KTM 81 Class EMU • Jenbacher Transport • KTM Komuter

KTM 81 Class EMU

The 81 Class is a 3-car electric multiple unit (EMU) operating for KTM Komuter. It is Malaysia’s first type of EMU, operating for Malaysia’s first electric train service in 1995. They were designed by Hunslet Transportation Projects Limited and built by Jenbacher Transport in Austria.

Some time in 2013, some 81 Class train sets were refurbished with new traction motors and auxiliary power systems by Woojin Industrial Systems. They also sport a new blue-and-grey livery in contrast with the original blue solid blue side livery. A slanted stripe also complements the original solid-yellow front of the train. However, the refurbished 81 Class train sets did not enter into passenger service then.

On 4 July 2018, a refurbished set, EMU 05, finally entered service on the KTM Komuter Klang Valley Sector Sentul – Batu Caves Shuttle.

Exterior of 81 Class
KTM Komuter Klang Valley Sector

81 Class EMU05 01
The refurbished 81 Class train sets sport a new blue-and-white livery in contrast with the original blue solid blue side livery. On the end motor cars, the blue now takes the place of the original grey stripe with an additional strip of blue on the top and end borders, and the white fills the remaining original blue parts in the middle. A slanted blue stripe with a small shade of grey in front also complements the original solid yellow front of the train.

Interior of 81 Class
KTM Komuter Klang Valley Sector // Transverse Seating

81 Class EMU05 Interior 01
Seats on the two end driving cab cars face in only one direction towards the driving cab. Seats on the middle trailer car with pantograph face in both directions similar to the original seating layout.

Exterior of 81 Class (Original)
KTM Komuter Klang Valley Sector

81 Class 02
The original livery of the 81 Class sports a yellow face with a solid blue side and a thin grey outline in the shape of the arrow reminiscent of KTM’s Keris logo, pointing towards the direction of the cab on each end. Some refurbished train sets still bear this original livery.

Interior of 81 Class (Original)
KTM Komuter Klang Valley Sector // Transverse Seating

The images show the version of the 81 Class interior with the bulkhead to the passenger saloon by the door removed for a smoother passenger flow inside the train.

81 Class Interior Old 01.jpg81 Class Interior Old 02.jpg
The overall interior of the 81 Class EMU.

81 Class Interior Old 03.jpg
Each coach has only 4 single-leaf doors (2 on each side) for boarding and alighting, which gets extremely congested during peak hours.

81 Class Interior Old 04.jpg
The updated interior of the 81 Class EMU has the bulkhead to the passenger saloon and seats near the doors removed to provide additional standing areas and slightly improve passenger flow within the train car.

KTM 81 Class EMU Sister Trains

CrossCountry Birmingham International Oxford 001CrossCountry Birmingham International Oxford 002

British Rail Class 323 designed and built by Hunslet Transportation Projects, and introduced in 1992.

KTM Berhad Rolling Stock

KTM Diesel Locomotives

KTM Electric Locomotives

KTM Electric Multiple Units (EMUs)

KTM Diesel Multiple Units (DMUs)

KTM Passenger Coaches – Seats

KTM Passenger Coaches – Sleepers

7 comments

  1. Did you try EMU 13 yet? The seats in that particular train are different and are more comfortable than the other Class 81 train sets.

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