ETS Gold 9029dn Train from Ipoh to KL Sentral

ETS Gold 9029dn is a short-distance Ipoh sector ETS train. I opted to start my journey from Ipoh despite having finished the Malayan Railway Fan Club (MRFC) visit to KTM Berhad’s Batu Gajah Central Workshop at Batu Gajah as I wanted to take the full route of ETS Gold 9029dn. After lunch at Old Batu Gajah Railway Station, I took myBAS Ipoh Bus Service T36 to Ipoh to catch this ETS Gold 9029dn back to KL.

Alighting from the myBAS Ipoh Bus Service T36 at Ipoh Medan Kidd Bus Station, I took a short walk to Ipoh Railway Station.

Ipoh Railway Station

The façade of Ipoh Railway Station.

Some myBAS Ipoh services also stop at Ipoh Railway Station one-way when departing from Ipoh Medan Kidd Bus Station as the second stop on their route. The return journey does not stop at Ipoh Railway Station.

Heading into Ipoh Railway Station.

An information plaque is placed in front of Ipoh Railway Station.

Ride-hailing services can be ordered directly from Ipoh Railway Station.

Entering the Ipoh Railway Station building.

The concourse and waiting area at Ipoh Railway Station.

A souvenir cabinet is displayed at Ipoh Railway Station.

The ticket counter is in the middle of the Ipoh Railway Station concourse.

Heading through the Automated Control Gates (ACG) quickly as my train was departing soon.

My ETS Gold 9029dn was operated by a 91 Class ETS which was my target train to ride on.

The old and new station facades of Ipoh Railway Station.

91 Class ETS

91 Class ETS101 would be sending me back to KL on my ETS Gold 9029dn ride.

ETS101 was formerly ETS 01, which was renumbered after the delivery of the 93 Class ETS to designate the class within the set number.

The interior of 91 Class ETS101. The 91 Class ETS only has Standard Class seating.

The route map of the short-distance KL-Ipoh ETS route.

My window seat at Coach A Seat 8A for this trip.

The legroom on board the 91 Class ETS.

A tray table is available at the back of each seat except for the front and back rows.

The seat with the tray table unfolded is in dire need of cleaning.

A 3-pin power socket is located on the bulkhead underneath the window seat.

A wheelchair accessible toilet is available in Coaches B and D.

A regular toilet is also available in Coaches B and D.

The ETS Bistro is located at Coach C.

The menu of the ETS Bistro.

There is a bar seating area in front of the ETS Bistro.

The ETS Bistro is operational between Batu Gajah and Sungai Buloh.

My ETS Gold 9029dn departed from Ipoh Railway Station on time at 3.30pm.

An old semaphore is still standing south of Ipoh Railway Station.

Passing under Jalan Lahat which I just travelled on on board myBAS Ipoh Bus Service T36.

Passing through Lahat Railway Station.

Passing by a freight train stabling at Lahat Railway Station.

Passing by the Old Batu Gajah Railway Station.

Passing by Batu Gajah town.

Passing by Masjid Toh Puan Besar Hatijah.

Crossing the Kinta River.

Passing under Japan Bemban approaching Batu Gajah Railway Station.

Batu Gajah Railway Station

Making a brief stop at Batu Gajah Railway Station.

Passing by the line branching out to Batu Gajah Central Workshop.

Passing by the Tren Aral Batu Gajah at Batu Gajah Depot.

All sorts of rolling stock being stabled at Batu Gajah Depot.

Some seemingly-abandoned rolling stock are also at Batu Gajah Depot.

Passing by one of many lakes in Batu Gajah.

Following Batu Gajah, I headed to the ETS Bistro for a meal.

Kampar Railway Station

Making a brief stop at Kampar Railway Station.

Only hot drinks were available as the refrigerator was not working, so I got a hot coffee (RM2.80) and lukewarm mineral water (RM2.00) for drinks.

For my afternoon tea, I ordered a Chicken Lasagna (RM12.00).

The Chicken Lasagna was surprisingly good despite focusing more on the cheese and sauce and less on the sheet of pasta which is Lasagna. The sauciness certainly had an effect on the paper box as it was soggy once out of the microwave and remained so even when I had finished my meal.

I wonder how the paper box would have been if I had brought it back to my seat to have it.

A regular microwaveable box would definitely be better for a saucy lasagna than a paper box.

Tapah Road Railway Station

Making a brief stop at Tapah Road Railway Station.

Sungkai Railway Station

Making a brief stop at Sungkai Railway Station.

Slim River Railway Station

Approaching Slim River Railway Station. Slim River‘s platforms out of the sheltered area is in need of maintenance.

Making a brief stop at Slim River Railway Station.

The opposing ETS Gold 9028up is formed of a 93/2 Class ETS. Those in Coach A would get a free upgrade to Business Class seats, although those in D seats or in rows 13 and above would have no seats in return.

92 Class SCS06 which was involved in the 2018 Tanjung Malim crash still sits outside Tanjung Malim Railway Station.

Tanjung Malim Railway Station

Making a brief stop at Tanjung Malim Railway Station. An 83 Class SkyPark Link set on Platform 3 was operating on the Tanjung Malim-Sungai Buloh Shuttle Train.

Passing by the old Tanjung Malim Railway Station.

Passing by Tanjung Malim town.

Crossing Sungai Bernam, the border between Perak and Selangor here.

Heading through Selangor.

Approaching Rawang Railway Station with empty sidings north of the station in contrast to the once-busy terminal of frequent KTM Komuter Central Sector train services.

Rawang Railway Station

Making a brief stop at Rawang Railway Station.

Another 83 Class SkyPark Link set arriving at Rawang Railway Station heading towards Tanjung Malim Railway Station.

Passing by the evening KL jams.

Sungai Buloh Railway Station

Making a brief stop at Sungai Buloh Railway Station.

Heading parallel with Jalan Kuala Selangor.

Passing under the MRT Putrajaya Line viaducts.

Passing by Damansara Damai MRT Station on the MRT Putrajaya Line.

Kepong Sentral Railway Station

Making a brief stop at Kepong Sentral Railway Station.

The up track at Kepong Sentral Railway Station. has recently been reinstated, with the line south of Kepong Sentral still not ready yet.

The end of track at Kepong Sentral Railway Station.

Kepong Sentral Railway Station is an interchange with Sri Damansara Timur MRT Station on the MRT Putrajaya Line, but is currently not functioning as intended with the very limited KTM Komuter Central Sector train services available at Kepong Sentral.

The Klang Valley Double Track (KVDT) project is still ongoing and works look very slow. The project started in 2016.

Not much heavy machinery is used for the Klang Valley Double Track (KVDT) project.

Passing through Kepong Railway Station.

Continuing on the single track sector in the Klang Valley.

The track reappeared at Segambut Railway Station.

A fallen warning sign at the start of the inactive track at Simpang Batu.

Passing through Simpang Batu.

Crossing on to the up line at Simpang Batu.

Passing through Putra Railway Station.

Passing through Bank Negara Railway Halt.

Kuala Lumpur Railway Station

Entering Kuala Lumpur Railway Station.

Makinga brief stop at Kuala Lumpur Railway Station while crossing with ETS Gold 9322up heading to Butterworth.

Passing by Bangunan Sulaiman.

Approaching KL Sentral with lots of pillars surrounding the track.

Entering KL Sentral.

Sentral Kuala Lumpur Railway Station (KL Sentral)

My ETS Gold 9029dn arrived at KL Sentral at 6.10pm – 2 minutes delayed.

After alighting passengers, the set moved forward to standby for ETS Gold 9032up passengers boarding from Gate B.

Heading up from the platform by the escalator.

There was no need to scan out of the Automated Control Gates (ACG) as there was an open one on the left.

Conclusion

Overall, ETS Gold 9029dn was a good ride from Ipoh to KL Sentral with not much crowds on a weekday and on a 91 Class ETS set which I have not taken for so long, and was my aim of this ride.