The closure of the inner-city tram line "Bodjong Express" owned by SJS

1940

---

Caption Bahasa Indonesia

Jurnatan Station is one of the stops of the Bodjong Express city steam tram

Source: Gedenkboek der Samarang-Joana Stoomtram Maatschappij

The S.J.S. (Semarang-Joana Stoomtram Maatschappij) inner-city tram line, known as the Bodjong Express, was officially closed. Precisely on 1 March 1940, a farewell ceremony for the Bodjong Express steam tram was held at S.J.S. Centraal Djurnatan Station.

The steam tram service that was closed was only the passenger public transport service on the inner city route, while the freight train from Djurnatan to Poncol was still operating as usual. As reported in De Avondpost, 31 December 1939- Art. 110, under the headline "Dienst Wordt Spotgezet" (Service Closed), it was explained that the freight distribution train service from Djurnatan station to Poncol and vice versa would be maintained and continue to operate around four to six times a day.

Regarding how long the line would be maintained, it is likely that negotiations between the SJS zustermaatschappijen and the government were still pending in the hope that the SJS would build a new line. Therefore, the line would remain in operation for approximately one and a half years after the newspaper was published (1939) and until the negotiations between the two parties reached an agreement.

Previous event:

1933 - There were rumours circulating in the public as mentioned in "Algemeen Handelsblad voor Nederlandsch-Indie, edition 14 June 1933- Article 23" stating that the Bodjong Express service (steam tram service in the city) under the directors of S.J.S. would be closed by the government on 31 December 1933.

The rumours seemed to be true, as towards the end of the service contract, the revenue from passenger transport dropped drastically. SJS and the Semarang municipality were dissatisfied with the achievements of the old Bodjong-Express locomotives.

Other reasons for the decision included: the steam trams being too old to operate, and the track conditions were poor at several locations along the tram route. There were also many public complaints about accidents caused by trams; dirty fumes from steam trams; and noise from steam engines. Simultaneously, in the same year, the government began planning to budget for the provision of a city bus service.