Kuala Lumpur railway station
This article needs additional citations for verification. (August 2012) |
Indo-Saracenic | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Other information | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Station code | KA02 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
History | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Opened | 1886 (original building) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Rebuilt | 1910 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Electrified | 1995 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Original company | Federated Malay States Railways | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Services | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Location | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
The Kuala Lumpur railway station is a
The station is located along a road named Jalan Sultan Hishamuddin, previously known as Victory Avenue, which in turn was part of Damansara Road. The station is located closely to the similarly designed
History
Preceding stations
Prior to the construction of the current Kuala Lumpur station, two stations were already operational in the city.
The first railway station in Kuala Lumpur, nicknamed Resident Station due to its proximity to the
The second station,
Resident Station was demolished after construction of the new Kuala Lumpur station was completed. Meanwhile, Sultan Street Station was replaced by a smaller
Design, construction and operation
At a cost of
After the diversion of long-distance intercity rail traffic less than a kilometer south to
In the months leading up to 31 August 2007, the 50th anniversary of Malaya's independence, various sources reported the transfer of various old railway equipment from a railway warehouse in Klang and a few other locations to the old Kuala Lumpur station.[citation needed] This included a small restored shunter and an antique fire engine. The station was officially reopened on 31 August 2007 as a railway museum (where exhibitions are placed in the main hall and platform of the station), and was mooted to be converted into a cultural centre.[citation needed]
Renovations, upgrades and changes
The station has undergone several major changes in its modern history. The north wing was converted for office use by 1967, closing off the arched verandahs with windows. In 1986, the station was more extensively refurbished, with the interior and relevant windows replaced with modern counterparts while the exterior was repaired and preserved, and additional new facilities and buildings, including air-conditioned waiting halls, tourism information counters and snack bars. Parts of the station's original interior designs and frames are still present in the Heritage Station Hotel.
The refurbishment also saw an additional extension built on the south wing of the building, sporting "Raj" stylings that dominates much of the building, and the addition of a frontal façade for the north wing that sports similar architectural elements, masking hints of Western designs from the front. These changes resulted in the building sporting two additional
Other modifications made onto the old building included the rear wall of the station carved open and extended to accommodate a new station entrance, taxi stops, several office and retail spaces, while additional double-storey retail spaces were constructed over one of the two adjacent frontal access roads to the main building. The 1986 remodelling also saw platform extensions to the north and a new station building in the area, which connected to the General Post Office at the then newly completed Dayabumi Complex (constructed 1982 to 1984).
When
After
Platforms
The station contains three platforms serving four railway tracks, consisting of two side platforms (platforms 1 and 4) on both sides and one island platform (platforms 2 and 3) in between. The numbered designations originally applied to the lengths of both the original and extended platforms from the 1986 renovation until the introduction of Komuter in 1995, when extensions of the original platforms 2 and 3 were assigned additional "a" suffixes, i.e. platforms 2a and 3a, while designations for platforms 1 and 4 remain unchanged.
When the station originally opened in 1910 all platforms were elevated relative to the tracks but were lower than the train floor; all platforms were connected by two tunnels, respectably accessible via stairways for passengers or ramps for trolleys. The 1986 renovation, which added extended platforms elevated to the level of the train floor, had also partially raised the old side platforms to match the height of the 1986 platforms (the tunnel entrances were unaffected by the remodelling as they were located well away from the platform edges), but left the height of the old island platform largely unchanged. As a result, platforms 2 and 3 were unprepared to deal with passengers entering and exiting Komuter trains. In anticipation of the introduction of longer ETS and Komuter EMUs, renovation works were conducted in 2009 to raise platforms 2 and 3, removing century-old surface-level tunnel railings and sealing off the stairway exit from one of the tunnels to platforms 2 and 3. Larger canopy shelters connecting the old and new train sheds were also added in 2006.
The platforms have been designated the following functions:
- Until Intercity services moved to Kuala Lumpur Sentral in 2001, platforms 1 and 4 were typically assigned to service Intercity trains. As such, ticket counters for the train services were located within the old and new station buildings. When passenger traffic at the platforms ceased after 2001, the platforms continued to be used to transfer goods to and from trains. The side platforms, like the lobby of the old station building, were open to the public between 2001 and 2011, as Komuter faregates were located at the old island platform rather than within the station building. Following renovations in 2009, the platforms were repurposed for use by the ETS in 2011 with tickets sold at counters located in the former railway fan clubhouse.
- Like the side platforms, the island platforms (platforms 2 and 3, including the 1986 extension) originally served as platforms for Intercity trains services. When Komuter services were introduced in 1995, the 1986 stretch of the island platform was renumbered to platforms 2a and 3a, to be reassigned for trains serving the Sentul-Port Klang Routes. Due to the still low height of the old island platform, Komuter trains could not stop at the original stretch of platforms 2 and 3, and as such ticket faregates for Komuter services were installed towards the northern end of platforms 2 and 3 to the south as well as the modern exit for platforms 2a and 3a to the north. This also left the original platforms 2 and 3 disused following the discontinuation of intercity services in 2001. With the old island platform raised following the 2009 platform renovation, Komuter and ETS trains could stop along the entire stretch of platforms 2 and 3, moving the southern faregates away from the old platform and into the old station building.
Architecture
When originally completed in 1917, the Kuala Lumpur railway station consisted of a main terminal building at the front and three platforms serving four railway tracks at the back.
The platforms are covered by large steel-framed shelters, which were initially shorter during the station's early operation. The roofs were originally glazed, and were partially opened to allow smoke from steam locomotives to escape; corrugated roof sheets served as replacements later in the station's life. The sides of the platforms not adjoining the main building are surrounded by walls constructed in the same style as the main building. The platforms and main building are linked to each other via two underground passageways.
The design of the extended platform for the 1986 refurbishment of the station took a more modernist approach, consisting simply of large concrete pillars supporting a latticed roof and a ticket office on concrete slabs at the north end, suspended two stories above ground. White walls and arches that serve as decorations to the extension mimic design cues from both the old station and the Dayabumi complex. The new extension is also connected to Dayabumi via an elevated walkway.
Around the station
- Directly across Jalan Sultan Hishamuddin:
- To the south:
- Kuala Lumpur Regional Centre for Arbitration
- To the north:
- Across the Klang River:
- Bridge to KJ14 SBK16 Pasar Seni station
- Central Market
See also
References
- ^ Colour Scenery of Singapore & Malaysia. Singapore: Sing Wah & Co. c. 1960.
- ^ “A loss to K.L”. https://www.tripadvisor.com.au/ShowUserReviews-g298570-d637810-r263673793-Heritage_Station_Hotel-Kuala_Lumpur_Wilayah_Persekutuan.html
External links
- Kuala Lumpur MRT & Komuter Integrations Archived 13 December 2013 at the Wayback Machine