The D14 Steam Locomotive

The D14 series is a historic steam locomotive line originally brought to Indonesia by the state railway company Staatsspoorwegen (SS) under the old registration number SS 1410. These locomotives came from two different manufacturers. Units numbered D1401 to D1412 were built by Hanomag in Hannover, Germany, in 1921. Meanwhile, units numbered D1413 to D1424 were manufactured by Werkspoor in the Netherlands in 1922. They also differed by their original factory production numbers: 9644–9655 for the German units, and 499–510 for the Dutch units. 

In terms of size, this locomotive measures 12.65 meters long, 2.7 meters wide, and 3.7 meters high. It runs on coal fuel and has a total operational weight of 68.66 tons. Powered by a 680-horsepower engine, the D14 traveled at an average service speed of 45 km/h. Even though it could reach a top speed of 70 km/h, its maximum safe speed limit was set at 60 km/h. 

Image: Dimensions and structure of the D14 Steam Locomotive. (Source: De Stoomtractie op Java en Sumatra) 

Around 1933, the D14 steam locomotives underwent technical modifications to make their coal consumption much more efficient. Following these upgrades, the majority of the fleet was deployed to tackle the challenging mountainous routes connecting Bogor, Cianjur, Padalarang, and Bandung. 

Thanks to its compact design, this locomotive was ideal for local lines and steep mountain terrains. The historic route spanning Bogor, Sukabumi, Cianjur, and Bandung is now a thing of the past, especially after the temporary closure of the Bogor–Sukabumi line in 2006. Yet, these nostalgic tracks were once the main playground for this coal-fired engine. In his book "Indonesian Steam Locomotives In Action", author A.E. Durrant captured a memorable photograph of locomotive D1413 as it emerged from the Lampegan Tunnel on its journey from Jakarta toward Cianjur and Bandung. 

Image: Locomotive D1413 passing through the Lampegan Tunnel. (Source: Lokomotip Uap) 

Records show that 23 units of the D14 steam locomotive were still around in the 1970s. Today, however, only one single unit survives: Locomotive D1410. It was previously part of the historical collection at the Transportation Museum inside TMII, Jakarta. In 2019, it underwent a complete restoration at Balai Yasa Yogyakarta. By 2020, the restoration was fully completed, and the iconic D1410 now serves a proud new role pulling the Jaladara Heritage Tourist Train in Solo. 

Technical Specifications of the D14 Locomotive

The following technical data details the design, boiler metrics, engine power, and physical dimensions of the D14 series: