DKA CC50 "Sri Gunung" Locomotive

The CC50 locomotive is an Articulated Mallet type steam locomotive previously owned by Staatsspoorwegen. This locomotive is produced by Werkspoor, Netherlands and SLM, Switzerland. This locomotive has an axle arrangement (1C')C' (2-6-6-0).

## History

In 1927, Staatsspoorwegen (SS) began to produce mallet type steam locomotives with a 2-6-6-0 wheel arrangement. As many as 30 units of locomotives were ordered directly from several factories in Europe such as Werkspoor, the Netherlands and Schweizerische Lokomotiv-und Maschinenfabrik, Switzerland from 1927 to 1928. These locomotives were given the serial number SS 1600. The route gos to steep hills, like Cibatu-Cikajang-Garut and Purwakarta-Padalarang were easily traversed by the SS 1600 locomotive. The CC50 locomotive has been proven to be able to overcome difficulties that other locomotives do not have, such as being able to pull a 1,300 ton train at a speed of 35mph, as well as being able to turn sharp turns. During the Japanese colonial era, this locomotive received a new serial number, CC50, and continued to be used from the DKA era to the PJKA era.

With all the advantages of the CC50, this locomotive is also used for the Purwakarta, Cibatu, Purwokerto, Ambarawa and Madiun lines. In fact, Cibatu is one of the main bases for all Mallet type locomotives.

In 1981, the CC5022 locomotive belonging to the Purwokerto Locomotive Depot was donated by PJKA to the Utrecht Railway Museum, as a symbol of friendship between Indonesia and the Netherlands. This locomotive unit was then returned to its original numbering, namely the SS 1622 series. In addition, CC5019 belonging to the Purwakarta Locomotive Depot became the main star in the Independence War-themed film entitled The Last Train in the same year.

As a result of the policy of rationalizing steam locomotives to diesel locomotives, the CC50 had to retire in 1984 after the end of its term of service spent on the Cibatu-Garut line which began to close that year. Its existence was displaced and replaced by various diesel locomotives, plus at that time the CC 201 locomotive had just been brought in.

## Allocations

Based on the PNKA Power Parade book, A.E. Durrant, allocation of CC50 locomotives in 1969-1971 is in:

* Cibatu 2 units
* Banjar 1 unit
* Purwakarta 4 units
* Purwokerto 10 units
* Ambarawa 3 units
* Madiun 2 units
* Sidotopo 3 units

## Incident

At Thursday night, 11 April 1968, CC5002 at Bendul Station was heading from Bandung to Purwakarta, not pulling a train, suddenly had a boiler explosion. The Driver and Fireman died of the explosion. 1 Stationmaster was injured and 2 were killed. The explosion was so strong that it destroyed the station and the boiler flew away a few miles from the explosion point. The noise was heard up to Padalarang and Purwakarta (around 34 miles away).

The explosion was thought to be cause by the failed savety valve, or a blockage on some boiler pipes. The ruins of Bendul station was destroyed and was completely rebuilt. CC5002 was scrapped except for the tender that was later used for CC5001.

## Preservation

there are only 3 CC50 units left, namely CC5001, CC5022, and CC5029. For CC5001, it is in the Taman Mini Indonesia Indah Transportation Museum, Jakarta. CC5022 is in the Utrecht Railway Museum, the Netherlands. CC5029 is in the Ambarawa Railway Museum. There is also a monument to the CC50 locomotive piece at the Cibatu Sub-depo, which has the serial number CC5030. However, there are some evidence, that this monument is not purely a piece of the CC50 series locomotive, but the CC10 series locomotive which only leaves the smokebox, with cosmetic additions in the form of components like the CC50. Furthermore, this theory was supported by the fact that the actual CC5030 is scrapped.

## See also

* CC50 locomotive in Wikipedia Indonesia
* CC5002 boiler explosion incident