Muar State Railway
Encyclopedia
The Muar State Railway was a railroad
operating in the district of Muar
in Johore state
, Malaya
. Significantly, the MSR was the second railway line to operate in the state of Johore after the short-lived Johore Wooden Railway
(JWR), and began operation in 1890, five years after the openning of Perak Railway's Taiping
-Port Weld
line. In comparison to the JWR, the MSR was more successful commercially, operating for 39 years before facing closure under stiff competition coupled with rising operation costs.
(also known as Muar town
). As a result, Muar was economically important in the state of Johore.
The need for a railway arose when Parit Jawa
, an area under Muar south of Bandar Maharani, required safe passage for the transportation of crops such as gambier
s, coconut
s and Pinang
s. As Parit Jawa was inaccessible to Bandar Maharani via land, transport of goods would have to be conducted by river and sea, which were exposed to pirate attacks
.
On November 13, 1887, a discussion was held between Resident Tungku Sulaiman and the head for the Land Office and Agriculture Affairs of Muar district, Dato' Bentara Luar, which concluded with an agreement to construct a railway line between Bandar Maharani and Parit Jawa for dual uses: To transport passengers between the two localities, and to improve transportation of goods.
, the line from Jalan Sulaiman (Sulaiman Road) in Bandar Maharani to Parit Jawa completed in 1890. In 1894, the line was extended another 3 miles (4.8 km) to Sungai Pulai.
By 1915, the profitability of the MSR motivated the Sultan of Johore to suggest an extension of railway services up to the Batu Pahat
river, but never materialised due to financial factors and geographical conditions.
Permanent stations:
Temporary stations:
bearing works numbers 962 and 963; the third Black, Hawthorn & Co locomotive bearing works number 1017 was ordered later on July 5, 1890. During World War I
, new locomotives from the United States
were procured.
The trainsets of the MSR were originally planned for mixed use
, consisting of an engine, 5 passenger coaches with outward facing seats (divided into first class, second class and third class), three goods vans and two further vans. This gave each trainset the ability to transport both freights and passengers, which partially contributed to the MSR's initial success.
The fare for passengers was five cents per mile. As agreed in 1887, free transportation was to be given to school children who went to Bandar Maharani's English school.
86,701.92 compared to an expenditure of $ 63,216.77.
Numerous factors were attributed to the increase in demand. As the MSR was operational during its early years, the growth of economic activities in Muar, coupled with a cessation of sea transport, fueled demands for MSR's train services. In addition, the MSR's decision to utillise train sets accommodating both freights and passengers helped improve frequency of services and maximised each locomotive's potential. By the time the MSR was extended to Sungai Pulai in 1894, the MSR train ran five times a day.
The MSR suffered several technical difficulties throughout its service. In its later years, it became known soft ground under the line left parts of the MSR line vulnerable to collapse, resulting in the need to pile the ground each time a train passed through the areas and contributing to the line's increasing expenditure.
By the 1920s, profitability of the MSR declined as the MSR's rolling stock were aging while maintenance costs on the railway and stations were increasing. The MSR also faced competition from newly introduced road transport: Jalan Abdul Rahman, a road between Bandar Maharani and Parit Jawa, openned in 1925 and rendered the MSR redundant. Lagging behind road-based vehicles, the MSR finally ceased operation in 1929.
(FMSR), which went on to extend its existing lines in Perak
and Selangor
to the north, south and east in Malaya. Under an agreement with the FMSR, the Johore state government participated in the development of the FMSR line by forming Johore Railway (JR), which undertook the construction of the Johore segment of the mainline from its boundary with Negeri Sembilan
to Johor Bahru, before allowing itself to be absorbed into the FMSR in 1912. While Johore received FMSR train services upon completion of the line in 1909, the FMSR line bypassed all urban centres in Muar, leaving the MSR line unconnected to the wider FMSR network. Following the absorption of JR into the FMSR, the MSR remained in service for an additional 17 years before its closure.
Little remains of the MSR line and stations. Following its closure, most of the railway system were demolished or paved over. While the fate of the MSR's rolling stock is largely unknown; only one MSR locomotive of unknown specification serves as a permanent display in a park in Muar town.
Rail transport
Rail transport is a means of conveyance of passengers and goods by way of wheeled vehicles running on rail tracks. In contrast to road transport, where vehicles merely run on a prepared surface, rail vehicles are also directionally guided by the tracks they run on...
operating in the district of Muar
Muar
Muar may refer to* Muar District, a district in Johor, Malaysia* Muar , a town in the district of Muar.* Muar River * Muar River...
in Johore state
Johor Sultanate
The Sultanate of Johor was founded by Malaccan Sultan Mahmud Shah's son, Sultan Alauddin Riayat Shah II in 1528. Johor was part of the Malaccan Sultanate before the Portuguese conquered Malacca's capital in 1511...
, Malaya
British Malaya
British Malaya loosely described a set of states on the Malay Peninsula and the Island of Singapore that were brought under British control between the 18th and the 20th centuries...
. Significantly, the MSR was the second railway line to operate in the state of Johore after the short-lived Johore Wooden Railway
Johore Wooden Railway
The Johore Wooden Railway was an early railroad in the Johore Sultanate, Malaya , which was intended to link New Johore to an unspecified location "18 miles in the direction of Gunong Pulai"...
(JWR), and began operation in 1890, five years after the openning of Perak Railway's Taiping
Taiping
-Places:*Taiping Island , or Itu Aba Island, the largest of the Spratly Islands controlled by the Republic of China *Taiping, Perak, a town in the state of Perak, Malaysia*Taiping District...
-Port Weld
Kuala Sepetang
Kuala Sepetang is a coastal town located in Perak, Malaysia. The town was formerly known as Port Weld after a former Governor, Frederick Weld. It is a thriving fishing village, and the main jumping-off point to the river mouth community of Kuala Sangga, which is a Chinese fishing community at the...
line. In comparison to the JWR, the MSR was more successful commercially, operating for 39 years before facing closure under stiff competition coupled with rising operation costs.
Rationale
The district of Muar enjoyed significant economic growth during the late 19th century as a result of a boom in the agricultural industry around the newly formed town of Bandar MaharaniMuar
Muar may refer to* Muar District, a district in Johor, Malaysia* Muar , a town in the district of Muar.* Muar River * Muar River...
(also known as Muar town
Muar
Muar may refer to* Muar District, a district in Johor, Malaysia* Muar , a town in the district of Muar.* Muar River * Muar River...
). As a result, Muar was economically important in the state of Johore.
The need for a railway arose when Parit Jawa
Parit Jawa
Parit Jawa is a main town in Muar district, Johor, Malaysia. Directly translated - "Javanese Drain",PJ is located about 15km from Muar town and 39km from Batu Pahat town. It is famous for its seafood because they are fresh and also Kuah Asam Pedas the famous Malay cuisine...
, an area under Muar south of Bandar Maharani, required safe passage for the transportation of crops such as gambier
Uncaria
Uncaria is a genus of flowering plants in the family Rubiaceae. It has about 40 species. Their distribution is pantropical, with most species native to tropical Asia, three from Africa and the Mediterranean and two from the neotropics. They are known colloquially as Gambier, Cat's Claw or Uña de...
s, coconut
Coconut
The coconut palm, Cocos nucifera, is a member of the family Arecaceae . It is the only accepted species in the genus Cocos. The term coconut can refer to the entire coconut palm, the seed, or the fruit, which is not a botanical nut. The spelling cocoanut is an old-fashioned form of the word...
s and Pinang
Betel nut
The Areca nut is the seed of the Areca palm , which grows in much of the tropical Pacific, Asia, and parts of east Africa. It is commonly referred to as "betel nut" as it is often chewed wrapped in betel leaves.-Description:...
s. As Parit Jawa was inaccessible to Bandar Maharani via land, transport of goods would have to be conducted by river and sea, which were exposed to pirate attacks
Piracy
Piracy is an act of robbery or criminal violence at sea. The term can include acts committed on land, in the air, or in other major bodies of water or on a shore. It does not normally include crimes committed against persons traveling on the same vessel as the perpetrator...
.
On November 13, 1887, a discussion was held between Resident Tungku Sulaiman and the head for the Land Office and Agriculture Affairs of Muar district, Dato' Bentara Luar, which concluded with an agreement to construct a railway line between Bandar Maharani and Parit Jawa for dual uses: To transport passengers between the two localities, and to improve transportation of goods.
Construction and extensions
Early construction work on the Muar State Railway line were conducted mostly by Malay and Javanese workers, the latter having migrated in masses to the Malay peninsular, with low pay and no permanent jobs. Construction of the MSR commenced early 1889 with materials entirely supplied from EuropeEurope
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
, the line from Jalan Sulaiman (Sulaiman Road) in Bandar Maharani to Parit Jawa completed in 1890. In 1894, the line was extended another 3 miles (4.8 km) to Sungai Pulai.
By 1915, the profitability of the MSR motivated the Sultan of Johore to suggest an extension of railway services up to the Batu Pahat
Batu Pahat
Batu Pahat is a district in the state of Johor, Malaysia. It lies south-east of Muar, south-west of Kluang, north-west of Pontian, and south of Segamat and the new Ledang district. The capital of the district is Bandar Penggaram, Batu Pahat....
river, but never materialised due to financial factors and geographical conditions.
Stations
The Muar State Railway included a total of 13 stations, of which 5 were permanent and 8 were temporary.Permanent stations:
- Bandar Maharani (Muar town)MuarMuar may refer to* Muar District, a district in Johor, Malaysia* Muar , a town in the district of Muar.* Muar River * Muar River...
- Parit BakarParit BakarParit Bakar is a small town in Muar, Johor, Malaysia. It is well known for its furniture industry. It is subdivided to "Parit Bakar Darat" and " Parit Bakar Laut". Parit Bakar Laut is 1 km towards the coastline from Parit Bakar town centre. Parit Bakar is located about 8 km away from Muar...
- Parit JawaParit JawaParit Jawa is a main town in Muar district, Johor, Malaysia. Directly translated - "Javanese Drain",PJ is located about 15km from Muar town and 39km from Batu Pahat town. It is famous for its seafood because they are fresh and also Kuah Asam Pedas the famous Malay cuisine...
- Parit Pecah
- Parit Pulai
Temporary stations:
- Parit Perupok
- Parit Keroma
- Parit RajaParit RajaParit Raja （巴力拉惹） is a town in Batu Pahat District, Johor, Malaysia. The main population of this town is Javanese. There has been substantial growth in this region for the past few years. Universiti Tun Hussein Onn Malaysia , or Tun Hussein Onn University of Malaysia, is located here...
- Parit Unas
- Parit Samsu
- Parit Jamil
- Parit Bulat
- Parit Seri Menanti
Rolling stock
In its first years of operation, the Muar State Railway was estimated to own 3 steam locomotives: On January 28, 1889, as construction of the railroad was underway, the first two locomotives were ordered from Black, Hawthorn & CoBlack, Hawthorn & Co
Black, Hawthorn and Company was a steam locomotive manufacturer with a works situated in Gateshead, Tyne and Wear, UK.-John Coulthard and Son:...
bearing works numbers 962 and 963; the third Black, Hawthorn & Co locomotive bearing works number 1017 was ordered later on July 5, 1890. During World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
, new locomotives from the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
were procured.
The trainsets of the MSR were originally planned for mixed use
Mixed train
A mixed train is a train that hauls both passenger and freight cars or wagons. In the early days of railways they were quite common, but by the 20th century they were largely confined to branch lines with little traffic. As the trains provided passengers with very slow service, mixed trains have...
, consisting of an engine, 5 passenger coaches with outward facing seats (divided into first class, second class and third class), three goods vans and two further vans. This gave each trainset the ability to transport both freights and passengers, which partially contributed to the MSR's initial success.
The fare for passengers was five cents per mile. As agreed in 1887, free transportation was to be given to school children who went to Bandar Maharani's English school.
Operation and decline
The Muar State Railway was financially successful due largely to improved demand. In 1915, income for the MSR reached $Straits dollar
The Straits dollar was the currency of the Straits Settlements from 1904 until 1939. At the same time, it was also used in the Federated Malay States, the Unfederated Malay States, Sarawak, Brunei, and British North Borneo.-History:...
86,701.92 compared to an expenditure of $ 63,216.77.
Numerous factors were attributed to the increase in demand. As the MSR was operational during its early years, the growth of economic activities in Muar, coupled with a cessation of sea transport, fueled demands for MSR's train services. In addition, the MSR's decision to utillise train sets accommodating both freights and passengers helped improve frequency of services and maximised each locomotive's potential. By the time the MSR was extended to Sungai Pulai in 1894, the MSR train ran five times a day.
The MSR suffered several technical difficulties throughout its service. In its later years, it became known soft ground under the line left parts of the MSR line vulnerable to collapse, resulting in the need to pile the ground each time a train passed through the areas and contributing to the line's increasing expenditure.
By the 1920s, profitability of the MSR declined as the MSR's rolling stock were aging while maintenance costs on the railway and stations were increasing. The MSR also faced competition from newly introduced road transport: Jalan Abdul Rahman, a road between Bandar Maharani and Parit Jawa, openned in 1925 and rendered the MSR redundant. Lagging behind road-based vehicles, the MSR finally ceased operation in 1929.
Legacy
The Muar State Railway was the last state-run railway to operate in Johore. By 1915, other state run railway operators such as Perak Railway and Selangor Railway have consolidated to form the Federated Malay States RailwaysFederated Malay States Railways
The Federated Malay States Railways was a consolidated railroad operator in British Malaya during the first half of the 20th century...
(FMSR), which went on to extend its existing lines in Perak
Perak
Perak , one of the 13 states of Malaysia, is the second largest state in the Peninsular Malaysia bordering Kedah and Yala Province of Thailand to the north, Penang to the northwest, Kelantan and Pahang to the east, Selangor the Strait of Malacca to the south and west.Perak means silver in Malay...
and Selangor
Selangor
Selangor also known by its Arabic honorific, Darul Ehsan, or "Abode of Sincerity") is one of the 13 states of Malaysia. It is on the west coast of Peninsular Malaysia and is bordered by Perak to the north, Pahang to the east, Negeri Sembilan to the south and the Strait of Malacca to the west...
to the north, south and east in Malaya. Under an agreement with the FMSR, the Johore state government participated in the development of the FMSR line by forming Johore Railway (JR), which undertook the construction of the Johore segment of the mainline from its boundary with Negeri Sembilan
Negeri Sembilan
Negeri Sembilan, one of the 13 states that constitutes Malaysia, lies on the western coast of Peninsular Malaysia, just south of Kuala Lumpur and borders Selangor on the north, Pahang in the east, and Malacca and Johor to the south....
to Johor Bahru, before allowing itself to be absorbed into the FMSR in 1912. While Johore received FMSR train services upon completion of the line in 1909, the FMSR line bypassed all urban centres in Muar, leaving the MSR line unconnected to the wider FMSR network. Following the absorption of JR into the FMSR, the MSR remained in service for an additional 17 years before its closure.
Little remains of the MSR line and stations. Following its closure, most of the railway system were demolished or paved over. While the fate of the MSR's rolling stock is largely unknown; only one MSR locomotive of unknown specification serves as a permanent display in a park in Muar town.