Reasons For Importing Used Trains From Japan: Starting From Grants

Reasons For Importing Used Trains From Japan (Balazs Busznyak - Unsplash)

YOGYAKARTA - In order to increase passenger transport capacity, PT Kereta Commuter Indonesia (KCI) will increase the series of electric train (KRL) to 119 units. All of these additional trains are imported from Japan. This is a used train that is no longer used in Sakura Country. You ask why, what is the reason for importing used trains from Japan?

"This year we will bring in 100 trains. Maybe the remaining five series will come," said KCI Safety Director John Roberto, as quoted by Antara, Thursday, August 15, 2022.

By adding this train, KCI targets to be able to carry up to 1.2 million passengers per day at the end of 2019. Based on KCI's knowledge, currently the next subsidiary of PT Kereta Api Indonesia (KAI) can only carry 1.1 million passengers per day.

KCI is optimistic that the following target can be achieved. Moreover, requests for trains are always available at the same time as the community's needs for this mode of transportation. Currently, there are 958 KRL trips per day, along with five trajectories with a total length of 418 kilometers.

The purchase of trains carried out by KCI raises questions. Indonesia already has a PT Industri Kereta Api (INKA), but instead KCI imports the needs of trains from abroad. In fact, the imported trains are used trains whose age is already old.

INKA President Director Budi Noviantoro explained that imported trains from Japan cannot be compared to trains made by his company. The main reason KAI imports trains from Japan is related to prices. The train imported from Japan is a used train which is less expensive from a new train made by INKA.

He said the cost for bringing in used trains from Japan is usually around Rp. 2 billion. This cost is much less expensive than the price of the new train produced by INKA, winning US$ 1.3 million or equivalent to Rp. 18 billion, with the current exchange rate. "In Japan, even though it only erodes used goods, the cost is also expensive. But if you have to buy new, it's also more expensive," said Budi at the Ministry of SOEs Building, Jakarta, Monday, August 19, 2022.

Even so, said Budi, KAI still takes into account that buying trains comes from INKA. One of the considerations is that the case of maintenance of used trains comes from Japan which makes it difficult. The spare parts are difficult to get because many have not been produced. The cost of maintenance can also be expensive, because the age of the train is old.

In addition, the permit from the Ministry of Industry (Kemenperin) to PT KCJ regarding technical imports of used capital goods will soon expire. "It seems that KAI does not have a permit there, so inevitably they need a new train for 2023," said Budi.

Brawl From Grants

The presence of a former Japanese train crossing the railroad tracks began with a grant. In 2000, the Tokyo City Government donated KRL Toei to the 6000 series to the Indonesian government. This is one of the legendary trains, because it is the first former Japanese KRL (AC) to operate in Indonesia. This train marks the start of the era of modernization of the Jabolabek KRL.

KRL Toei series 6000 has been operating in Japan since 1968. In fact, Japan has confirmed its habitability to use its 50-year production train. However, only 32 years of operation, Japan retired this type of train and replaced it with a new one. Instead of being dumped, the Japanese government also donated its old train to Indonesia.

At that time, Indonesia actually needed an additional series of trains. The number of passengers is too much and the available train is no longer able to accommodate. In fact, many passengers sat on the roof of the train series and at the driver's place, due to the so heavy passengers in the carriage.

In 2000, 72 units of this grant train were brought to Indonesia. This train is operated on Jalan Jabotabek, which was originally for the express train. Quite durable, this old train is able to operate for a dozen years. In Indonesia. In September 2016 all of these grant trains retired. Even though they did not receive a grant again, KAI actually bought a used train from Japan.

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