The charms of a quaint old railway station

And now for something completely different….

TRANSIT took note of this story which is tied into the Tenang byelection – a nice little side-track (pardon the pun) from the daily hustle and challenge of dealing with the public transport industry, politics, etc.

We hope that you will enjoy the description of the station and that it evokes memories of a slower, more peaceful time.

The charms of a quaint old railway station (NST)
2011/01/26

A step into the Tenang railway station in Tenang Station here is like going back in time.

Unknown to many, the small blue and yellow wooden building acts as a railway transit for passengers intending to travel to nearby districts and also to Johor Baru, the state capital.

It was this three-track railway station that gave the area the name Tenang Station, which borders several small estates and is adjacent to the main trunk road to Segamat.

The Tenang station has only two shuttle train services daily. The coaches ply between Gemas and Kluang.

However, with modern times and better road accessibility, the usually unmanned railway station is slowly being forgotten by most of the locals.

Of late, the station has started to get the attention of outsiders due to the Tenang by-election.

Tenang Station resident A. Saraswathy said the railway station had its charms and was unlike many as it was one of the smallest in the country.

“There are not many residents using the service now and most will travel about ten minues to the Labis railway station instead,” said the 58-year-old who runs a food and drinks stall next to the Tenang Station railway line.

Saraswathy, who is assisted by her 52-year-old husband M. Thuraisingam, said life was comfortable but slow in the area.
From what she remembered when she was younger, Saraswathy said the Tenang railway station began operation in 1951.

Despite having open tracks, Thuraisingam, who is a retired policeman, said there were no accidents in the 30 years that he has been living in Tenang Station.

When met at the station, Keretapi Tanah Melayu Berhad (KTMB) stationmaster M. Bakri Mohd Salleh, who is on temporary attachment here from the Segamat train station, said the two trains would come by about 11am and at 2.30pm daily.

“There may be one or two local passengers every now and then. But most often, people prefer to travel by car or bus to get to the other towns.”

TRANSIT Says:

And now, back to our regularly scheduled ranting….