REVISION | TASK 4 by Indri Indah

Comparison/Contrast

Sukabumi Station Then and Now

    Sukabumi is a small town in west Java. Sukabumi is currently around 105 years old. More than that age Sukabumi has experienced various changes from government conditions to physical changes. One of the changes that occurred in Sukabumi is the train station. Sukabumi station came into operation in 1882 as a means of transportation for passengers and goods (plantation produce). Therefore, what are some of the differences between sukabumi stations then and today? There are several facilities between sukabumi station then (80's) and now (19's). 

         The first difference of sukabumi station was the railway. This station used to have five lines, but only three are still active today. Track 1 is used for pangrango trains. Track 2 is usually used for Siliwangi trains. Whereas track 3 is for the storage car. The sukabumi station was once mentioned as having branch to Cikembar. This track may have been used to transport fuel oil (BBM). The tracks don't exist anymore. The reason this passage probably no longer exists is because it was dismantled by the Japanese empire during world war II and transported to Burma, the new Pekanbaru or Bayah to build a railway line there.

         The second difference of Sukabumi station is locomotive dipo and turn-table. The locomotive dipo is a place of storage, preparation, inspection, maintaining, and minor improvement in order to make the locomotive ready to do its job pulling the train line. This sukabumi station used to have locomotive dipo and turn-table. However, locomotive dipo has now been dismantled and leaves only turn-table. In this time, however, the turn-table has also been defunted because Kereta Api Indonesia Inc. is now operating a CC206 engine equipped with two cabins where it won't need to be rotated.

     The last difference of sukabumi station is the facility. Sukabumi station has been upgraded to rejuvenate the building but remains to preserve its original form. Facilities at sukabumi station are currently increasing. It's like free wi-fi and mobile recharge. For other facilities, though, the parking space in the front of the station is becoming increasingly out of control. There are many vehicles deliberately parked outside the station. This was a bit troubling because it made the front and rear end of the station more and more narrow, for the 4 wheels could barely steer its vehicle because there was only one entrance, on the other side being blocked by a market which added an impression of rundown and uncomfortable. This is certainly in contrast to the way things used to be, where the front area looked clean and orderly.

    Those are some of the differences between past and present Sukabumi train stations. Sukabumi Station is a Cultural Heritage building that is protected by cultural heritage laws. The distinctive buildings are not simply beautiful to behold. But it's also a reminder of the people's spirit of struggle that builds railroad tracks.