Lengking suling locomotive radiating morning in Sawahlunto. People in the "Arang City", the city that is 95 kilometers away from the city of Padang, West Sumatra immediately know, "Mak Itam" wakes up from sleep.
next to the station, "Mak Itam", nickname Lokomotive Steam series E 1060 that, it is common "sleep" long closed iron jeruji. But at that time, it’s screaming. Defending the eyes of people while returning the nuance of Dutch colonial era.
Itam is a generation of German-made steam locomotives in the end of his glory, which was 1965-1966. While still operating transporting the best coal from Sawahlunto, the locomotive  has a climbing ability of the climbing railroads that are tucked with special gerigi.
In 1992, Mak Itam began to not operate as the cover of the company Coal Ombilin. Mak Itam was brought to Ambarawa in 1996. However, when Sawahlunto Rapt was his passion to promote Tourism to realize the Cultural City of Mine Tourism, in 2008, Mak Itam returned
The Steam Loko began to be re-operated for the general on March 1, 2009, by bringing a carriage made of Dutch artificial wood in 1921. Mak Itam serves tourists with Sawahlunto Railway Station route in Teleng Village (City Center) to Muarokalaban Railway Station
Thus, the age can not be dusty. Itam is not young again, it can only fall asleep in the cage at once as the Railway Museum. In 2015, Mak Itam is broken. The spare parts are difficult to look for and the price is expensive. Until finally PT KAI repeatedly replaces spare parts by making itself in the lathe workshop. But the effort can not also make Mak Itam is able to run far
PT KAI must bring the Uap Locomotive Repair Team from Ambarawa Railway Museum to be able to handle damage to the historic locomotive. Through good coordination and communication, KAI has successfully completed this improvement early than the original target in January 2023 in order to re-operation of Mak Itam on December 2022.
The return operation of the Mak Itam was carried out after the
collaboration between BUMN, KAI, Biofarma, Fertilizer Indonesia, and Semen Indonesia. Injourney is a role as the Head of Project Management Office BUMN for West Sumatra Tourism.
The operation of KA Wisata is an effort to improve tourism in West Sumatra, especially in Sawahlunto. The community can now return to travel by train in the area set as UNESCO’s New World Heritage Site, the Ombilin Coal Mining Heritage of Sawahlunto.
The operation of Mak Itam every time the road with the route of Sawahlunto Station - Muaro Kalaban Station requires half tons of coal and three cubic water. The operational cost is a little IDR2 million. With the conditions that are not young again, Mak Itam certainly cannot run every day. PT KAI will run Mak Itam on weekends or honor visits.
The existence of Mak Itam for daily is now replaced diesel locomotives with a serial number of BB 3037804 to pull the carriage. While Mak Itam remains on the path, it is spoiled and kept the menu.
Photo and Text : Iggoy el Fitra