INKA CC300

For decades, Kereta Api Indonesia (KAI), Indonesia's state-owned railway company, has operated trains throughout the country using diesel and electric locomotives supplied by other countries. However, most of these locomotives were designed without consideration to Indonesia's tropical climate, and as such, these locomotives are vulnerable to flooding during the monsoon season. In 2009, KAI and Ministry of Transportation began cooperation for the development of a new locomotive that would be built in Indonesia and designed to withstanding flooding in railway tracks.[2][3][4]

State-owned rolling stock manufacturer PT INKA was chosen as the manufacturer of the locomotives. The company spent around 20 billion rupiah for each locomotive, with the Indonesian government contributing 30 billion rupiah for the development cost. Three units of these locomotives were built in PT INKA's locomotive plant in Madiun, East Java, Indonesia. The locomotives were launched and unveiled to the public on 20 May 2013, coinciding with the National Awakening Day commemorations.[2][3][4]

The INKA CC300 locomotive has a length of 14,135 mm, a width of 2,642 mm, a height of 3,575 mm, and a weight of 84 tons.[1] It features double cabins that allow train drivers to switch from the front to the rear cabin without climbing down the train.[2] The locomotive is powered by a 2,200 horsepower Caterpillar 3512B-HD TA diesel engine mated to the transmission from Voith and can run up to a maximum speed was 120 km/h, with a traction force of 270 kN when the locomotive moves from a total stop.[1] The braking system used on the locomotive is Westinghouse Air Brake Technologies (Wabtec), while the master controller was supplied by Woojin Industrial Systems from South Korea. It is also equipped with a Caterpillar CAT C15 generator set so that it does not require a generating train if it pulls a series of passenger trains.[2] The locomotive is also equipped with CCTV camera on both sides for easier maneuvering when reversing and to monitor coaches being pulled. According to Agus Purnomo, president director of PT INKA, the INKA CC300 locomotive is quite reliable as it is flood resistant and can still pull trains despite a flood height of one meter.[2][3][4]

An INKA CC300 locomotive and coaches built by PT INKA for the Philippine National Railways (PNR) during its trial run near Bowerno station in Baureno, Bojonegoro Regency, East Java, Indonesia in June 2020.

There are currently five units of INKA CC300 locomotives (CC 300 12 01, CC 300 12 02, CC 300 12 03, CC 300 14 01, CC 300 14 02) made by PT INKA in Indonesia and three units in the Philippines. The locomotives in Indonesia were placed in several rail depots in Central Java and East Java.

During its launch, Purnomo said that PT INKA is looking forward to export the locomotive to other countries in need of flood-resistant locomotives.[2][3][4] On 28 May 2018, the company signed a contract worth ₱1.4 billion (US$26 million) to supply the Philippine National Railways with three brand-new INKA CC300 locomotives and 15 coaches for use in re-fleeting its commuter service in Metro Manila.[7][8] The locomotives were built in PT INKA's Madiun plant and underwent testing in KAI's railway lines before it was delivered to the Philippines on 23 December 2020.[9][8][5][6] This export follows PT INKA's previous export to the PNR of two sets of diesel multiple units in December 2019 worth 130 billion rupiah (US$9.7 million) and four sets of diesel multiple units in February 2020 worth 301 billion rupiah (US$21.4 million).[8][9][10] PNR General Manager Junn Magno stated that once the CC300s have achieved successful operations, they will replace the aging 900 class locomotives on PNR Metro Commuter Line services and will be transferred alongside the 203 series-based coaches to boost the Bicol Commuter service in the Bicol Region on the other end of the South Main Line.[11]

• Media related to CC300 at Wikimedia Commons
• PT INKA Official Website (in Indonesian)
• Official website of the Indonesian Railways Company (in Indonesian)