Work involved supply and renewal of sleepers and repairs of SSR’s existing rolling stocks.
The second phase of the Short Term Improvement Plan has been instituted to enhance SSR’s operational capability and safety that entails rehabilitation and upgrading of the railway infrastructure, rolling stock, signalling and communication systems. The railway infrastructure and system works under the second phase has been approved whereby Letter of Award (LOA) were issued to two (2) contractors to undertake Sector 1 from Tanjung Aru to Kimanis (KM3.9 to KM55.6) and Sector 2 from Kimanis to Tenom (KM55.6 to KM135.9) respectively. The project that amounts to RM334.8 million has commenced on 24 November 2005 and this 30 months work is expected to complete by 23 May 2008.
Both contractors have carried out the preliminary design on trackworks, bridges, station and system works. KTMB is reviewing the design submissions by the contractors and the physical works at site will be fully implemented by early 2006 once the detail designs are approved accordingly.
http://www.ktmb.com.my/images/default/articles/418/tenom2.jpg
Found this on the site of the line's tourist service, but the notice appears to apply to the whole SSR: -
http://www.northborneorailway.com.my/
Overall site: -
http://www.sabah.gov.my/railway/
Schedule. It isn't very obvious, but there's a NEXT button system to view Sunday trains and return trains: -
http://www.sabah.gov.my/railway/schedule.html
The North Borneo Railway, together with other rail services, have been operating relentlessly on the current network of rail and bridges for decades.
As the popularity of these services grew, frequency of use have increased, but the infrastructure has grown little.
A thorough check-up, upgrade and overall maintenance work have now become inevitable and unavoidable and thus, with effect 1 January 2007, the only rail network on Borneo will be closed by the relevant authorities for the said maintenance.
The maintenance will last for an unspecified period, but will likely last until the latter part of 2007. Please do visit this web site regularly for updates.
The North Borneo Railway will take advantage of this unfortunate down-time and will be carrying out its own renovations, refurbishments and expansion of products and services so that when the rail network is once more accessible, the North Borneo Railway will be back better than ever.
The interruption of service is of course greatly regretted, but we appreciate your continued support and look forward to continuing the tradition of the North Borneo Railway.
- Last updated 15 December 2006 -
Visit account with interesting pictures from Y2K. Go to the page itself, scroll down and click on the images for magnification: -
http://www.kurogane-rail.jp/sabah/esbh-idx.html
SABAH RAILWAY (EAST MALAYSIA)
(NORTH BORNEO RAILWAY)
Written and all photographs by Peter Crush
New Information from Mr. Peter Crush;(5, Feb, 2000)
The Sabah Railway has started special tourist trips on the railway using steam locomotives. They started in January using British-built Vulcan No.15. During the test run the Sabah Railways Manager admitted that there was a problem with track maintenance and this would have to be improved. When I was last in Sabah I could see that many of the wooden track sleepers were rotten and the railway had frequent derailments. I hope they have replaced all these poor sleepers. The tourist scheme is run by a new company called "North Borneo Railway" which is a joint operation between Sabah Railways and a Japanese hotel& resort company (Pan Pacific Sutera). The company will run lunch trips from Tanjung Aru to Papar on Wednesdays and Saturdays and will also be available for chartered trips all the way to Tenom. The railway also plans to use what is desceibed as an "antique" Hunslet locomotive for a Family Joy Ride on Sundays to Putatan. This must be the locomotive which I photographed at the Sabah Museum. I am really surprised to learn that they are planning to use an ex-museum locomotive which has stood unused for about 30 years. They also mention that Vulcan locomotives No14 & 16 may be renovated. When I saw these they were in very poor condition.
About Sabah Railway
When the British North Borneo Company administered what is now the state of Sabah in East Malaysia, the company built a 1000mm gauge railway line from Tanjung Aru in Kota Kinabalu. The 134 km. single track runs parallel to a coastal road between Tanjung Aru to Papar then on to Beaufort from where the line continues inland along the banks of the River Padas through jungle scenery to the terminus at Tenom. The line was originally steam operated but is now totally diesel. The building of the road to Beaufort has taken away much of the passenger traffic because minibuses are able to make the journey so much faster than the train which crawls along taking about 4 hours to Beaufort and a further 3 hours to Tenom.
The trains are usually operated as a mixed passenger and freight combination, and often the freight component includes lumber wagons used for bringing felled trees from jungle logging operations. The line is a state of decline and the standard of track maintenance poor. On my last visit in 1996 we experienced a derailment of a timber wagon in the middle of jungle and had to wait three hours for a relief train from Beaufort to rescue us......not much fun when you have not brought food or enough drink with you.
Some of the oldest steam locomotives have been preserved as static displays in the Sabah Museum. These include a 1913 Hunslet 4-6-0 tender loco, a 1912 Hunslet 4-6-4 tank engine named "Sir Ralph Hone" and a 0-4-0 Sentinel steam tram. In the railway depot at Tanjong Aru there is very well preserved Vulcan Foundry (of England) locomotive. This, I was told by the depot superintendent, can still be steamed and operated although the weight of the locomotive is now too heavy for the poor condition of the track. I asked if the railway is likely to receive any financial aid from the Malaysian federal government for repairs and upgrading of the track but the superintendent was not very hopeful. It seems that the construction of roads is one again going to kill off a spectacularly little railway.
The North Borneo Railway Project: -
http://www.steam.dial.pipex.com/trains/borneo.htm
Excellent pictures from Rob Dickinson's 2001 visit: -
http://www.steam.dial.pipex.com/trains/borneo02.htm
Hans Hufnagel Visit in 2000: -
http://www.steam.dial.pipex.com/trains/borneo01.htm
From a Dutch travel magazine with an interesting railcar picture, among others: -
http://www.onderweg-reismagazine.nl/reisverhalen/sabah_trein/sabah_trein_eng.htm
I also found this picture of an even smaller railcar at Beaufort Station: -
http://www.tropicalisland.de/BKI%20Railcar%20Train%20at%20Beaufort%20station.jp g
von Hirschhorn
13-02-07, 12:05 PM
From a Dutch travel magazine
Good story, so so pictures, fortunate I am my own Dutch travel magazine for long time. To bad I still stick to the old fashion way of taking pictures otherwise the full report would be published before. However a few pictures are in already.
'Some passengers don't want to pay'
TWO station masters who have spent more than three decades serving the Sabah Railway Department will not have it any other way despite some heart-stopping moments and having to deal with commuters who refuse to pay.
Growing up, Abdul Wahap Awang Ahmad had always been in awe of the train and vowed to work with the department, a dream that came true 32 years ago.
"When I joined in 1975, it was the peak period for the train service," said Wahap.
"There was no road to Papar back then and the only way for people to get to Kota Kinabalu was by train. Many people used the train, rushing to find seats when it arrived.
"We even used to transport logs from the interior to the Beaufort station back then.
"Things have changed, but there are still a lot of people who need the train to get to places where there are no roads.
"Landslides used to be quite rampant in the 1970s during heavy rain. I had to spend nights in the train waiting for landslides to be cleared."
Stephen Chong, who has been with the department since 1974, said dealing with difficult passengers is something he will never forget.
"Some passengers just don't want to pay. Sometimes they will change seats as we approach to check their tickets, sometimes they will hide in the toilet. Such things used to happen quite a lot in the past.
"And like Wahap, I have also had to spend nights in the train during landslides or breakdowns.
"To me, these are memories that I will cherish because I am proud to work for the railway department.
"It makes me happy to see that the railway track is not coming to the end of its line."
http://www.nst.com.my/Current_News/NST/Sunday/Advanced/2079082/Article/index_html
See also today's previous post in this thread, which prompted my search for the update below:
Found this on the site of the line's tourist service, but the notice appears to apply to the whole SSR:
http://www.northborneorailway.com.my/
Overall site:
http://www.sabah.gov.my/railway/
Schedule. It isn't very obvious, but there's a NEXT button system to view Sunday trains and return trains:
http://www.sabah.gov.my/railway/schedule.html
Update posted in September. It isn't very clear, but it is possible that this renovation project only applies to the KK to Beaufort section of the line. And may perhaps only affects the tourist steam train service - and not the railcar service. No mention is made of the 'Gorge Line' to Tenom, so I'm strongly assuming that this is still in operation:
Where The Track Leads Us
The North Borneo Railway, together with other rail services, have been operating relentlessly on the current network of rail and bridges for decades.
As the popularity of these services grew, frequency of use have increased, but the infrastructure has grown little.
A thorough check-up, upgrade and overall maintenance work have now become inevitable and unavoidable and thus, with effect 1 January 2007, the only rail network on Borneo will be closed by the relevant authorities for the said maintenance.
According to an article in the Daily Express dated 18 September,
the works are 73% complete.
The Papar - Beaufort stretch is targeted for the end of the year,
whilst the KK - Papar stretch is likely to be completed
by May next year.
Please do visit this web site regularly for updates.
The interruption of service is greatly regretted, but we appreciate your continued support and look forward to continuing the tradition of the North Borneo Railway.
- Last updated 28 September 2007-
http://www.northborneorailway.com.my/closed.php
See yesterday's two previous posts also
The following report now makes it clear that both the tourist & local service functions of the railway are currently under improvement. So it seems that the KK to Beaufort stretch HAS been completely out of action this year, but there is no mention of the Gorge Line having been closed:
Spotlight: Full steam ahead
By : JASWINDER KAUR
http://www.nst.com.my/Sunday/Focus/2079027/insidepix1
[Photo: New Straits Times - The ever-sturdy carriages are being refurbished as most can still be used, the only hindrance being getting spare parts.]
MORE than a century on, Borneo's only commercial railroad is still chugging along. And it will be a better ride soon, the Sabah Railway Department tells JASWINDER KAUR.
http://www.nst.com.my/Sunday/Focus/2079027/insidepix2
[Photo: NST - The British-built Vulcan is reputed to be the only locomotive in the world which still uses firewood. A railway worker giving the steam engine a jet wash at the Tanjung Aru station.]
RICKETY carriages without windows, long slow journeys and frequent accidents at illegal level crossings. These will be a thing of the past when improvements to the Sabah railway service are completed by the middle of next year.
Sabah Rail operates the 134km service from Tanjung Aru near Kota Kinabalu to Tenom in the interior, which also serves several villages along the Beaufort-Tenom route.
The full journey from Tanjung Aru to Tenom currently takes about six hours and commuters have got used to the sometimes stifling and often packed carriages.
Travel time is set to be cut by half and better carriages will provide for a more comfortable journey.
The Sabah Railway Department has secured RM334.8 million in federal funding to upgrade the track, set up 52 properly marked level crossings, install a better communication system and improve other facilities.
Three-quarters of the work have been completed so far.
Railways general manager James Wong said a soft loan of RM50 million and RM22 million grant from the federal government will be used to buy locomotives and diesel multiple units, or train sets.
"We are also refurbishing existing carriages and locomotives as most of them can still be used. The only glitch is finding parts that are now obsolete," Wong said.
"We have to fabricate some of these parts. It will take time to get new train sets, perhaps a year after upgrading work on the track is completed, as ordering takes time.
"The department will continue to operate the steam engine locomotive as it has become an attraction among tourists.
"It (British-built Vulcan) is the only locomotive in the world which still uses firewood."
The present rail route was completed in 1906 under the British North Borneo Company to transport tobacco from the interior.
According to the department's website, construction on a 32km stretch from Weston to Beaufort started in 1896 with another 48km added from Beaufort to Tenom by 1905 and 16km from Tenom to Melalap in 1906.
The Beaufort-Jesselton (as Kota Kinabalu was then known) line was finished in 1902.
The Beaufort-Weston, Tenom-Melalap and Jesselton-Tanjung Aru lines were closed more than 30 years ago due to high operating cost and competition from road links.
Wong said the government recognised the need to upgrade the railway system instead of closing it down.
The decision was based on several factors, most important of which was the need to maintain the Beaufort-Tenom link to give the rural communities there easy accesibility.
"Children along the Beaufort-Tenom line will have to walk to school without the train service," said Wong.
"People there will have no other way of going to Beaufort or Tenom to sell fruits and other village produce."
Sometimes, villagers have to travel to Beaufort or Tenom to deal with government agencies.
"For those who use the train along the Tanjung Aru-Beaufort route, it's a cheaper and safer alternative to taking a bus to work.
"Other reasons why the railway service is being maintained is that it provides jobs to 390 people, it is a tourist attraction, it is efficient and cheap, and it is our heritage.
"Many settlements were created along train tracks."
It only costs RM1.85 to travel from Papar town to the Tanjung Aru station, compared to about RM4 for a road trip using public transport.
However, at present commuters have no choice but to use the road as the line has been closed to upgrade the track.
Wong said the train service is the most efficient transportation system in the world, with developed countries using it extensively in tandem with growth and progress.
"For now, the railway line will be maintained at 134km but it may be extended.
"Under the Ninth Malaysia Plan, the government has approved the appointment of a consultant to study the feasibility of extending the line to the Kota Kinabalu Industrial Park and Sepanggar Port north of the city.
"On the east coast, we are looking at a line between Lahad Datu and Tawau to serve the Palm Oil Industrial Cluster."
There is also talk of a light railway transit system to serve the city centre.
"Maybe it will even be linked to the Kota Kinabalu International Airport, which is currently being renovated."
http://www.nst.com.my/Current_News/NST/Sunday/Focus/2079027/Article/index_html
See also three previous posts in the last two days
2007/11/11
Spotlight: Village folk rely on old faithful
http://www.nst.com.my/Sunday/Focus/2079019/insidepix1
[Photo: NST - Local fruits like langsat are brought in from villages along the Beaufort-Tenom line while motorcycles are sent to the interior by train. — Pictures by Edmund Samunting.]
SQUATTING on a grey cement dusty platform, not bothered by the heat of the day rising from the nearby railway track, a grandmother's wrinkled face breaks into an almost toothless smile as she chats with a neighbour.
http://www.nst.com.my/Sunday/Focus/2079019/insidepix2
[Photo: NST - Most trains on the Beaufort-Tenom line are packed, forcing passengers to tiptoe across the aisle packed with bags and goods. Sabuyu Timpohon (left) manages to find a seat for the journey to Kampung Pangi.]
http://www.nst.com.my/Sunday/Focus/2079019/insidepix3
[Map: NST - The Borneo rail route.]
Patiently waiting for the 10am train that will take her home to Kampung Pangi at the breathtaking Padas gorge, Sabuyu Timpohon doesn't have one bad comment about the old faded green and yellow carriage that she has come to love after decades of using it.
"Tidak apalah kalau panas, tidak apalah kalau buruk. Kalau tiada keretapi ini, macam mana kami mau keluar dari kampung? (It's ok that it;s hot, it's ok that it's old. If we don't have this train, we cannot leave our village),"Sabuyu, who has seven grandchildren, said softly in Bahasa Malaysia.
Sabuyu, in her 70s, is aware that the Sabah Railway Department is upgrading tracks and will bring in new trains so that she and her fellow commuters can enjoy a more comfortable journey.
"I heard that the new train will be better but I am scared if it moves too fast. I am used to a slow train. Will it be safe?"
Sabuyu's neighbour, Tembiau Belari, 59, who had just visited a cousin in Kota Kinabalu, said she has used the train almost all her life.
"We have to walk three hours to get to Tenom, the nearest town from Kampung Pangi if there is no train. We will not be able to go anywhere if there is no train," said Tembiau, a farmer.
Sabuyu and Tembiau are among thousands who depend on the Beaufort-Tenom line as there is no road directly linking the two towns, let alone their villages.
The service that starts at 5am so that children can make it to school on time is also used to transport fruits from the interior and goods such as motorcycles and furniture from towns.
Those who have ventured out of their villages to study elsewhere carry laptop computers and Levi's paper bags to visit their parents during holidays.
In recent years, tourists who get off at a station along the line to white water raft at the Padas river have become a common sight.
There is no numbering system, and most commuters quickly throw in their bags from windowless frames to book their seats before boarding. Some sit on the floor of the goods wagon, not worried about the long trip ahead.
A common sight is old women selling cold drinks, fruits and snacks to commuters. Halin Binduan, in her 70s, travels daily on the train from Kampung Saliwangan to the Beaufort station, where she stocks up, and returns to her village.
"My fare is only 90 sen one way. I can make so much more selling food and drinks," said Halin.
"My children have told me that I should rest, but I get bored easily when I am at home. I don't mind the heat and discomfort that comes with travelling on this train.
"The train does break down sometimes, and I remember having to wait in the dark until 9pm before it could move again.
"Maybe some view it as an inconvenience. But for people who have no other way of getting to town, it is a blessing."
Halin said the train stops at the Saliwangan station after which she walks on a hanging bridge across the Padas river to get home.
Another commuter, Saimah Abd Wahab, 43, said four of her older children used the train to get to school and two younger ones are still using the service.
"They have to wake up really early and sometimes they come home so late," said the housewife of Kampung Haligolat.
"But we are thankful that there is a train service, or else my children would have been left without an education, or they would have had to move to hostels.
"I heard the new train will be like the ones in West Malaysia. I went to Kuala Lumpur to visit my daughter who works there now and she took me on the fast trains they have there.
"It was so exciting ... I hope the new trains will be like the ones in Kuala Lumpur."
Saimah said moving to town was not an option for her family as they have got used to life at their village, and being small time farmers, would find it hard to make ends meet with higher expenses elsewhere.
'Some passengers don't want to pay'[Mod: This section of the report is also featured in an earlier post.]
TWO station masters who have spent more than three decades serving the Sabah Railway Department will not have it any other way despite some heart-stopping moments and having to deal with commuters who refuse to pay.
Growing up, Abdul Wahap Awang Ahmad had always been in awe of the train and vowed to work with the department, a dream that came true 32 years ago.
"When I joined in 1975, it was the peak period for the train service," said Wahap.
"There was no road to Papar back then and the only way for people to get to Kota Kinabalu was by train. Many people used the train, rushing to find seats when it arrived.
"We even used to transport logs from the interior to the Beaufort station back then.
"Things have changed, but there are still a lot of people who need the train to get to places where there are no roads.
"Landslides used to be quite rampant in the 1970s during heavy rain. I had to spend nights in the train waiting for landslides to be cleared."
Stephen Chong, who has been with the department since 1974, said dealing with difficult passengers is something he will never forget.
"Some passengers just don't want to pay. Sometimes they will change seats as we approach to check their tickets, sometimes they will hide in the toilet. Such things used to happen quite a lot in the past.
"And like Wahap, I have also had to spend nights in the train during landslides or breakdowns.
"To me, these are memories that I will cherish because I am proud to work for the railway department.
"It makes me happy to see that the railway track is not coming to the end of its line."
http://www.nst.com.my/Current_News/NST/Sunday/Focus/2079019/Article/index_html
See also four previous posts in the last two days
Round Trip with the North Borneo Railway from Kota Kinabalu
Added: January 24, 2007
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=78NZZok3Lkk
This train survived mainly because no road could replace it. It runs along side of a raging river.
Added: March 11, 2007
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5dIDfHYeOxY
North Borneo Railway Turntable
Added: September 24, 2006
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hKU0-haWe5U
NB: This is a fairly recently constructed turntable situated at Papar, 33 Km from Tanjung Aru, to make the station suitable for the turn around of the tourist steam train service.
22 recent photographs:
http://www.ktmrailwayfan.com/pics/categories.php?cat_id=435
This line is currently under renovation - see previous posts. It should be remembered that there is a general election on the way in Malaysia. Right now, everything has to have the tag 'Sentral' added to it, even if it is only a slightly busier than usual bus shelter that might gain or keep UMNO a few more votes. That said, I'm very much in favor of such transport hubs:
2008/01/25
KL Sentral-like hub for Kota Kinabalu in new blueprint
By : Jaswinder Kaur
KOTA KINABALU:
A transportation hub similar to Kuala Lumpur Sentral is being planned to cope with the expected economic boost when the Sabah Development Corridor blueprint is launched next week.
Infrastructure Development Minister Datuk Raymond Tan Shu Kiah said the central station would be developed at the existing site of the Tanjung Aru Railway headquarters. The 20 ha site is only minutes away from the Kota Kinabalu International Airport and the city centre.
Tan said the privately-funded project was estimated to cost RM600 million and would include shopping arcades, hotels and art galleries.
"The whole idea is to create a transportation hub for Sabah. A traveller would be able to get connections to other parts of the states on various modes of transport from the central station. Work will begin soon and the project is expected to take between three and five years to complete. Once completed, the station will transform the existing Tanjung Aru railway station into a modern and dynamic transportation hub," Tan said after meeting officials from the China South Locomotive (correct) at his office.
Tan said it was also part of Sabah's plan to establish a complete railway system connecting the entire state as an alternative mode of transportation.
The Sabah Railway Department now operates a 134 km service from Tanjung Aru to Tenom in the interior and it is the only railway operating on Borneo island. With RM334.8 million in federal funding, the department is improving its facilities and upgrading tracks.
Tan said his ministry has, through its consultant Glitteria Sdn Bhd, invited officials from the China South Locomotive to look into the possibility of participating in the expansion programme.
A feasibility study is currently being carried out to extend the railway service to Sabah's east coast and to the Kota Kinabalu Industrial Park in Sepanggar Bay.
http://www.nst.com.my/Current_News/NST/Friday/NewsBreak/20080125155315/Article/index_html
Kota Kinabalu Airport is reputed to be the second busiest in Malaysia by some recent accounts. I believe that a very badly-needed airport enlargement project is just coming to an end. (See thread on Sabah Development Corridor for confirmation:
http://www.angkor.com/2bangkok/2bangkok/forum/showpost.php?p=19554&postcount=1 )
This plan also envisages the return of railway to the city center with links to industrial area and container port north of the city. Not to mention the fact that this line might eventually become part of a projected Sarawak-Sabah line.
That said, it looks distinctly like an election winning ploy by UMNO: :D
Sabah plans train service for whole state
KOTA KINABALU: Sabah intends to expand its 134 km railway service to cover the entire state.
Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Raymond Tan said a railway linking the east coast districts of Sandakan, Lahad Datu and Tawau, and Keningau in the interior would help ensure success of the Sabah Development Corridor.
“The railway is a key component in the transport and logistics sector. We cannot afford to neglect it,” he said after meeting a group of senior officials from the China South Locomotive and Rolling Stock Industry Corporation here yesterday.
Currently, Sabah Railway’s line runs from Tanjung Aru near here to Tenom in the interior.
Tan said his ministry, through a consultant firm, had recently invited China South Locomotive officials to carry out a feasibility study on the proposed Sabah Railway expansion programme.
He said the expansion would include the service being extended to the Kota Kinabalu Industrial Park as well as to the other districts.
Tan pointed to China South Locomotive’s enormous expertise and experience in the locomotive and rolling stock manufacturing industry.
The company’s Overseas Business Department head Wang Gang earlier said its credentials include its involvement in the construction of the world’s highest railway project, the Qinghai-Tibet or Qingzang Railway.
Tan said a modern railway terminal, called the Aeroport terminal, similar to KL Sentral would be constructed at the existing Sabah Railways headquarters in Tanjung Aru.
It would be unveiled with the launching of the corridor by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi on Jan 29.
The project estimated to cost RM600mil would be a privately-funded initiative and include facilities like shopping arcades, hotels and an art gallery when completed in about five years.
“The whole idea of the Aeroport project is basically to create a transport hub for Sabah where one can get connected to almost every part of Sabah through various modes of transportation,” he added.
The project has been awarded to SP Setia Bhd.
http://www.thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2008/1/26/nation/20133849&sec=nation
Some rather interesting forum comments on this project:
http://www.ktmrailwayfan.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=2789&highlight=
hafizi79
PostPosted: Sat Jan 26
Sabah State Railways has been in existence since way before that state became part of Malaysia in 1963. KTM by that time has been known as 'KTM/Malayan Railways' so I suppose the name spells itself very distinctly. They both developed independently before the formation of Malaysia in 1963 (of which Singapore was also a participant).
It falls under the jurisdiction of Sabah State Railway Department.
A brief history of that railway can be found on its website here:
http://www.sabah.gov.my/railway/history.html
Jimmylow
PostPosted: Sun Jan 27
Malcolm,
My friend in Sabah told me the Sabah railway is now under KTMB's jurisdiction. KTMB is rehabilitating the Tanjung Aru-Beaufort-Tenom trackage.
Jason
Admin
PostPosted: Sun Jan 27
Good for Sabah Railway but pleaseeeeee dont do anything to the steam loco. Sad
jimmylow
PostPosted: Sun Jan 27, 2008
J, I pray hard that they don't touch the Vulcan like how they do to Temerloh in Gemas. Previously, Sutera Harbour manages the steam locos and they were doing pretty well.
I hope that attraction stays when the tracks are completed.
tintinspartan
PostPosted: Sun Jan 27
Mee to but at least they could try to order new Steam Locomotives
Just that there are few steam loco manafacturers but most steam loco companies active today are based in China
MalcolmWJones
PostPosted: Sun Jan 27
I am assured they will continue to use the steam locomotives so long as they continue to make money on tourist operations. They already have enough spare ones to reinstate (but not necessarily the resources to do so), but maintaining and operating them costs more than diesels, especially in man-power/time. Whereas a diesel can be switched on, started up and be ready to use almost immediately, starting a steam locomotive from cold can take 24 hours or more!
As far as Chinese builders are concerned they no longer manufacture steam locomotives on a production line basis, so the cost of producing one will go up. Swiss company SLM can also produce steam locomotives as can Hunslet of Kilmarnock but again they are costly.
Running a steam hauled train on a commercial basis is more costly than running diesels in most countries, due to the extra man-power required. Much of this is offset nowadays by the use of volunteers. As far as Temerloh is concerned it might cost MR1,000,000 or more to return her to running condition - who can afford to do that? What you need is an enthusiastic Sultan who wants a new toy to play with! ...and is willing to share it!
http://www.btimes.com.my/Current_News/BTIMES/Wednesday/Latest/SPSABAH-2.xml/Article/Current_News/BTIMES/Images/SP30.jpg
[Photo: Business Times Online]
Presumably the arched roof at center back is the actual transport hub?
January 29, 2008 20:24 PM
SP Setia To Construct Transportation Hub For Sabah
KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 29 (Bernama) -- S P Setia Bhd Group will construct the transport terminal, new headquarters and ancillary buildings of Jabatan Keretapi Negeri Sabah [Mod: Sabah State Railway] on part of a 24-hectare land in northeast of the Tanjung Aru township.
The proposed site is easily accessible from Kota Kinabalu International Airport (KKIA) and the Low Cost Carrier Terminal 2, said S P Setia in a statement.
S P Setia's subsidiary, Aeropod Sdn Bhd today formalised the agreement with the State Government of Sabah.
In return, S P Setia will procure the right to develop the balance of 16.72 hectares of the land into a mixed residential and commercial project named Aeropod@Tg Aru with a projected gross development value of RM1billion, further complementing the Federal and State Government's efforts to realise the East Malaysian state's full economic potential.
Among the proposed components of this fully integrated project are a shopping mall, a 5-star hotel, a 3-star hotel and residential condominiums.
"Our success in securing this project gives us a crucial stepping stone to springboard the S P Setia stable of brands into Sabah and capitalise fully on the state's anticipated economic boom," commented Tan Sri Liew Kee Sin, Group Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of S P Setia.
In recent years, Sabah has witnessed increasing economic growth and development activities thanks to its healthy tourism industry and expanding population, estimated at 3.3 million in 2007.
As the main gateway into Borneo, the KKIA, which handled more than four million passengers in 2006, is the second busiest airport in Malaysia after the KL International Airport.
Major renovation and extension work on the KKIA is currently underway, and when completed is expected to expand annual passenger capacity to 12 million.
Coupled with the launch of the SDC spanning a period of 18 years from 2008 to 2025 focusing on three sectors - agriculture, manufacturing and services - Sabah's future prospects are greatly enhanced and offer exciting possibilities to be tapped by developers, said S P Setia.
-- BERNAMA
Non-specific link:
http://www.bernama.com.my/
Sabah State Railway:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sabah_State_Railway
http://www.sabah.gov.my/railway/
Provider of the line's heritage steam rail services:
http://www.northborneorailway.com.my/nbr/
The most recent update is that the railway will be functional - after a major renovation project - by the end of May 2008.
There has been some confusion on the following site as to whether the SSR is meter gauge:
http://www.ktmrailwayfan.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=2789&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=15
I had certainly noted that it was described as such on Wikipedia, but had decided to defer to those who live, eat & breath the subject:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sabah_State_Railway
The consensus has now changed to agree that it is meter gauge, but that the confusion arises from using lighter 60 lb. track. It was changed to 60 lb. from 30 lb. in 1963.
We are also told that the current track rehab involves concrete sleepers, but it is not known if the rail weight is being increased - or whether welded rail is being used. Certainly, it is not being regauged. The work is being carried out in association with KTMB. It appears that there are currently no plans for KTMB to take over this railway.
Some photos of the rehab of this line may eventually materialised according to one contributor to KTM RailFan.
http://www.btimes.com.my/Current_News/BTIMES/Wednesday/Latest/SPSABAH-2.xml/Article/Current_News/BTIMES/Images/SP30.jpg
[Photo: Business Times Online]
Presumably the arched roof at center back is the actual transport hub?
Non-specific link:
http://www.bernama.com.my/
Sabah State Railway:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sabah_State_Railway
http://www.sabah.gov.my/railway/
Provider of the line's heritage steam rail services:
http://www.northborneorailway.com.my/nbr/
The most recent update is that the railway will be functional - after a major renovation project - by the end of May 2008.
These are interesting photos by a guy who names himself Frisco. He appears to have been born in the railway compound at Tanjong Aru. His November 7, 2007 photos give clear indication that this railway is very much under rehab:
http://picasaweb.google.com/Frisco.Celestial/TheSabahStateRailway
http://lh5.google.com/Frisco.Celestial/RzJwciZ0bzI/AAAAAAAACrU/94lzYjTAFys/P7102740.JPG?imgmax=512
http://lh4.google.com/Frisco.Celestial/RzGr0Y8hhnI/AAAAAAAACoM/cKNn_jWL3bU/PA054036.JPG?imgmax=512
http://lh3.google.com/Frisco.Celestial/RzGgjI8hhhI/AAAAAAAACnY/cDU3aQtctMI/PA054030.JPG?imgmax=512
In these January 8, 2008 photos, he revisits the rather derelict railway quarter where he was born. This is obviously the area that will be redeveloped for the new station and transportation hub complex:
http://picasaweb.google.com/Frisco.Celestial/RailwayTgAru
These are interesting photos by a guy who names himself Frisco. He appears to have been born in the railway compound at Tanjong Aru. His November 7, 2007 photos give clear indication that this railway is very much under rehab:
http://picasaweb.google.com/Frisco.Celestial/TheSabahStateRailway
http://lh5.google.com/Frisco.Celestial/RzJwciZ0bzI/AAAAAAAACrU/94lzYjTAFys/P7102740.JPG?imgmax=512
http://lh4.google.com/Frisco.Celestial/RzGr0Y8hhnI/AAAAAAAACoM/cKNn_jWL3bU/PA054036.JPG?imgmax=512
http://lh3.google.com/Frisco.Celestial/RzGgjI8hhhI/AAAAAAAACnY/cDU3aQtctMI/PA054030.JPG?imgmax=512
In these January 8, 2008 photos, he revisits the rather derelict railway quarter where he was born. This is obviously the area that will be redeveloped for the new station and transportation hub complex:
http://picasaweb.google.com/Frisco.Celestial/RailwayTgAru
Interesting 2006 reports on the rehab project:
DAILY EXPRESS NEWS RM334m railway upgrade starts April: Minister
07 March, 2006
Kota Kinabalu: Work to modernise and rehabilitate the 140km railway service from Tanjung Aru to Tenom that will cost RM334.8 million are expected to start next month and be completed in May 2008.
The project is divided into sectors that would be undertaken by two separate contractors, namely, State Government-owned Suria Capital Holding Bhd (SCHB) and Kuala Lumpur-based Hikmat Asia Sdn Bhd (HASB).
Assistant Infrastructure Development Minister Datuk Aklee Abbas said Suria Capital is handling Sector One from Km3.9 to Km55.6 costing RM133.8 million, while Hikmat Asia is handling Sector Two from Km55.6 to Km139.7 that costs about RM201 million.
It would include replacing the timber sleepers and joined fish-plated 60 pound rails with pre-stressed concrete sleepers and continuously welded 80 pound rails.
On completion the present travelling time would be reduced by 50 per cent, he said, after launching a four-day short course in railway permanent way engineering at Beverly Hotel here Monday.
Nine new stations would be built at Putatan, Kawang, Papar, Kimanis, Saliwangan, Halogilat, Rayoh, Pangi and Tenom, while the stations in Kinarut, Bongawan, Membakut and Beaufort would be upgraded.
Other works include the construction of 20 new concrete and 19 steel bridges as well as two galvanised coated steel truss bridges, rehabilitating the two tunnels along the railway track and setting up 22 fenced railway crossings.
A new train radio and alarm system as well as fibre optic cables would be also installed along the railway tracks.
In addition personnel quarters would also be built in Kinarut, Kawang, Kimanis, Bongawan, Membakut, Halogilat and Rayoh.
During the project period, the services would be affected but the contractors would use shuttle buses to transport commuters to their destinations.
"Travelling by trains will be smoother and comfortable once the project is completed," said Aklee.
He said the history of the North Borneo Railway probably began in 1880, when the British North Borneo Chartered Company obtained large plots of land from the Sultan of Brunei and the Sulu Sultanate.
The need for an efficient transport system to transport tobacco, an important cash crop around 1880 till 1890, from the hinterland to the factories and ports became essential.
Inspired by the efficient railway system in Malaya then, the British North Borneo Company soon began the ambitious railway project with the intention to link Brunei Bay in the West Coast to Cowie Harbour in the East Coast through the dense jungles, undulating mountain ranges, rivers and swamp land.
Construction of the railway began at Bukau in 1896 and became the first railway station in North Borneo, now Sabah, which was completed in 1900 linking Beaufort to Brunei Bay at Weston.
The Chartered Company then proceeded to extend the line, which was completed in 1902 to Jesselton, now Kota Kinabalu, for a deeper harbour since Weston waters were too shallow.
From then on, the line from Beaufort to Tenom was extended in 1905, but the railway was diverted from its original route and a line was built instead from Tenom ending in Melalap in 1906.
The line between Weston and Beaufort was dismantled in 1963 and six years later the Melalap line was also taken out, while the line from the present Tanjung Aru Station to Kota Kinabalu Port at Tanjung Lipat was decommissioned in 1978.
Aklee said two of the 40-year-old steam locomotives namely Vulcan 15 and 16 were repaired in 2000 about 30 years after they were replaced by diesel ones.
Now, Vulcan 15 and 16 - which are probably the only functional wood-burner locomotives left in the world - are running on the "North Borneo Railway" tracks to promote tourism, a collaboration between the State Railway Department and Sutera Harbour Resort.
It is essential, Aklee said, that all railway personnel in the State Railway Department understand the current technology in the permanent way engineering following the completion of the modernisation and rehabilitation project, which involved a technology quantum leap.
Permanent way engineering entails the railway track, track structure and geometry of railway alignment.
He was confident that the short course jointly-conducted by Gabungan Jurubina Sdn Bhd and Business and Advance Technology Centre of Universiti Teknologi Malaysia would provide a good insight into the subject.
Participating member engineers can also earn Continuous Professional Development or CPD 48 points as the Board of Engineers, Malaysia had given their accreditation to the course.
Also on hand was State Railway Department General Manager, Benny Wang.
http://www.dailyexpress.com.my/news.cfm?NewsID=40596
See also previous post that contains photos of this line's rehab.
http://www.webshots.com/search?query=sabah+railway&new=1&source=chromeheader
142 rather touristy shots, but still worth checking out.
Two killed in train plunge
By MUGUNTAN VANAR and RUBEN SARIO
KOTA KINABALU: A normally-serene journey in interior Sabah turned into a nightmare for 41 people when a train plunged into the fast-flowing Padas River, killing two passengers.
Four others on board the two-carriage train were injured as passengers scrambled up a steep slope in the tragedy that occurred after a landslip in Kampung Pangi near Tenom, about 170km from here.
Police have identified the two dead as a local woman from Kg Melalap in Tenom and a Timorese man.
Tenom OCPD Deputy Supt Mazlan Lazim said both were believed to have drowned while trying to swim out of the train.
http://thestar.com.my/archives/2008/4/10/nation/n_3train.jpg
[Photo: The Star - Ill-fated ride: One of the two carriages of the train lying by the Padas River in Tenom Wednesday.]
He said they still needed verification from relatives as identity documents were found separately. The identities of the four injured have been determined.
“One moment we were enjoying the river scenery, the next minute our carriage plunged,” said housewife Bunga Gumba, 55, who was on board the train heading from Tenom to Beaufort at about 3.15pm.
Fellow passenger Anggang Buntong, 35, said the passengers were screaming as the carriage slid down the 10m slope. They jumped out from windows and doors when it came to a halt just above the water’s edge.
Another passenger, Masanah Saravah, 20, said she saw people scrambling out as the first carriage was tipped into the river.
One of the two locomotive drivers and three passengers were seriously injured and are now warded at the Tenom hospital while 28 other passengers were treated for slight injuries.
According to DSP Mazlan, the landslip caused the disaster.
“As the train was passing the stretch, we believe soil and boulders pushed the train off the tracks and down the slope into the river,” he added.
DSP Mazlan said the engine and the first carriage ended up in the water while the second carriage landed along the steep bank.
“We accounted for all 41 paying passengers and have no report of other missing people,” he said, dismissing claims that as many as 30 others could have been “hitchhiking” on the train.
Sabah Railway Department director James Wong said there were 41 paying passengers on board.
In an immediate statement, Chief Minister Datuk Musa Aman ordered a thorough investigation.
“I want a full probe,” he said, in extending his condolences to the families of victims and promising to provide whatever assistance possible.
He also ordered the state Infrastructure Development Ministry to check the tracks of the entire route before Sabah Railways resumes service.
The only railway service in Borneo is in Sabah between Tanjung Aru in Kota Kinabalu and the indigenous Murut heartland of Tenom.
http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2008/4/10/nation/20908973&sec=nation
http://www.nst.com.my/pix/pix_top_04101
[Photo: NST - SABAH RAIL TRAGEDY: Two passengers were killed and 39 injured when this train heading for Beaufort derailed near Tenom.]
Beaufort train derails, plunges into river
By : Joniston Bangkuai, Roy Goh and Julia Chan
TENOM: A man and a woman in their 40s were killed and 39 others injured when a train derailed and plunged 20m into Sungai Padas.
The woman is believed to have drowned when she was thrown out of the carriage while the man was pinned underneath the wreckage in the river.
The body of the woman was recovered almost immediately while the man's body was extricated three hours later at 6.45pm.
All 41 passengers have been accounted for.
District police chief Deputy Superintendent Mazlan Lazim said the victims had yet to be identified.
http://www.nst.com.my/Current_News/NST/Thursday/Frontpage/2209409/Article/index_html
BEAUFORT TRAIN DERAILMENT: Search and rescue halted by rising water level
BERNAMA
TENOM, THURS:
Search and rescue operations for missing passengers who could have been trapped in the coaches of the Beaufort train, which plunged into Sungai Padas yesterday, have been halted due to the high water level in the river because of continuous rain since last night.
Sabah Fire and Rescue Department deputy director Nor Hisham Mohammad said the search, which was to continue early today, was postponed to allow the river’s level to drop following the closure of the Pangie dam.
http://www.nst.com.my/Current_News/NST/Thursday/NewsBreak/20080410135412/Article/index_html
See also today's previous post (3 reports, 2 photos).
http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2008/4/10/nation/20908973&sec=nation
http://www.nst.com.my/pix/pix_top_04101
[Photo: NST - SABAH RAIL TRAGEDY: Two passengers were killed and 39 injured when this train heading for Beaufort derailed near Tenom.]
http://www.nst.com.my/Current_News/NST/Thursday/Frontpage/2209409/Article/index_html
http://www.nst.com.my/Current_News/NST/Thursday/NewsBreak/20080410135412/Article/index_html
I certainly don't want to make light of this at all, but I am intrigued by the 2nd paragraph in this report:
Train driver: It was chaotic
TENOM: Jividol Thaddeus may no longer drive trains after what he experienced here yesterday.
"I was at the steering wheel when the carriage plunged into the river as the rail track gave way.
"Once in the water, all I could think of was to get myself out," said the 49-year-old train driver.
Jividol, met at the district hospital here where he was warded, said he recalled being thrown all over the floor of the train, which was pulling two passenger carriages from here towards Beaufort, before it settled.
"By then, it was everyone for themselves. When I got to the river bank, I saw the assistant driver pulling himself out of the water along with the others."
Jividol, who had served the Sabah Railway Department since 1978, revealed that it was his first accident since he started driving trains in 1999.
"I don't think I want to drive trains any more," said the father of two from Penampang.
He said the train left the station here at 2.50pm and the accident happened about 15 minutes later, about 3km from the town.
"After I got out of the water, I sat on the rail track. It was chaotic. I sustained a cut on my forehead and there were bruises all over my body. Not long after, a rail car with firemen and some of my colleagues came to our aid."
Jividol said there were two other staff on the train -- an assistant driver and a conductor.
"The conductor sustained light injuries but the assistant driver broke his leg."
http://www.nst.com.my/Current_News/NST/Thursday/National/2209427/Article/index_html
Sabah train plunges 10m into river
KOTA KINABALU: A locomotive train with 41 passengers plunged into the Padas River in the interior of Sabah killing two people and injuring two others.
The others "miraculously" escaped the 10m plunge into the fast flowing Padas River when the locomotive lost its grip in a landslip at 3.15pm Wednesday.
The train was on its 49km ride from Tenom to Beaufort and most of its passengers were local villagers. Officials have yet to ascertain the total number of passengers on the train.
However, Tenom OCPD Deputy Supt Mazlan Lajim told The Star at 6.45pm that two people - a man and a woman - are confirmed dead with two others injured and admitted to hospital for treatment.
"There was no one else inside the carriage and we believe all the passengers are accounted for," he said, adding that as of Wednesday there were no reports of anyone missing in the mishap.
Sabah Railways has been plying this route for villagers as a social service for five remote kampungs between Tenom and Beaufort.
Earlier fears of tourists being onboard the train were abated as Railway officials explained that tourists going for white-water rafting to the Padas River were usually put on a railcar and not local-run locomotives.
Since last year, the North Borneo Railway service that plied between Tanjung Aru and Papar was suspended as the state undertook a major refurbishment of the railway tracks and services.
By 7.15pm Wednesday, railway officials confirmed that all who were trapped in the carriages stuck in the bank of the Padas River had been rescued.
http://www.thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2008/4/9/nation/20080409192600&sec=nation
Background report. But take a look at all the previous posts in this thread if you want to be better informed:
2008/04/10
The only rail service in Borneo
TENOM: The Sabah Railway Department has been managing the trains in the state since 1963.
It is the only railway service in Borneo. The railway's history dates back to 1896 and it has been upgraded numerous times since then.
The railway line was built to accommodate the growing tobacco industry. The railway service was known then as the North Borneo Railway and ran for 32km from Beaufort to Weston.
Until recently, there was only a single 134km line from Tanjung Aru along the west coast to Tenom.
The line from Tanjung Aru to Beaufort has been closed since last year to allow for maintenance and upgrading works. The Beaufort-Tenom route remains open to service the local community. It is used to ferry passengers and freight.
The passenger service uses a two-car diesel set, which has been in use since the 1970s. It has a single class seating structure and is without air-conditioning.
The trains travel at a slow speed due to the nature of the terrain and low-powered equipment.
The train journey from Beaufort to Tenom normally takes two hours each way, including regular stops
Recently, the federal government directed KTM Bhd to work with the department to undertake short and medium-term works on the railway to enhance its safety. This includes rehabilitating the track and signalling.
http://www.nst.com.my/Current_News/NST/Thursday/National/2209410/Article/index_html
See also yesterday's two previous posts.
http://www.nst.com.my/Friday/National/2210333/insidepix1
[Photo: NST - Datuk Seri Musa Aman (wearing cap) at the site of the train disaster yesterday.]
2008/04/11
They lived to tell the crash tale
By : Roy Goh
TENOM: The horrific moment when the train they were in plunged 20 metres into Sungai Padas will haunt many of the survivors for a long time to come.
Storekeeper Ambrose Kuh was one of the 39 who survived to tell the tale.
Recalling Wednesday's tragedy which left two people dead, Ambrose said the derailment was so sudden that he barely had time to save himself.
"Everything happened so fast, I just jumped out of the rear carriage I was in," said the 23-year-old from Lagud Sebrang.
Yesterday, Ambrose took a walk to the site of the incident in the hope of recovering his bag and car keys that were left in the carriage.
"I did not dare go back into the carriage on Wednesday evening as I was still traumatised and tired from pulling people out of the wreckage."
He recalled trying to save a man who was pinned between a rock and the carriage.
"That was the man who died," he said referring to one of the two casualties.
The man has been identified as Tukiman Misman, 56, while the other victim was Taminah Sikin, 51, from Melalap near here.
Labourer Gidy Sisom, 20, had also tried to save the trapped man but failed.
"Three of us tried but failed as the carriage slipped deeper into the water. We had to save ourselves."
Gidy said the diesel-powered locomotive had plunged straight into the water, dragging one of the two carriages with it.
The man's body was finally extricated by members of the Fire and Rescue department about three hours after the 3.15pm incident.
Taminah's body was recovered earlier at 4.30pm.
Taminah's sons-in-law Matius Kawah and Felix Sabitun, who were at the scene yesterday, said they were forced to use a trolley to push themselves along the railway track for two hours from Rayoh after receiving news of the incident.
"We finally arrived at 7pm and went straight to the hospital," said Felix.
Taminah had nine children and plans were under way for her burial in Melalap.
Forty-one passengers and three Sabah Railway Department workers were on board the train when it left the station here at 2.50pm.
The incident happened less than three kilometres from here after the train passed through a tunnel known as "Lubang Batu". Initial findings showed that the soil beneath the track was unstable.
http://www.nst.com.my/Current_News/NST/Friday/National/2210300/Article/index_html
2008/04/10
BEAUFORT TRAIN TRAGEDY: Damaged rail tracks won't be repaired in place of new stretch
By : Roy Goh
TENOM, Thurs:
The railway tracks damaged in Wednesday’s train derailment will not be repaired. Instead, a new stretch of tracks will be built in the vicinity. Until then, the railway service between Beaufort and Tenom has been suspended.
Sabah Infrastructure Development Minister Datuk Raymond Tan Shu Kiah yesterday said similar routes or stretches deemed to be in a dangerous location or located too close to the riverbank would also be diverted.
"Since the government is in the process of reconstructing and upgrading the railway track (140km between Tanjung Aru in Kota Kinabalu and here), we might as well do a new route instead of just repairing or replacing the damaged tracks (as a temporary measure)," he said.
Tan said this when accompanying Chief Minister Datuk Seri Musa Aman who visited the scene of the incident about three kilometres from here. They also visited the injured passengers at the district hospital here and in Keningau.
The entourage also attended a briefing on the incident by distict police chief Deputy Superintendent Mazlan Lazim and State RailwayDepartment general manager James Wong.
Musa ordered the Sabah Railway Department to conduct a probe and take steps to prevent such mishaps.
"What is important here is for the department or the Infrastructure Development Ministry to ensure the tracks are built on a strong foundation and that is a good distance away from the riverbanks," he said.
Musa said alternative transportation would be provided for those who regularly uses the train service such as teachers, students and farmers located along the 40km track between Beaufort and here. Many rely on the railway service as it was the most convenient mode of transport in the area.
"We will need to find out about the roads, dirt tracks or whatever possible links that could be used by them until normal rail service resumes," he said.
Musa said the department would also retrieve the train wreckage from the Padas river.
Two passengers, Taminah Sikin, 51 and Tukiman Misman, 56, died while 29 others were injured when the train derailed and plunged 20 metres into the Padas river.
Of the injured victims, four sustained serious injuries and were warded at the district hospital, the Keningau hospital and the Queen Elizabeth hospital in Kota Kinabalu.
Checks were carried out yesterday to determine if anyone was still trapped under the carriage as well as the 48-tonne diesel-powered locomotive.
Sabah Police Commissioner Datuk Noor Rashid Ibrahim said so far, there were no reports of any missing passenger.
http://www.nst.com.my/Current_News/NST/Thursday/NewsBreak/20080410175218/Article/index_html
2008/04/11
'Disaster a lesson to authorities'
KOTA KINABALU: The train accident on Wednesday will not affect the white water rafting activity which takes place on Sungai Padas.
Tourism, Culture and Environment Minister Datuk Seri Masidi Manjun said the ill-fated train was used only by the locals and not tourists.
"We have suspended the train service for upgrading works since last year but we kept the Beaufort-Tenom route open for the community."
Sungai Padas is graded at level three to four, with mild to strong rapids. Tourists are advised to take the railcars as opposed to trains drawn by diesel-powered locomotives.
Masidi said the incident was a lesson for authorities to step up inspection of the railway tracks to ensure they were safe.
http://www.nst.com.my/Current_News/NST/Friday/National/2210519/Article/index_html
See also this week's previous 3 posts.
No warning signs prior to train mishap
By MUGUNTAN VANAR
KOTA KINABALU: A sweep of the railway tracks just 25 minutes before Wednesday’s deadly train plunge into the Padas River in the interior found nothing amiss.
Investigators from the Sabah Railway Department said that their technicians had undertaken routine maintenance checks along the rail tracks between 2.35pm and 2.50pm and found no signs of the riverbank collapsing hardly 30 minutes later.
“It is a very unfortunate incident. Our men did not see any warning signs of instability for an imminent collapse of the tracks along the riverbank,” Sabah Railway Department director James Wong said on Saturday.
Two people were killed and four others injured when a locomotive with two carriages and 41 people onboard plunged 10m into the river when the rail tracks collapsed in a landslip at the riverbank in Kampung Pangi area near Tenom.
Wong said that the tracks were routinely checked at least once every day while sectors seen to be problematic would be checked two to three times in the day similar to what was done at the tracks in Kampung Panggi.
Meanwhile, he said works were underway to repair and shift the tracks further away from the Padas riverbank while they were also taking steps to remove the locomotive and two carriages from the fast flowing river.
“We managed to remove one of the carriages on Friday and we hope to take out the second carriage and locomotive submerged in the river in the next few days,” he said, adding that they were using an excavator to winch it out of the river.
He said they did not totally stop rail operations. A railcar was still allowed to ply the 20km stretch between Kg Rayoh to Beaufort as they had to send students to Beaufort over the last two days.
“The train is the only mode of transport for these students. We have to provide this temporary service,” he said, adding that they intend to totally close the tracks for two days to undertake intensive checks on the rails between Beaufort and Tenom.
Sabah’s 134km railway track is the only one in Borneo and since last year a section of the tracks were closed from Kota Kinabalu to Beaufort to facilitate major upgrading works.
http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2008/4/12/nation/20080412132654&sec=nation
jpatokal
13-04-08, 01:28 PM
Sabah’s 134km railway track is the only one in Borneo and since last year a section of the tracks were closed from Kota Kinabalu to Beaufort to facilitate major upgrading works.
Is KK-Beaufort still closed? Does this now mean that the entire railway is now not operating?
http://thestar.com.my/archives/2008/4/13/nation/n_18railtrack.jpg
[Photo: The Star - A ‘railcar’: An old mini-locomotive carrying Sabah Railway Department workers and Kampung Rayoh residents to Tenom town on Friday as an alternative form of transport following the accident. — Bernama]
^^ But probably not the same railcar as is mentioned below.The quote (below) is for is for the tourist steam train service:
Estimates now puts completion by the end of Nov 2008.
Please do visit again for updates.
The interruption of service is greatly regretted and the prolonged closure of the North Borneo Railway is out of our hands, but we appreciate your continued support and look forward to continuing the tradition of the North Borneo Railway.
- Last updated 11 March 2008-
http://www.northborneorailway.com.my/
One of the earlier reports says they are using the railcar to take children to school on a shortened route. In fairness, there does seem to be some sort of indication that those who live near the line are appreciative of it. And the State Government does seem to be indicating that a rebuild of this stretch is on the cards.
The railcar is also used to take tourists to the whitewater rafting resort, but I don't know if it is beyond the landslip. Perhaps NOT, as an earlier report said something vague like the rafters used the railcar and were thus not in jeopardy. Well the landslip could easily have occurred while the railcar was passing this stretch, so I guess they may be saying that rafter's railcar service stops before this point. I imagine it is a dedicated service and that this resort can only be reached by rail. Hopefully then, this service will also continue.
The rail staff will need something to do until November, although I suppose it is possible that ORDINARY (non-steam) services on KK-Beaufort could start a bit earlier than that.
Nothing on the main site yet:
http://www.sabah.gov.my/railway/index.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sabah_State_Railway
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