Penang Hill Railway

File:Collectie NM van Wereldculturen TM-60030797 De volle kabeltrein op het spoor op weg naar hotel Crag op Penang hill Fotograaf niet bekend.jpg

The Penang Hill Railway was initially constructed for the British colonial community to enjoy the cooler air of the Penang Hill. The first attempt at a mountain railway on Penang Hill began with a proposal by three British residents, D. Logan, Joseph Heim and Alan Wilson and the formation of a private company in 1897, with funding from the colonial administration.{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=mzDloil93f4C&pg=PA202 |title=Kuala Lumpur, Melaka & Penang |author= Joe Bindloss, Celeste Brash |page=202 |publisher=Lonely Planet Publications|year= 2008 |isbn=978-1741044850 }} The first attempt used a steam engine and was not funicular, and it proved to be a failure. The line was constructed between 1901 and 1905, but did not work due to technical faults.{{cite web |url=http://www.penanghill.gov.my/index.php/about-us-3/corporate-info |title=About us: Corporate Info |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150422221013/http://www.penanghill.gov.my/index.php/about-us-3/corporate-info |archive-date=2015-04-22 }}

File:Old Penang Hill Railway coach.jpg

In 1909, the Straits government organised a new project, the Penang Hills Funicular Railway. This railway project was designed by Arnold R Johnson, an engineer with the Federated Malay States Railways, based on a Swiss design. Construction of the second railway cost 1.5 million Straits dollars. The {{Convert|2007|m|abbr=on}}-long funicular railway was informally opened on October 21, 1923 for the commencement of a trial operation.{{cite journal |journal=The Railway Magazine |title=Railways |volume= 120-121 |page= 385 }} After a successful trial period, on 1 January 1924, the railway was officially opened by the then Governor of Straits Settlement, Sir L.N. Guillemard. In its first year of operation it carried 35,201 passengers and made 4,021 trips.{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=7ftEFcwwx20C&pg=PT204 |title=Penang 500 Early Postcards|author= Jin Seng Cheah |publisher=Editions Didier Millet |date=26 February 2013 |isbn=978-9671061718 }} The Penang Municipality, George Town managed and maintained the railway from its opening until February 1, 1977, when it was taken over by the Penang state Government.{{cite web |url=http://penang.forestexplorers.com/penanghill/train.shtml |title=Brief History Of Penang Hill Railway |work=Penang Hill with forestexplorers.com |access-date=2015-04-29 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140627171647/http://penang.forestexplorers.com/penanghill/train.shtml |archive-date=2014-06-27 |url-status=dead }}

Until 2010, the Penang Hills Funicular Railway had two independent sections due to the difference in gradient between the lower and upper section, and passengers were required to change trains at the middle station. The upper and lower sections each had two counterbalanced 40-passenger cars, and each section had a passing loop in the middle and intermediate stops. The cars were pulled by steel cable electrically driven with a 500-volt power supply. The railway has a tunnel which measures 79 m (258 feet) long and is the steepest tunnel in the world. It took 30 minutes to go up the hill on the funicular service with a change of train in the middle station.{{cite web |url=http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2011/3/19/nation/20110319154355&sec=nation |title=Penang Hill funicular trains to attract more tourists |work=The Star Online |access-date=March 19, 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110320113056/http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=%2F2011%2F3%2F19%2Fnation%2F20110319154355&sec=nation |archive-date=March 20, 2011 }}

File:Penang hill funicular railway.jpg

The first carriages were wooden with defined first and second class compartments in each one. The four carriages were in use on the railway for over 50 years until they were retired in 1977 and replaced with the red carriages which had fans and automatic sliding doors. Each of the red Swiss-made carriages can hold up to 80 people, mostly standing.{{cite news |url=http://www.sundaytimes.lk/980524/plus15.html |title=Penang hill railway Mad genius? |work=The Sunday Times |date=24 May 1998 }} They were in use for over 30 years until 2010.

File:Penang Hill funicular railway.jpg

After a series of breakdowns, the idea of a complete overhaul of the system with a new funicular railway was mooted. On 22 February 2010, the 87-year-old funicular railway was closed for an upgrade to a new system at a cost of RM 63 million.{{cite web |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130212021054/http://allmalaysia.info/2010/02/22/a-new-chapter-begins/ |archive-date=February 12, 2013 |url = http://allmalaysia.info/2010/02/22/a-new-chapter-begins/ | title = A new chapter begins | publisher = allmalaysia.info | access-date = February 22, 2010}}{{cite web |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110226005725/http://allmalaysia.info/2010/08/20/new-hill-railway-coaches-ready-for-the-ride/ |archive-date=26 February 2011 | url = http://allmalaysia.info/2010/08/20/new-hill-railway-coaches-ready-for-the-ride/ | title = New hill railway coaches ready for the ride | publisher = allmalaysia.info | access-date = August 20, 2010}} New tracks were laid, and new cars purchased to increase the passenger capacity and the speed of the train.{{cite web |url=http://thestar.com.my/metro/story.asp?file=/2011/3/19/north/8303982&sec=north |title=All set to soar uphill Handover of refurbished funicular train today |work=The Star Online |access-date=March 19, 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121017095837/http://thestar.com.my/metro/story.asp?file=%2F2011%2F3%2F19%2Fnorth%2F8303982&sec=north |archive-date=October 17, 2012 }} A new base station and a public carpark were also constructed.{{cite web |url=http://thestar.com.my/metro/story.asp?file=/2011/3/29/north/8364446&sec=north |title=Service to resume soon |work=The Star Online |access-date=March 29, 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121017133146/http://thestar.com.my/metro/story.asp?file=%2F2011%2F3%2F29%2Fnorth%2F8364446&sec=north |archive-date=October 17, 2012 }} The timber from the old railway track was re-used in the construction of a new four-storey Penang Hill Visitor Centre at the top.{{cite web|url=http://www.thestar.com.my/news/community/2011/03/26/railing-for-a-new-lease-of-life/ |author=Winnie Yeoh |title=Railing for a new lease of life |work=The Star Online |access-date=March 26, 2011 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170326110631/http://www.thestar.com.my/news/community/2011/03/26/railing-for-a-new-lease-of-life/ |archive-date=March 26, 2017 }}

The new train and railway system, unlike the railway before 2010, does not require passengers to change trains halfway up. Passengers now enjoy non-stop service in air-conditioned Swiss-made cars, painted in blue and white, that are capable of ferrying up to 100 passengers in one go.{{cite web |url=http://thestar.com.my/metro/story.asp?file=/2011/3/26/north/8350777&sec=North |title=Slow or fast ride, that's the question now |work=The Star Online |access-date=March 26, 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121017095800/http://thestar.com.my/metro/story.asp?file=%2F2011%2F3%2F26%2Fnorth%2F8350777&sec=North |archive-date=October 17, 2012 }}{{cite web |url=http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2011/1/5/nation/7733694&sec=nation |title=Penang Hill train service delayed |work=The Star Online |access-date=January 5, 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121017095916/http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=%2F2011%2F1%2F5%2Fnation%2F7733694&sec=nation |archive-date=October 17, 2012 }} The funicular train maximum working load has been set at {{Convert|7500|kg|abbr=on}}.{{cite news |url=http://www.themalaymailonline.com/malaysia/article/penang-hill-railway-gets-clean-bill-of-health |title=Penang Hill railway gets clean bill of health |author =Hafiz Marzukhi |date=11 October 2014 |work=Malay Mail }} It can carry 1,000 passengers per hour compared to 250 under the old system.

On April 25, 2011, the new railway system resumed its service, although initially there were a number of technical hitches which caused the service to be temporarily suspended.{{cite web |url=http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2011/6/9/nation/8862759&sec=nation |title=Penang Hill train resumes service |work=The Star Online |access-date=19 August 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110728180006/http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=%2F2011%2F6%2F9%2Fnation%2F8862759&sec=nation |archive-date=28 July 2011 }} The train service runs from 6.30am to 9pm daily, and the new car can reach the top in as little as five minutes.{{cite web |url=http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2011/3/20/nation/8310719&sec=nation |title=Up Penang Hill in five minutes |work=The Star Online |access-date=March 20, 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110321055348/http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=%2F2011%2F3%2F20%2Fnation%2F8310719&sec=nation |archive-date=March 21, 2011 }}{{cite web | url = http://allmalaysia.info/2009/05/18/mixed-response-to-hill-project/ | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20110424041844/http://allmalaysia.info/2009/05/18/mixed-response-to-hill-project/ | url-status = dead | archive-date = April 24, 2011 | title = Mixed response to hill project | publisher = allmalaysia.info | access-date = May 18, 2009}} The upgrade led to a large increase in passengers carried; in 2014, the number of passengers reached 1.365 million,{{cite web |url= http://penangmonthly.com/to-the-summit-anyone/ |title=To the summit, anyone?|author= Matthew Tan Kiak Hin |date=December 2015 |work=Penang Monthly }} compared to the visitors number to Penang Hill of around half a million in 2008.{{cite web |url=http://english.astroawani.com/malaysia-news/bukit-bendera-visitors-doubled-last-year-3564 |title=Bukit Bendera visitors doubled last year |date= January 8, 2013 |work=Astro Awani }} Ridership increased to 1.74 million by 2018, leading to concerns of congestion.{{Cite news |last=Opalyn Mok |date=11 Oct 2019 |title=RM100m cable car allocation will spur Penang’s tourism sector, says Penang Hill Corporation |url=https://www.malaymail.com/news/malaysia/2019/10/11/rm100m-cable-car-allocation-will-spur-penangs-tourism-sector-says-penang-hi/1799483 |access-date=19 Apr 2024 |work=Malay Mail}}{{Cite news |last=Nambiar |first=Predeep |date=3 Feb 2024 |title=RM245mil Penang cable car project gets EIA approval |url=https://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/nation/2024/02/03/rm245mil-penang-cable-car-project-gets-eia-approval/ |access-date=19 Apr 2024 |work=Free Malaysia Today}} In 2019, a proposed cable car system linking the peak of Penang Hill with the Penang Botanic Gardens was announced by the Malaysian federal government as a means of reducing the overdependence on the railway.{{Cite news |last=Nambiar |first=Predeep |date=16 Oct 2019 |title=Penang mulls Botanic Gardens-Penang Hill cable car project |url=https://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/nation/2019/10/16/penang-mulls-botanic-gardens-penang-hill-cable-car-project/ |access-date=19 Apr 2024 |work=Free Malaysia Today}}

File:Penang Hill funicular ride entrance.JPG for the funicular ride]]

Visitors can enter the funicular railway at the Lower Station at Air Itam, and the final stop of the ride is the Upper Station at the top of Penang Hill. There are a number of stations along the railway between the Upper and Lower stations - the Middle Station (which is currently open only to residents), as well as the Claremont, Viaduct, and the Lower and Upper Tunnel stations. Since the 2010 upgrade, the train normally proceeds directly to the top without stopping at the Middle Station. It is however possible to stop at some of the intermediate stations by arrangement with the driver.{{cite web |url= http://www.expatgomalaysia.com/2012/12/21/penangs-hill-station/ |title=Penang's Hill Station|author= Frances Wilks |date=December 21, 2012 |work=Expat Go}}

The Upper Station has been upgraded with the construction of an extended viewing platform named Skywalk, an elevated walkway leading to a food court, as well as a lift, a cafe and a museum gallery.{{cite news |url=http://www.thestar.com.my/Metro/Community/2015/02/09/More-attractions-soon-Facilities-coming-up-include-museum-gallery-and-cafe/ |title=Facilities coming up include museum gallery and cafe |date= February 9, 2015 |work=The Star }}{{cite news |url=http://www.themalaymailonline.com/malaysia/article/skywalk-on-penang-hill-to-draw-more-visitors |title=Skywalk on Penang Hill to draw more visitors |author=Kae Min Goh|date=February 9, 2015|work=The Malay Mail }}

The Lower Station at Air Itam has been improved with a new building with retractable roof and a new multi-storey car park for visitors travelling by car.{{cite news |url=http://www.thestar.com.my/News/Nation/2015/01/20/Lift-glitch-at-new-Penang-Hill-car-park/ |title=Lift glitch at new Penang Hill car park|author= Christopher Tan |date=January 20, 2015 |work=The Star }} Visitors can also reach the station on the 204 Rapid Penang bus from George Town, Penang.

For Malaysian citizens, the fare for a return ticket is RM12 per adult and RM6 per child aged between three and 12. Senior citizens have cheaper fares at RM6 per person. For non-Malaysian the fare is RM30 for adults and RM15 for children.{{cite web|url=http://www.penanghill.gov.my/index.php/2013-03-27-09-47-27/ticket-fares |title=Ticket Fares |publisher=Penang Hill Inc |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150423212223/http://www.penanghill.gov.my/index.php/2013-03-27-09-47-27/ticket-fares |archive-date=2015-04-23 }}

The ride remains free of charge for disabled persons holding the OKU card.

Also unchanged are the fares for Penang Hill residents, licensed traders and hawkers and workers, who can purchase monthly season pass at RM24.

File:Hello! (3440590727).jpg

Before 2010, the lower section of the funicular has the following technical parameters:{{cite web | url = http://www.funiculars.net/line.php?id=245 | title = Penang Hill Railway (section 1)| publisher = Funiculars.net | access-date = March 12, 2007}}

• Length: {{convert|907|m|ft}}
• Height: {{convert|319|m|ft}}
• Maximum Steepness: 50.5%
• Cars: 2
• Capacity: 80 passengers per car
• Configuration: Single track with passing loop
• Journey time: 11 minutes
• Maximum speed: {{convert|1.4|m/s|ft/s}}
• Track gauge: {{track gauge|1000mm}}
• Traction: Electricity

The upper section of the funicular has the following technical parameters:{{cite web | url = http://www.funiculars.net/line.php?id=594 | title = Penang Hill Railway (section 2)| publisher = Funiculars.net | access-date = March 12, 2007}}

• Length: {{convert|1313|m|ft}}
• Height: {{convert|367|m|ft}}
• Maximum Steepness: 51.3%
• Cars: 2
• Capacity: 80 passengers per car
• Configuration: Single track with passing loop
• Journey time: 13 minutes
• Maximum speed: {{convert|1.8|m/s|ft/s}}
• Track gauge: {{track gauge|1000mm}}
• Traction: Electricity

• Length: {{convert|1996|m|ft}}
• Height: {{convert|691.4|m|ft}}
• Maximum slope: 52.9%, 27.9°
• Minimum slope: 18.8%, 10.7°
• Cars: 2
• Coach empty weight: 14,500 kg
• Maximum payload: 7,500 kg
• Capacity: 100 passengers per car
• Maximum speed: {{convert|10|m/s|ft/s}}
• Haul rope diameter: 38 mm
• Traction: Electricity
• Main drive motor: 710 kW

File:Funicular approaching top of Penang Hill.JPG|The 100-FUL Penang Hill new coach with view of the city in the background

File:Penang Hill Railway Upper Station.jpg|The Penang Hill Upper Station, the final stop of the line at the top, as seen on a foggy night.

File:Bukit bendera funicular.jpg|The 80-FUL Penang Hill old coach.

File:Penang Hill Bukit Bendera.JPG|View of the railway from the lower station.

File:Penang Hill funicular railway 2.jpg|Penang Hill Railway passing loop.

File:Bukit Bendera railway line.jpg|The end of the railway line at the Upper Station

• Awana Skyway - Aerial tramway type, now Gondola lift type
• Genting Skyway - Gondola lift type
• Langkawi Cable Car - Gondola lift type
• Rail transport in Malaysia

{{reflist|2}}

{{refbegin}}

• [https://nzetc.victoria.ac.nz/tm/scholarly/tei-Gov08_09Rail-t1-body-d23.html To the top of Penang Hill (a 1934 article)]
• {{cite book |last1=Francis |first1=Ric |title=Penang Hill Funicular Railway: Remembering an Engineering Feat, 1923–2010 |date=2015 |publisher=Areca Books |location=George Town, Penang |isbn=9789675719189}}

{{refend}}

{{commons category|Penang Hill Railway}}

• [http://www.penanghill.gov.my/ Penang Hill Railway official site]
• [http://www.internationalsteam.co.uk/penang/phr2012a.htm The International Steam Pages] Numerous images of The Penang Hill Railway before, after, and during the 2010 upgrade.
• {{YouTube|0Zoayn4CbPc|Descent of the line}}
• {{YouTube|u2zLp9O8rME|Ascent of the line}}

{{Rail transport in Malaysia}}{{Public transport in Penang}}

{{coord|05|24|55.59|N|100|16|26.13|E|region:MY_type:landmark|display=title}}

Category:Funicular railways in Malaysia

Category:Rail transport in Penang

Category:Metre-gauge railways in Malaysia

Category:Railway lines opened in 1923

Category:1923 establishments in British Malaya