Page 452 - Westport Guide To Malaysia

444 MALAYSIA BY RAIL
Malaysia’s first railway line opened in 1885, connecting Port Weld and Taiping, the centre of Perak’s tin-mining industry.
Malaysia By Rail
Malaysia’s railway system was originally developed for the tin mining industry. The railway line, about 13km long, opened on 1885 and ran between Port Weld
and Taiping, the heart of the tin-rich Larut Valley
in Perak. The second line opened a year later to link Kuala Lumpur, the centre
of tin-mining in the Klang Valley, to Klang and later Port Swettenham (now Port Klang).
Long Distance Rail
The heavy rail network, operated by Keretapi Tanah Melayu Berhad (KTMB or Malaysian Railways, see page 449) uses the metre gauge (1 metre or 3.28 feet) and extends over 1,655km, of which almost half is double tracked and electrified. It covers all
states in Peninsular Malaysia except Terengganu and mostly consists of two main lines: the KTM West Coast Line between Singapore
and Padang Besar on the Malaysian-Thai border, which is also connected to the
Thai railway network; and the KTM East Coast Line between Gemas, Negeri Sembilan and Tumpat, Kelantan.
Upgrading of the East Coast Line is under
consideration to provide easier access to the rapidly developing eastern States. The Malaysian and Singaporean governments have also agreed in principle to construct a Kuala Lumpur- Johor Bahru-Singapore high- speed rail (HSR) line in the future.
Urban & Commuter Rail
Prasarana Malaysia Berhad owns much of and currently
The Penang Hill Funicular Railway takes visitors on a scenic trip to the top of Penang Hill. Its carriages are custom-built to ascend the world’s steepest rail tunnel in perfect safety and comfort.