Manpower, steam tractions and contact

wires
The fascination of thundering trains in The Dutch East Indies
An introduction to the history of the Dutch colonial railroads
By drs (Msc) Dirk Teeuwen, The Netherlands

Because of the summarizing character of the text in this article there is no

arrangement in chapters and paragraphs. Account of sources regarding text and
pictures as well as a set-up of this article could be found on page 2.

Mark!! The author has no knowledge whatsoever of locomotives, coaches and

gauges.
© drs (Msc) D. Teeuwen – Rendez-vous-Batavia.nl – The Netherlands 2010

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 Title page picture, page 1: colonial “thundering” from Batavia (Jakarta) to
Bandoeng (Bandung) through the Java Preanger mountains in the year 1924

Set-up of this article

a. Text, a short history of the Dutch colonial railways: page 4 and 5
b. On page 1 up to and including page 16: a selection of pictures in relation to
the colonial railways in The Dutch East-Indies
c. On page 1 up to and including page 9: a selection of four surveys in figures
illustrating the historical development and the importance of the Dutch colonial
railways in The Dutch East-Indies (from 2, see below)
d. On page 16 up to and including page 21: eight maps showing railways on
Java, Sumatra and Celebes – Sulawesi in The Dutch East-Indies (from 6, see
below)
e. On page 22 up to and including page 30: ten very detailed statistics of the
historical development of the Dutch colonial railways in The Dutch East-Indies
(from 3, see below)
Sources of the pictures
1. Picture-postcard collection Dirk Teeuwen, Holland
2. Reitsma, S. A.: Gedenkboek der staatsspoor- en tramwegen in Nederlandsch-
Indië 1875-1925; Batavia (Jakarta) – Weltevreden 1925
3. Reitsma, S. A.: Korte geschiedenis der Nederlandsch-Indische spoor- en
tramwegen; Batavia (Jakarta) – Weltevreden 1928
4. Samarang-Joana Stoomtram-Maatschappij: Tramwegen op Java, gedenkboek
ter gelegenheid van het vijfentwintigjarig bestaan; Den Haag Holland 1907
5. A. Neijtzell de Wilde and others: Holland’s colonial call; The Hague Holland
1930
6. Knol, K.G.: Eerste atlas van Nederlandsch-Indië; Batavia (Jakarta) 1940

Picture 1
Office of the State Railways in The Dutch East-Indies, Semarang 1904

© drs (Msc) D. Teeuwen – Rendez-vous-Batavia.nl – The Netherlands 2010

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P.2 Dutch colonial mountain locomotive 1920; an old one below (1890), P.3

P.4 Train, State Railways of The Dutch East Indies, Batavia – Jakarta 1925

© drs (Msc) D. Teeuwen – Rendez-vous-Batavia.nl – The Netherlands 2010

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About 1850 the means of transportation in Java, in The Dutch East-Indies, were
primitive and, consequently the conveyance of products from the interior was a
complicated matter. In Central Java especially, conditions began to become
critical: the draught-cattle-stock in the Principalities, the area around
Yokyakarta and Solo / Surakarta, was overburdened, causing it to dwindle away
visibly. As a result the costs of transportation were continually increasing. In
spite of these circumstances it took some length of time before it was possible
to start the construction of a railway net, whereas it was not until the year 1862
that the first concession was granted to a private concern. Thus the Netherlands
Indian Railway Company could be established, although in the early years this
company had to face severe financial difficulties. It was mainly due to this
circumstance that, in spite of government support, the construction of the
Central Java lines (from Semarang to the Principalities) could only progress by
very slow degrees, while it was only completed in the year 1873. In this very
year the line Bogor / Buitenzorg – Jakarta / Batavia, for which likewise a
concession was granted, could be opened to traffic.

Survey 1
The total net of rail- and tramways in The Dutch East-Indies, 1928

© drs (Msc) D. Teeuwen – Rendez-vous-Batavia.nl – The Netherlands 2010

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The ill-luck, however, which had pursued the Netherlands Indian Railway
Company, inevitably resulted in shaking the confidence of capitalists in the
success of the enterprise. Neither did this company, nor other private persons,
feel the slightest enthusiasm to continue the work of railway construction in
Java. Whereas private persons failed to take the initiative, there was no other
alternative but for the colonial government to take the lead in constructing the
indispensable railway net. Since the year 1875 this task was energetically
carried out. In the year 1884 the East Java lines were connected to the Central
Java net; in the year 1894 the Java West-Coast could be reached at Anjer and
from there in the year 1903 Banjuwangi, situated on the East-Coast. The
accomplishment of this last feat marked the first period in the history of the
railway-enterprise in Java, which was the construction of the trunk, primary,
lines throughout the island.
In the meantime the construction of secondary lines, interlocal trains
(called tramways), had been taken in hand. For this side of the question more
interest was displayed from private persons Consequently the tramway lines,
which adapt themselves excellently to local conditions, were almost entirely in
the hands of private concerns. The first tramway, the line Semarang – Demak,
was opened in the year 1883; after the year 1915 a net of over 2.500 km,
mainly situated in Central and East Java and Madura, was open to traffic.
On the 31st of December of the year 1928 the total length of the rail- and
tramway system in Java measured 5.473 km, of which 2.802 km railways of
standard gauge (1,067 m); 205 km of broad gauge (1,435 m); 120 km with
narrow gauge (0,6 m) and 2.258 km of tramways with a gauge of 1,067 m (with
one single exception: municipal trams). Whereas by far the greater part of the
net was constructed according to standard gauge, the differences in gauges
were no serious impediment, necessitating no more than 4% of total goods-
traffic in Java to be trans-shipped from “narrow gauge to standard gauge” in
those days.
Besides these rail- and tramways, open to general traffic, Dutch East-
Indian Forest Service as well as large cultural enterprises (viz. the sugar
industry), constructed elaborate nets of field railways, the total length
measuring 7.000 km. Sugar estates only were responsible for 6.500 km of field
railways.
On Sumatra the several separate lines, which were each connected to a
different port, never have been mutually connected before 1942 (the year of the
Japanese invasion). The authorities were very busy studying a scheme for the
construction of a net in Central Sumatra, eventually connected to the South
Sumatra lines and to the government railways on the Sumatra West Coast as
well as the rail- and tramway system of the Deli Railway Company on the
Sumatra East Coast. But the Japanese arrived and that was not by invitation.
In South Sumatra the Government tramways (the Lampung line and the
Palembang line) were connected in 1927. The connection between the Aceh
tramway and the Deli Railway Company was established also.
Celebes – Sulawesi disposed of one insignificant State tramway line,
connecting Makassar – Ujung Pandang to Takalar (1922).

© drs (Msc) D. Teeuwen – Rendez-vous-Batavia.nl – The Netherlands 2010

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 Survey 2
Comparison between the rail- and tramway net in The Dutch East-Indies and
railway systems existent in other countries, 1928

Picture 5
A new passenger coach of the State Railways of The Dutch East-Indies,
Batavia – Jakarta 1928

© drs (Msc) D. Teeuwen – Rendez-vous-Batavia.nl – The Netherlands 2010

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 Survey 3
Kilometres in exploitation of the State Railways in The Dutch East-Indies, 1928

© drs (Msc) D. Teeuwen – Rendez-vous-Batavia.nl – The Netherlands 2010

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 Survey 4
Illustration of the development of the railway system in The Dutch East-Indies,
1928

Picture 6
Tanjung Priok Railway Station, Batavia - Jakarta 1930

© drs (Msc) D. Teeuwen – Rendez-vous-Batavia.nl – The Netherlands 2010

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 Picture 7
Batavia Terminus Railway Station of the State Railways, Old Batavia – Jakarta
Kota 1928

Picture 8
Hall of the Batavia Terminus Railway Station, Old Batavia – Jakarta Kota 1930

© drs (Msc) D. Teeuwen – Rendez-vous-Batavia.nl – The Netherlands 2010

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 Picture 9
Batavia Terminus Railway Station at night, Old Batavia – Jakarta Kota 1930

Picture 10
Arrival at Batavia Terminus Railway Station, Old Batavia – Jakarta Kota !930

© drs (Msc) D. Teeuwen – Rendez-vous-Batavia.nl – The Netherlands 2010

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 Picture 11
Station Koningsplein Weltevreden, now Stasiun Gambir, Batavia – Jakarta 1932

Picture 12
Deli Railways: yard near the Medan Deli Railway Station, Sumatra 1928

© drs (Msc) D. Teeuwen – Rendez-vous-Batavia.nl – The Netherlands 2010

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 Picture 13 and 14 below
Railway through Preanger Mountains, Java 1926

© drs (Msc) D. Teeuwen – Rendez-vous-Batavia.nl – The Netherlands 2010

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 Picture 15 and 16 below, Central Java 1930
Around Maos railway station, railway bridge across River Serayu near Maos

© drs (Msc) D. Teeuwen – Rendez-vous-Batavia.nl – The Netherlands 2010

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 Picture 17
Head office of the State Railways in The Dutch East Indies, Semarang 1902

Picture 18
Staff of the head office of the State Railways in The Dutch East Indies,
Semarang 1921

© drs (Msc) D. Teeuwen – Rendez-vous-Batavia.nl – The Netherlands 2010

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 Picture 19
The opening, inauguration, of the interlocal tramway Makassar (Ujung
Pandang) – Takalar, Celebes – Sulawesi 1922

Map 1 The interlocal tramway: 50 km (to the south) from and to Makassar
(Ujung Pandang) following the red line (road), Celebes – Sulawesi 1940

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 On the maps!

Capital towns; provinces and colonial governments

Capital towns; residencies

Capital towns; regencies (Java), sections outlying districts and

provinces

Other towns

First class railroads

Second class railroads, inter-local tramways
Main roads

Air routes, Royal Dutch East-Indian Airways (K.N.I.L.M.)

Air routes Royal Dutch Airlines (K.L.M.)
Hindu temple ruins
Swamps

Lowlands (lower than 200 meters above sea level)

Hills and mountains (more than 200 meters above sea level)

Explanation on behalf of all maps

Map 2 West Java 1940

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 Map 3 Central Java 1940

Map 4 East Java 1940

© drs (Msc) D. Teeuwen – Rendez-vous-Batavia.nl – The Netherlands 2010

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 Map 5 Aceh and dependencies, Sumatra 1940

© drs (Msc) D. Teeuwen – Rendez-vous-Batavia.nl – The Netherlands 2010

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 Map 6 Tapanuli, Riouw and dependencies, east coast Sumatra 1940

Map 7 Jambi, Palembang, Lampung and dependencies, south Sumatra 1940

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 Map 8 Padang and dependencies, west coast Sumatra 1940

© drs (Msc) D. Teeuwen – Rendez-vous-Batavia.nl – The Netherlands 2010

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Schedule 1. Length in km as well as the opening date of rail- and tramways in
The Dutch East-Indies

© drs (Msc) D. Teeuwen – Rendez-vous-Batavia.nl – The Netherlands 2010

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Schedule 2. Length in km as well as the opening date of rail- and tramways in
The Dutch East-Indies

© drs (Msc) D. Teeuwen – Rendez-vous-Batavia.nl – The Netherlands 2010

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Schedule 3. Length in km as well as the opening date of rail- and tramways in
The Dutch East-Indies

© drs (Msc) D. Teeuwen – Rendez-vous-Batavia.nl – The Netherlands 2010

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Schedule 4. Length in km as well as the opening date of rail- and tramways in
The Dutch East-Indies

© drs (Msc) D. Teeuwen – Rendez-vous-Batavia.nl – The Netherlands 2010

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Schedule 5. Length in km as well as the opening date of rail- and tramways in
The Dutch East-Indies

© drs (Msc) D. Teeuwen – Rendez-vous-Batavia.nl – The Netherlands 2010

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Schedule 6. Length in km as well as the opening date of rail- and tramways in
The Dutch East-Indies

© drs (Msc) D. Teeuwen – Rendez-vous-Batavia.nl – The Netherlands 2010

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Schedule 7. Length in km as well as the opening date of rail- and tramways in
The Dutch East-Indies

© drs (Msc) D. Teeuwen – Rendez-vous-Batavia.nl – The Netherlands 2010

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Schedule 8. Length in km as well as the opening date of rail- and tramways in
The Dutch East-Indies

© drs (Msc) D. Teeuwen – Rendez-vous-Batavia.nl – The Netherlands 2010

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Schedule 9. Length in km as well as the opening date of rail- and tramways in
The Dutch East-Indies

© drs (Msc) D. Teeuwen – Rendez-vous-Batavia.nl – The Netherlands 2010

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Schedule 10. Length in km as well as the opening date of rail- and tramways in
The Dutch East-Indies

End of this article

© drs (Msc) D. Teeuwen – Rendez-vous-Batavia.nl – The Netherlands 2010

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