The Jungle Line

The railway line from Tumpat to Gemas is known unofficially as the Jungle Line, as it traverses the thick rainforest of Kelantan and Pahang. Starting this August the line between Gua Musang and Gemas will undergo major repair work to the aging tracks during the day which means no more day trains for the next 2 years. This is sad because the best way to appreciate the lovely view along this route is during the day.

I did manage to travel on this route from Wakaf Baru to Johor Bahru in 2011. The journey started early in the morning at 7.15am at the station that serves the state capitol. First thing I noticed were these ladies and the huge amount of items that they were traveling with. They had sacks of vegetables, fruits, pots and pans, mats, brooms, you name it, they had it. The moment the train stopped it was like a major race as teams of people started a relay of loading the items onto the trains.

The race to load everything onto the train begins!

The items were placed everywhere, blocking exits

Only second class was available

It was amazing to watch them load everything during that short 2 minute stop at Wakaf Baru. The Sinaran Timur had only second class coaches which were comfortable but no buffet coach. Soon we were on our way pass towns like Pasir Mas and Tanah Merah before me headed into the interior of Kelantan.

The first interesting stop was Manek Urai. It was to be a short 1 minute stop but I saw the train crew get down and walk to the station. I asked one of them what was going on and he said we were waiting to cross with a delayed train and it would take a good 45 minutes. So I too joined them at this little "warong" and got myself a plate of Nasi Lemak and coffee. Then it was an opportunity to take photos of the train!

I always preferred the old station boards to the current blue ones

The little warong at Manek Urai

Edible, nothing to write home about!

Our YDM locomotive for the day

Jungle ferns waiting for it's journey to the market

A class 24 locomotive hauling this night train from KL

Friendly train driver

Finally after crossing with the delayed train we are on our way. The scenery is now thick rainforest, mist covered mountains, muddy rivers and the view is truly refreshing. Dabong, Kemubu, Gua Musang all exotic towns in the deep interior of the east coast.

 

Soon we arrive at the famous town of Gua Musang. The train used to be it's only link to the outside world

Welcome to the Gua Musang station

The main street of the town is just outside

The famous limestone hill that is the backdrop to the station

A makcik selling something on the platform

Kuala Lipis

As we entered Pahang, passengers that joined the train in Kelantan at the start of the journey began to disembark while those that boarded here are heading to Johor and Singapore. The train crew said I was one of the rare persons to take this 14 hour plus train from end to end.

The view as we cross the heartland of the Peninsular

Now remember the ladies and their huge amount of "baggage"? They are traders that get their products and produce from Thailand and sell them in towns like Jerantut. One lady who had loads of bananas, started to peel and process them in the train and by the time she arrived, she bananas ready to be fried at the market! When we pull into the station at Jerantut, the relay race to unload began! It really was a scene with the station staff urging them to hurry up as the train needed to depart on time.

Ready, get set, go!

All that belonged to one lady with more coming....

Finally all out!

Most of west coast line today is a modern rail system with electrified double tracks controlled with a computerised signaling system but here on the jungle line it's still done the old way with tokens and semaphore signals.

Line clear

Token exchange

Unlock and clear the line for us

Hand token to our driver

As we head towards Gemas the jungle starts to fade and more villages and plantations become the view outside. Some 10 hours after leaving Tumpat in Kelantan the train pulls into the famous Gemas station in Negeri Sembilan which is the railway junction to the east coast line and the north south line.

Here the locomotive is changed and we wait for a train from Woodlands Singapore to cross before we continue our long journey.

Our new loco waiting

Another Indian made YDM ready to haul us south

Our first loco on the right

Off she goes to rest

Here comes the new loco

Easy does it......

After the loco change, it was still a wait for the crossing with the KL bound express from Woodlands, Singapore.

The KL bound express arrives hauled by a class 25 Locomotive

Then we pull out of the station

Bye bye Gemas

 The journey from Gemas to JB was the same one that I have taken countless times. The sun soon starts to set and by the time we pull into JB Sentral station, it is way pass 10pm. Yes, it was a long journey but one that I enjoyed. The people I met, the scenery, the clickety clack of the rails all made it an experience that has just about disappeared over on the west coast line. It's like what rail travel was for me in the 70's. Don't know how long more this will last. The up coming closure of the line for repairs will mean this long day trip can't be done for the next 2 years at least.

KTMB using power generator to power the coaches

Sunset as we pass Segamat