Text and picture by Eki Qushay Akhwan
Train was first introduced to Indonesia (then, Dutch East India) in 1864 with the construction of the first rail road between Kemijen and Tanggung (26 kilometers) in Central Java.
It was twenty years later, on May 17th, 1884, that the first train arrived in Bandung after the Dutch colonial government successfully contructed the rail road that linked Jakarta (then Batavia), Bogor (then Buitenzorg), Sukabumi, Ciajur, and Bandung. The effort to build this rail road was a formidable one as Bandung is located on a plateau and surrounded by mountainous terrains and deep valley rivers.
The second, more direct, and shorter railway route that connects Jakarta and Bandung through Cikampek and Purwakarta was successfully contstructed and dedicated on May 2nd, 1906, about a month after Bandung received its status as a municipality (Ductch: Gemeente) on April 1 of the same year. This new route cut the travel time between Jakarta and Bandung by about a half (with the former route it took about 6 hours to get to Bandung from Jakarta; with the new rounte it took only 2 hours and 45 minutes). This was a significant development in the history of Bandung as city. The speedier connection between Batavia and Bandung gave a significant boost to Bandung’s growth as an interior urban center.
The monument pictured here is located in the southern gate of Bandung Railway Station. It is a relatively new installation. In the spot where it stands now, there used to be a triangulation lamp tower that was built to mark the unniversary of SS (Staat Spoorwagen – State Railway Company). The lamp tower was designed by Ir. E.H. de Roo.
13 comments:
I love trains! Great photos.. It is wonderful that you include the history on your photos.. Lots of great information!! thanks for sharing
After what you have posted yesterday, I have just seen your blog from the begining and let me tell you, you have an impressive amount of fabulous photographs and descriptions!
Keep on posting, Eki!
Thank you for stopping by my blog.
Greetings
I like this train pictures, my baby does to. I also like the history that comes with the post.
My grandson will love your phtos. I will show him!
Fascinating! Eki, I enjoy your blog so much. Great photos and great commentary. Just wonderful.
Oh, and my little girl loves the trains, too!
so great photo, sometimes i have to post a train monument in Pekanbaru, Riau..
btw, bang eki, thx for your advice. i will move my photos to another hosting soon. and for this time being, i love the train....(but i need a shout box here :) )
loc. depok, west java, bang eki, thx for the advice loh..konsisten sekali blognya. i love it. oiya..usul..kasih shout box dong..biar yang suka blog walking bisa posting ga susah2 hehehe
After i saw this photo, i could get a lot of information about the history of train that i didn't know before. Thank you sir. I always use train to go to central java, my hometown. I think it's the most effective transportation and cheaper than others.
I do love trains. Very nice photos, Eki!
A well preserved monument. I think we often forget about the advance is technology that lead our cities to be what they are today.
You chose a good subject for a your daily phoot.
Wonderful history lesson Eki..and really great photos... Michelle..
Nice detail! I especially like the first photo! Such terrific information!
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