The East Coast railway line (ECRL) is a single-track metre gauge railway line in Malaysia that runs between the Gemas railway station in Negeri Sembilan and the Tumpat railway station in Kelantan. Gemas is the rail junction between the West Coast line and East Coast railway line. Like the West Coast railway line, it is called the East Coast railway line (Malaysia) because it serves two of Peninsular Malaysia's East Coast states, namely Pahang and Kelantan. In fact, it does not run along the coast at all and only meets the South China Sea when it terminates in Tumpat railway station. It runs through the interior, often through deep jungle, thus earning the nickname Jungle Railway. Terengganu is the only state in Peninsular Malaysia not served by the KTM railway network.[1]
The East Coast Rail Link is planned to have an interchange with the ECRL at Mentakab and expand the railway network to the cities located in the East Coast, such as Kuantan and Kuala Terengganu.[2]
History
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The East Coast rail line was discontinued due to floods which struck the east coast on 22 December 2014, causing extensive damage to the track infrastructure, signage equipment as well as track maintenance machinery which was submerged in water. In August 2020, Malaysian transport minister Datuk Seri Dr Wee Ka Siong said the government had allocated RM874.7m to upgrade track infrastructure and trains at the east coast sector and the railway should resume service by 2021.[3]
On 12 April 2021, KTMB launched its KTM Class 61 Diesel Multiple Unit (DMU) trains for the east coast route between Kelantan and Pahang. Transport Minister Datuk Seri Dr Wee Ka Siong said the DMU trains were being introduced specifically to replace KTM’s conventional diesel trains for the KTM Intercity East Coast rail link between Tumpat and Kuala Lipis. He claimed the new DMU will reduce travel time as the average speed of the train is about 100kph, compared to the conventional trains that run between 50kph and 60kph. The DMU trains, covering 216km from Tumpat and Gua Musang and 94km from Gua Musang to Kuala Lipis, would be fully operational in stages. The Tumpat-Gua Musang-Kuala Lipis route represents the first phase of the upgrading process. The second phase will cover routes to Gemas, Negeri Sembilan, while the third phase will cover the Gua Musang-Mentakab stretch along the Pahang route.[4]
Services
editThe East Coast railway line is served by a following:[5]
KTM Intercity
- Ekspres Rakyat Timuran between Tumpat and JB Sentral.
- The route between Gemas and JB Sentral is part of the West Coast Line while the route between Gemas and Tumpat is on the East Coast Line)
- Shuttle Timur (stops at all stations and halts)
- Between Tumpat and Dabong
- Between Tumpat and Gua Musang
- Between Tumpat and Kuala Lipis
- Between Gua Musang and Kuala Lipis
- Between Kuala Lipis and Gemas
- Ekspres Rakyat Timuran between Tumpat and JB Sentral.
Line network
edit
Main line
edit| Station names[6] | Serving cities | Major landmarks | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tumpat | Tumpat, Kelantan | ||
| Kampung Berangan | Not in service | ||
| Kampung Kok Pasir | Halt | ||
| Palekbang | Halt | ||
| Wakaf Bharu | Kota Bharu, Kelantan | The nearest railway station to Kelantan state capital, Kota Bharu | |
| Bunut Susu | Halt | ||
| Kampung Machang | Halt | ||
| Pasir Mas | Pasir Mas, Kelantan | Interchange to Rantau Panjang Branch Line | |
| Chica Tinggi | Halt | ||
| To' Uban | Halt | ||
| Sungai Keladi | Halt | ||
| Bukit Panau | Halt | ||
| Halt, Not in service | |||
| Tanah Merah | Tanah Merah, Kelantan | ||
| Sungai Kusial | Not in service | ||
| Kampung Paloh Rawa | Halt | ||
| Temangan | Guillemard Bridge | ||
| Tanjung Bidal | Halt, Not in service | ||
| Kampung Bidal | Halt, Not in service | ||
| Sungai Nal | Halt | ||
| Kuala Krai | Kuala Krai, Kelantan | ||
| Pahi | Halt | ||
| Manek Urai | |||
| Sungei Mengkuang | Halt | ||
| Kampung Baru Sungei Mengkuang | Halt | ||
| Ulu Temiang | Halt | ||
| Kampung Baru Bukit Abu | Halt | ||
| Bukit Abu | |||
| Kuala Gris | Halt | ||
| Dabong | Dabong, Kelantan | ||
| Kemubu | |||
| Sri Jaya | Halt | ||
| Sri Mahligai | Halt | ||
| Sri Bintang | Halt | ||
| Sungai Tasin | Halt | ||
| Jerek Baru | Halt | ||
| Bertam | Halt | ||
| Bertam Baru | |||
| Limau Kasturi | |||
| Sungai Sirian | Halt | ||
| Kampung Sungai Sirian | Halt | ||
| Sungai Koyan | Halt | ||
| Pan Malayan | Halt | ||
| Chegar Bongor | Not in service | ||
| Sungai Kemudu | Not in service | ||
| Kuala Neroh | Not in service | ||
| Gua Musang | Gua Musang, Kelantan | ||
| Chin Teck (振德) | Not in service | ||
| Lepan Tupai (Lapan Tupai) | Halt | ||
| Mentara | Halt, Not in service | ||
| Mentara Baru | Halt | ||
| Merapoh | |||
| Merapoh Baharu | Not in service | ||
| Telok Gunong | Halt | ||
| Kubang Rasa | Halt | ||
| Sungai Yu | Not in service | ||
| Sungai Temau | |||
| Chegar Perah | |||
| Paya Keladi | Not in service | ||
| Aur Gading | Halt | ||
| Dura | Halt | ||
| Kampung Berkam | Halt | ||
| Bukit Betong | Bukit Betong | Halt | |
| Kampung Berhala | Halt, Not in service | ||
| Telang | Telang | Halt | |
| Padang Tengku | |||
| Kuala Ketir | Halt, Not in service | ||
| Kuala Lipis | Kuala Lipis, Pahang | ||
| Kuala Lanar | Not in service | ||
| Tanjung Sekawin | Halt, Not in service | ||
| Sibar | Halt, Not in service | ||
| Batu Sembilan | Halt | ||
| Kuala Lentang | Not in service | ||
| Kerambit | |||
| Sungai Lik | Halt, Not in service | ||
| Limau Purut | Not in service | ||
| Mela | Halt | ||
| Kampung Sepial | Not in service | ||
| Tembeling | Not in service | ||
| Padang Piol | Not in service | ||
| Paya Teh | Not in service | ||
| Teh | Halt, Not in service | ||
| Jerantut | Jerantut, Temerloh, Pahang | ||
| Jeransong | Not in service | ||
| Jendarak | Halt | ||
| Mai | Halt, Not in service | ||
| Kuala Krau | |||
| Sungai Dalam | Not in service | ||
| Tekal | Halt, Not in service | ||
| Kerdau | Halt | ||
| Mentakab | Mentakab, Pahang | ||
| Sungai Belengu | Not in service | ||
| Mengkarak | |||
| Mentri | Not in service | ||
| Triang | Triang, Pahang | ||
| Mengkuang | Halt | ||
| Kemayan | |||
| Ayer Hitam | Not in service | ||
| Bahau | Bahau, Negeri Sembilan | ||
| Rompin | Not in service | ||
| Londah | Not in service | ||
| Gemas | Gemas, Negeri Sembilan | Interchange with West Coast Line | |
| (Continue to West Coast Line) | |||
Rantau Panjang branch line
edit| Station names | Serving cities | Major landmarks | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pasir Mas | Pasir Mas, Kelantan | Interchange to Rantau Panjang branch line | |
| Repek | Not in service | ||
| Lubok Batil | Not in service | ||
| Gual Periok | Not in service | ||
| Gual Sitok | Not in service | ||
| Rantau Panjang | Rantau Panjang, Kelantan | Not in service | |
| (Continue to Southern Line) | |||
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ "The Jungle Railway". Malaysia Traveller.
- ^ "East Coast Rail Link (ECRL) Project, Malaysia". Railway Technology.
- ^ Tarrence Tan; Martin Carvalho; Hemananthani Sivanandam; Rahimy Rahim (11 August 2020). "Gemas-Tumpat rail line expected to be repaired and completed by mid-2021, says Dr Wee". The Star (Malaysia).
- ^ "Faster, smoother rail travel". The Star (Malaysia). 12 April 2021.
- ^ KTM Intercity
- ^ Peta Rangkaian Sistem KTM 1991
Further reading
edit- Raw, Oliver (24 November 2022). "A long-awaited journey on Malaysia's 'jungle' railway". The National (Abu Dhabi). Retrieved 30 November 2022.
- Sutton, David (3 February 2020). "A train journey through the jungle into Malaysia's colonial past". South China Morning Post. Retrieved 30 November 2022.
External links
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