in April 20, 2002, A team of IRPS visited Cirebon Locomotive Center to inspect the condition of remaining CC200s (CC200 08, CC200 09 and CC200 15) and interviewed the depot staff. Here are excerpts from the interview, with some obserations.
The IRPS team and the depot staff poses in front of CC200 15.
From left to right are: Imron (Junior Technician), Widoyoko (IRPS), Budi B. Sofyan (IRPS), Sugiyo (Head of Traction), Eddy Mardijanto (railfan), Karsa (Senior Technician)
IRPS: The main traction office (at Bandung) no longer listed CC200s for general maintenance. How can the Cirebon CC200s be maintained, and what about the funding?
Sugiyo, Head of Traction Depot: As with other active locomotives, the CC200s are still listed in the maintenance programs (quarterly, semi-annually and anually). However, the programs are not thoroughly executed, since firstly, the locomotives are no longer required, and secondly, priority is given for other active locomotives such as the CC201s.
The maintenance funding comes from the Cirebon operational region (Daop 3). If any of the CC200s remain, it is the result of the hard work and creativity of Cirebon locomotive depot staff. We do have some CC200 spare parts in our stock, however, the number is getting smaller.
IRPS: What parts are needed to restore the CC200s to fully operational status? And what is the cost?
Sugiyo and Hidayat, Assistant Head of Equipments Section: Since the CC200 is a diesel-electric locomotive, the most important spare parts must have been the electrical equipments. Much of the wiring are frayed, which can cause electrical shorts. This is very dangerous, of course. The diesel prime movers are very old, they have never been repowered, and the condition is very bad. The prime movers need complete overhauling.
All three remaining CC200s in Cirebon depot have never been repowered (Normally, repowered locomotives are marked with a blue circle on the face of the locomotive).
IRPS: What about the supply of spare parts for the CC200s?
Sugiyo: There is no longer any supply of spares. The last time Cirebon depot received spare parts from Yogyakarta shops was in 1996 or 1997. The only spare parts we have are those already in our stock, so if they are gone, then the CC200s will soon follow.
IRPS: What spare parts are hardest to obtain? Can local sources provide those parts?
Sugiyo and Hidayat: Braking equipments. The CC200’s brakes are now very weak, because the piping are frayed, leaking and sometimes jammed. They need replacement. Since there are no maintenance instruction manual, we have to make “guesses” in maintaining these locomotives.
Local sources might be able to provide parts such as water hoses, however, cylinder liners are not locally-made. This is a vital equipment, since the existing ones are all damaged.
IRPS: Is Cirebon depot able to perform major overhauls to the CC200s? If not, what depots are able to do it?
Sugiyo and Karsa (Technician): Major overhauls cannot be performed on depots, since specialized equipments are needed, such as those to disassemble gears. Light maintenance and regular maintenance can be performed, however. Normally, heavy repairs are performed at Yogyakarta shops (Balai Yasa).
Observation showed that Cirebon depot has only relatively simple equipments, however, depot staff showed their creativity in fashioning manual equipments for disassembling locomotive parts.
IRPS: There are 3 CC200s at Cirebon (CC200s 08, 09 and 15). Which one is “healthiest,” and what are the plans for each locomotive?
Sugiyo: The healthiest one is CC200 15. CC200 08 has many leaks in the braking and lubricating systems, so much that it needs one drum of lubricating oil to run between Cirebon and Prupuk. CC200 15 has less engine noise than CC200 08.
We at Cirebon depot plan to maintain these locomotives regularly, with regard to available spare parts and the plans from the head office to preserve at least CC200 15 as an operational museum piece. CC200 09 will probably be cannibalized for the other two.
IRPS: Will the CC200s be used for revenue service again?
Sugiyo: Probably not, since economically speaking, it is not profitable. For example, the CC200 08, if we use it for the Cirebon-Prupuk run, it will need one drum (about 85 litres) of lubricating oil for each run. This is caused by the leaking cylinder liners.
IRPS: IRMC/IRPS plans to preserve the CC200 for future generations. What do you think if the CC200s are no longer used for revenue service, but used to pull tourist or special trains, or on special occassions such as on Independence Day or Railway Day?
Sugiyo and Hidayat: We think it is an excellent plan. Actually, when Makbul Sujudi was the Head of the 3rd Operational Region, he did ask that a serviceable CC200 be used to take schoolchildren on Railway Day, between Cirebon and Babakan or Tegal, for example, and return.
In principle, we just follow orders from our superiors.
IRPS: How many passenger carriages can a CC200 pull, and how fast?
Sugiyo and Hidayat: CC200s can pull 4 or 5 passenger cars, since the brake compressor is rather weak. The maximum speed is about 50 km/h.
IRPS: How long can a CC200 run continuously?
Sugiyo: CC200s can run continuously for a day at notch 3 at the throttle.
IRPS: If our program (IRPS) succeeded, can Cirebon depot staff provide the necessary facilities and maintenance?
Sugiyo and Hidayat: It is indeed planned that CC200 15 will be preserved as an operational museum piece, as suggested by Suprayitno (Head of Locomotive and DMU Traction). However, the main obstacle is the poor condition of the prime mover, which is indeed difficult to restore to as-new condition. We cannot address the engine leak problem, since major parts need replacement (especially the cylinder liners). We can use plastic metal to repair some leaks, however.
IRPS: How much longer can a well-maintained CC200 remain operable?
Sugiyo: We cannot guarantee the length, because the severe corrosion of the cylinder liners, causing leaks. This is a very important component of the locomotive.
IRPS: How much is the monthly/annual maintenance costs of a normal CC200?
Sugiyo: We have no idea, sorry. Maintenance of the CC200s in Cirebon depot has always been performed by using existing spare part stocks, or cannibalizing parts of CC 200 09.
IRPS: When CC200s were new (1953), how many CC200s were assigned to Cirebon depot for maintenance?
Sugiyo and Karsa: CC200s began appearing in Cirebon depot since the 1970s, however, they were still assigned to Bandung depot. At that time, the locomotives only stayed temporarily, between assignments, or for light regular maintenance after an assignment.
IRPS: Which depots have maintained CC200s?
Sugiyo, Hidayat and the technicians: As far as we know, only Bandung, Cirebon and Yogyakarta. We do not know if other depots did.
IRPS: When was the last major overhaul of the CC200s?
Sugiyo: We do not know exactly when, but probably it was in 1996, since it was the last time Yogyakarta shops provide us with spare parts.
IRPS: We have a photograph of CC200 26, in red-and-blue livery at Cirebon depot, however, the locomotive is no longer here. Can you tell us what happened to the locomotive?
Sugiyo: It was in the 1990s, when CC200 26 was to receive major overhauls in Yogyakarta shops. After some time, we asked Yogyakarta shops, why our locomotive has not returned. It happens that the locomotive has been scrapped since they consider it superannuated and no longer serviceable, because of lack of spares.
Actually, the locomotive was then in rather better condition than other locomotives currently existing.
IRPS: Do you have photographs of CC200?
Sugiyo: Unfortunately, not.
Our team’s observation shows that there is only one photo of CC200 26 on Mr. Sugiyo’s wall, similar to one in IRMC’s archives. It is probable that the photograph was taken by one of our members (Lie Tjeng Chiao) and given to him on a previous visit.
IRPS: Personally, what do you think about IRMC/IRPS’s plan?
Sugiyo: It is good, since the public has never shown that much interest on PT Kereta Api’s assets.
IRPS: Personally, would you mind if at least one of the CC200s were transferred to another depot, such as in Bandung?
Sugiyo: Not at all. However, we will not mind if the CC200s remain at Cirebon, since we will follow our superior’s orders. Cirebon depot staff only execute orders.
IRPS: How long have you maintained CC200s?
Karsa: More than 20 years. Ever since I arrived at Cirebon depot in 1974, I have maintained CC200s.
IRPS: Do you have any suggestions for us?
Sugiyo: We think it is an excellent plan, however, it is a pity that many CC200s have been extinct before the program was created.