Sabah Railway will receive the RM8 million train at the end of November for service by next January. It will replace an old train used mostly between Beaufort and Tenom, to minimise cancellations.
The railway’s general manager, Melvin V Majanga, said the federal government approved the purchase of three new diesel railcar trains, expected by early 2018, and to improve the railway line from Halogilat to Tenom this year at a cost of RM99.5 million.
A renovated railbus was acquired for the Tanjung Aru and Beaufort route and was ready for use at any time, he said. The vehicle has a 90-passenger capacity, while the two railbuses currently in use can only accommodate 40 persons each.
He said Sabah Railway had five-year and 20-year strategic plans to develop the railway as a public transport of choice by 2030.
“Four of our trains on the Beaufort-Halogilat and Halogilat-Tenom routes are at least 35 years old. Services from Beaufort to Tenom often have had to be cancelled because of train conditions and technical problems,” Majanga said.
“It is a challenge for us to keep a regular timetable with heavy rains and floods happening unexpectedly during the year, which is out of our control. Whenever the lines are flooded, we need to inspect for flaws, do repair work or replace defective sleepers to make sure the tracks are safe.
“It can be frustrating for passengers and they are usually given at least an hour’s notice for cancellation of services or are advised to find alternative transport. We also offer compensation for tickets sold,” he said.
In 2014, there were 791 cancellations out of 7,311 train services and 762 cancellations out of 6,942 services last year; with disruptions commonly affecting schedules from Beaufort to Tenom.
Passenger numbers reached 585,772 in 2014 and 505,651 in 2015 with the highest ridership in Beaufort, Papar, Tanjung Aru and Tenom.
A new headquarters is being built, with the main railway station in Tanjung Aru being rebuilt as part of a mixed commercial development project by property developer S P Setia.
– BERNAMA