Rebuild the first railway track

As there are plans to convert the old Taiping railway station in Perak into a railway museum soon, it will be good if Keretapi Tanah Melayu (KTM) reconstruct the first railway track built in 1885 from Taiping to Port Weld.

The track, which was the first railway line in the country, could also have coal-powered slow locomotives to reenact that special 19th century feeling.

Such attractions would surely interest both local and foreign tourists and the Tourism Ministry can play a part to assist in this project.

It will also be good to incorporate that old KTM canteen on board the trains that serves Char Bee Hoon and hot coffee.

I hope the Government will preserve all the old historical railway stations in the country even after new futuristic stations are built under Ipoh-Padang Besar Electricfied Double Tracking line.

Old railway stations are heritage landmarks and the history of such buildings and services should be made known to the next generation.

Though these old stations have passed the test of time, they represent what we are today.

Railway stations such as those in Taiping, Gemas and Tampin hold dear to many hearts who had relied on railway transport years ago.

My friends and I who were born and bred in Taiping would like to appeal to KTM and the relevant authorities to preserve heritage sites such as the old railway station in our beloved town.

LEE HUI SENG
Kuala Lumpur

Source: The Star – June 15, 2013