Oost-Java Stoomtram Maatschappij

OJS Tram Track in Pasar Besar Weg

The history of the Oost-Java Stoomtram Maatschappij originated in 1886 when the OJS received a concession permit from the Dutch East Indies Colonial Government. OJS then builtsteam locomotive lines around the industrial areas of Surabaya and Sidoarjo. Initially the company had planned out 3 capital sectors, Ujung–Sepanjang–Krian, Mojokerto–Gemekan–Ngoro, and Gemekan–Dinoyo.[1]

On 14 May 1890, OJS opened a new station in Wonokromo, Surabaya, called Wonokromo OJS Station or Wonokromo Kota (not to be confused with Staatsspoorwegen's Wonokromo Station).[2] With intermodal interaction between Staatsspoorwegen and OJS becoming increasingly satisfactory, tram usage in Surabaya increased.

In 1911, OJS expanded its network to cover almost the entire city of Surabaya. OJS then introduced electric powered tram when its track length had just reached 36 km and began operation on 15 May 1923.[3][4] With more and more people using the city's tramline, the main line was getting completely overhauled with route that previously passed along the banks of Mas River finally diverted through the city center, passing Pasar Turi and Sawahan, which follows the main road at the city center, Jalan Pangeran Diponegoro. The old route was removed only as far as Groedo Station.

To support operations , a tram depot and electric power station were built in Sawahan.[5] The power station was used to provide currents to electric trams around Surabaya and was built in 1925 with 2 Siemens Suckert & Walschke motor generators, each of which had a power of 500 KW - 600 volts DC. This 600 volt DC overhead power network covered the Tanjung Perak–Jembatan Merah–Genteng Besar–Sawahan–Gubeng–Wonokromo Kota route.[6]

As of 1927, it was recorded that 11.4 million passengers were transported by electric tram and 5.2 million people were transported by the OJS steam tram.[1]

Post-Independence

OJS Tram passing along Hogeweg, Soerabaja's colonial central business district

In 1959, President Sukarno issued a Government Regulation No. 40 of 1959, which included, the nationalisation of all railway lines and steam locomotives which were previously operated by Dutch-owned companies, whose operations were handed over to the Djawatan Kereta Api Republik Indonesia (DKA), which included the ex-OJS route.

In 1968–1969, electric trams were discontinued and overhead power cable covering the tram line were removed with some of its branch lines also ceasing to operate.

Ella Ubaidi, EVP of PT KAI's Center for Architectural Conservation and Design Unit, said that with a fare of 15 cents for class I and 10 cents for class II, it would not be viable to save Surabaya's trams from extinction. Since the 1970s, Surabaya's trams were declared non-operating because they were unable to compete with private cars and public transportation as well as the large number of illegal passengers which caused PJKA revenue to plunge. With the closure of the Surabaya steam tram in 1978, the history of the Surabaya tram ended.[9][10][11]

The reactivation of the Surabaya Tram is included in the priority list carried out by the Ministry of Transportation in collaboration with PT KAI and the Surabaya City Government. However, there are no signs that this route will be implemented soon.[12]