KTM Komuter

KTM Komuter

Class 92 SCS 14 at KL Sentral Junction
Overview
Type Commuter rail
Locale Central Sector
(Port Klang-Kuala Lumpur-Batu Caves;
Tanjung Malim-Rawang-Kuala Lumpur-Seremban)
Northern Sector
(Gurun-Butterworth-Kamunting;
Padang Besar-Butterworth)
Southern Sector
(Seremban-Tampin/Pulau Sebang-Gemas)
Stations 68 [Note 1]
Ridership 54.227 million (2015)[1]
(Increase 15.5%)
Colour on map  1   2  (Central Sector only)
Website ktmb.com.my
Operation
Opened 14 August 1995 (1995-08-14)
Owner Keretapi Tanah Melayu
Operator(s) Keretapi Tanah Melayu (Komuter Division)
Conduction system With driver
Rolling stock Class 83 3-cars formation (14 sets)
Class 81 3-cars formation (4 sets)
Class 92 6-cars formation (37 sets)
Technical
Line length 456 km
Track gauge 1000 mm

KTM Komuter is a commuter rail service brand in Malaysia operated by Keretapi Tanah Melayu (KTM). It was introduced in 1995 to provide local rail services in Kuala Lumpur and the surrounding Klang Valley suburban areas. The service was then introduced in the northern Peninsular Malaysia states of Kedah, Perak and Pulau Pinang in September 2015 after the completion of the Ipoh-Padang Besar Electrification and Double-Tracking Project,[2][3] and later on 10 October 2015, the southern sector service was introduced to cover the service between Seremban to Gemas in Negeri Sembilan after the completion of the Seremban-Gemas Electrification and Double-Tracking Project.

The trains used are air-conditioned electric multiple units. 'Park & Ride' facilities are provided at stations at a nominal charge.

KTM Komuter is currently the most profitable passenger service offered by KTM, contributing RM84.63 million to group revenue in 2006, higher than KTM Intercity's profit of 70.94 million in the same year.[4] According to the Ministry of Transport Malaysia 2015 Statistics, the ridership for the KTM Komuter is approximately 54.227 million passengers per annum.[1]

Network

Current Network

Line First operated Stations Length Termini
 1  Seremban Line (Trial Route) 15 December 2015 28 158 km Tanjung Malim Seremban
 2  Port Klang Line (Trial Route) 15 December 2015 27 52 km Batu Caves Port Klang
KTM Komuter Northern Sector
Kamunting-Butterworth-Gurun Line 		11 September 2015 11 144 km Kamunting Gurun
KTM Komuter Northern Sector
Butterworth-Padang Besar Line 		1 January 2016 13 157.8  km Butterworth Padang Besar
KTM Komuter Southern Sector
Seremban-Pulau Sebang/Tampin Line
Seremban-Pulau Sebang/Tampin-Gemas Line 		10 October 2015 7 102 km Seremban Gemas
TOTAL 68[Note 2] 456 km  

Former Network

Line First operated Stations Length Termini
 1  Seremban Line 14 August 1995 28 158 km Rawang Seremban
21 April 2007 Rawang Tanjung Malim
 2  Port Klang Line 14 August 1995 27 52 km Sentul Port Klang
29 July 2010 Batu Caves Sentul

Central Sector

Main articles: Seremban Line and Port Klang Line

KTM Komuter's 175 km (109 mi) metre-gauge network in the Central Sector mainly cover in Klang Valley has 53 stations. It consists of two cross-city routes, namely the Port Klang Line and Seremban Line lines, plus a shuttle service from Rawang to Tanjung Malim, which began in April 2007.

Transfers between the two main lines can be made at any of the four stations on the central core: KL Sentral, Kuala Lumpur, Bank Negara and Putra. Same-platform or cross-platform interchange is available at Kuala Lumpur. Passengers to and from stations between Rawang and Tanjung Malim must change trains at Rawang station.

KTM Komuter also services shopping complexes and recreational centres. The Mid Valley station opened in 2004 next to the Mid Valley Megamall. Other shopping centres near KTM Komuter stations are Subang Parade, ÆON BiG Subang Jaya (nearby Subang Jaya station) and The MINES (Serdang station).

Passengers for Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) may take the KTM Komuter to Nilai Komuter halt and change to an airport bus, or they may change at KL Sentral station on to the dedicated KLIA Ekspres. Interchange with the Rapid (KL city metro) network is available at Bandar Tasik Selatan station for the Sri Petaling Line and at KL Sentral for the Kelana Jaya Line. Passengers may also transfer to the Ampang Line in the city centre at Bank Negara station by means of a 200-metre covered walk to the Bandaraya LRT station.

KTM Komuter tickets are sold at counters and via vending machines, available at all stations and halts.

The service is subject to overcrowding during rush hours. To help alleviate this, the operator introduced a new queuing system to help passengers line up when the trains are coming. The lines are painted on the floor with three colour codes representing each of the train set. The system was first implemented at KL Sentral station on 17 October 2008.[5] The operator is also considering introducing express services between Sungai Buloh and Kajang stations and between Kuala Lumpur and Shah Alam station during rush hours by the end of 2008.[6]

From 15 December 2015, the routes of Seremban Line and Port Klang Line are switched as part of a six-month trial. Trains from Seremban Line head towards Batu Caves, and trains from Klang head towards Rawang, and vice versa. Transfers can be done at the four shared stations.[7]

Northern Sector

On 11 September 2015, Keretapi Tanah Melayu Berhad introduced the Northern Sector KTM Komuter Shuttle (Tren Shuttle KTM Komuter Sektor Utara in Bahasa Malaysia) service between Gurun in Kedah, Butterworth in Penang and Kamunting in Perak. This followed the completion of the Ipoh-Padang Besar Electrification and Double-Tracking Project in December 2014. On 1 January 2016, a second line was introduced between Butterworth and Padang Besar in Perlis.

Southern Sector

KTMB will introduced new service for the southern route on 10 October 2015 prior the completion of the Seremban-Gemas Electrified Double Tracking Project on 30 October 2013.[8]

Stations

The Komuter service was largely built from existing lines, with minor alterations (i.e. removal or abandonment of lines and replacement of wooden sleepers with concrete ones). Relevant station platforms were added and heightened to allow easier access to Komuter trains travelling in both directions.

Major pre-independence stations including Kuala Lumpur station, Klang station, Port Klang station and Seremban station were retained and upgraded to support Komuter services. Smaller, wood-based stations and halts along the line that were built at around the same time were either demolished and replaced by modern brick-and-concrete counterparts, or simply abandoned. The only exception to the rule is the old Sentul station, which has remained in service years since KTM Komuter's launch, albeit with a replacement platform.

The layouts and sizes of the new station buildings, as of the launch of the service in 1995, vary by location but are generally divided into two classes:

The platforms of the 1995 stations are virtually standardised, down to the design of the passenger semicircle-crossed shelters, the use of similarly-styled foot crossings to link all platforms, and the diamonds-based brickwork of the platforms.

Depending on the amount of patrons through the years, each station has undergone upgrades or expansions that consist of either increasing the number of ticket counters or opening new facilities for use by passengers or railway staff. Taller, wider canopies were erected on the platforms of most stations to replace narrower, original versions in 2006 and 2007. The pace of the upgrades varies by location.

During the 2000s, new stations such as the Mid Valley station appeared in more modern designs, consisting primarily of high, curved canopies above the entire platforms. Certain new stations along dual-lane lines are also included with facilities typically reserved for medium-sized stations, such as the Rasa station. The Kuala Lumpur Sentral station, however, is housed under the concrete base of the transport hub, and is stark and utilitarian in design.

Rolling stock

KTM Class 83 train (EMU 35) at Bank Negara
KTM Class 92 train in Kuala Lumpur railway station.

The original Komuter rolling stock consists of three versions of three-car EMUs added over the course of three years, beginning in 1994. The EMUs were the first in KTM's history. All Komuter EMUs operate in multiple-unit formation, running from overhead single-phase 25kV AC 50 Hz catenary supply, with two driving cars and 1 - 3 trailer cars in between. The EMUs were state-of-the-art, with remote-controlled pneumatic doors, Automatic Train Protection (ATP), train data recorder, wheel-slip control, GTO/IGBT traction electronics and regenerative braking. Up to the point of their introduction no other KTM motive power used these modern train control systems.

Designated by KTM as "Class 8x"s, the EMUs wear a yellow, blue and grey livery, a departure from the predominantly grey livery that KTM adopted on other locomotives and passenger coaches at the time. A handful of EMUs include full advertisements on the sides of their cars.

The original Komuter fleet consisted of the following models:

Four of the EMUs have since been decommissioned following serious accidents that affected their structural integrity, while another five are not listed as serviceable. On paper, the number of serviceable units in 2010 stands at 53 out of the original 62, although there are reports of far fewer trains.[9] However, the actual number of trains is set to rise back to the original, as trains are being reconditioned. This, however, may change as most of the class 8x EMUs have been retired from komuter service,having been replaced by Class 92 EMUs

By July 2012, additional 6-car rolling stock has entered service with KTM Koumter:

Expansion and future plans

New routes and stations

During the 2000s, the Komuter line saw the addition of seven more stations:[10]

On 11 September 2015, Keretapi Tanah Melayu introduced the Northern Sector KTM Komuter Shuttle Service, the first commuter train service outside the Klang Valley. The shuttle train service stops at 11 stations between Gurun and Kamunting, including Butterworth.

Route expansion in progress

Besides new stations, additional plans were made to extend the Komuter network outwards from it original route:

Incidents and accidents

Timeline

Gallery

See also

Notes

  1. ↑ Counting transfer stations only once.
  2. ↑ Counting transfer stations only once.

References

  1. 1 2 "JADUAL 2.1 : STATISTIK TRAFIK KERETAPI TANAH MELAYU BERHAD (KTMB), SUKU KEEMPAT, 2015" [Table 2.1 : Keretapi Tanah Melayu Berhad (KTMB) Traffic Statistics, Fourth Quarter, 2015] (PDF) (in Malay and English). Ministry of Transport, Malaysia. Retrieved 2016-03-23.
  2. ↑ "KTM Berhad akan memperkenalkan perkhidmatan Tren Shuttle Komuter di Sektor Utara (KTM Berhad will introduce the Komuter Shuttle Train Service in the Northern Sector)(in Malay)" (PDF). KTM Berhad. 7 September 2015. Retrieved 2015-09-11.
  3. ↑ Audrey Dermawan (2015-09-11). "KTM shuttle train service begins today". New Straits Times. Retrieved 2015-09-11.
  4. ↑ Nathan, Darshini M. (6 October 2007). "Back on track: KTMB upgrades to be competitive". Bizweek, The Star (Kuala Lumpur).
  5. ↑ Michael, Stuart (24 October 2008). "KTM implements new queuing scheme for passengers". The Star (Kuala Lumpur). Retrieved 26 October 2008.
  6. ↑ "Six trains for new services". New Straits Times (Kuala Lumpur). 26 October 2008.
  7. ↑ KTMB. "KTM Komuter Trial Route Map Effective 15 December 2015" (PDF). Retrieved 25 February 2016.
  8. ↑ KTMB Media Release – KTM Komuter Southern Sector
  9. 1 2 "Chinese trains to expand KL Komuter fleet". Railway Gazette International. 26 November 2010. Retrieved 28 November 2010.
  10. ↑ "Construction of New Commuter Stations". Archived from the original on 27 September 2007. Retrieved 17 June 2007.
  11. ↑ "KTMB spends RM200mil on new intercity and commuter trains". The Star (Kuala Lumpur). 7 February 2008.
  12. ↑ priya menon (2014-08-08). "Work on railway line from Subang airport to KL Sentral has begun - Community | The Star Online". Thestar.com.my. Retrieved 2015-03-17.
  13. ↑ "PROJEK LANDASAN KERETAPI DARI SUBANG KE TERMINAL SKYPARK SUBANG | Laman Web Rasmi Suruhanjaya Pengangkutan Awam Darat". S.P.A.D. Retrieved 2015-03-17.
  14. ↑ "Komuter crash". The Star (Kuala Lumpur). 3 March 2004. p. 1.
  15. ↑ "Crane Falls On Rail Tracks, 10,000 Passengers Stranded". Bernama. 2 March 2007. Retrieved 20 June 2007.
  16. ↑ "MPV plunges onto railway tracks". The Star (Kuala Lumpur). 22 October 2009.
  17. ↑ "Woman run down by Komuter train". The Malaysian Insider (Kuala Lumpur). 4 February 2013.

External links

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