SS 1600 class

The CC50 locomotive is an articulated Mallet type steam locomotive previously owned by the Staatsspoorwegen railway company. This locomotive was produced by the Werkspoor factory, Netherlands and Swiss Locomotive and Machine Works (SLM), Switzerland. This locomotive has an axle arrangement (1C')C' (2-6-6-0).

History
In 1927, the Staatsspoorwegen (SS) began producing mallet type steam locomotives which had a 2-6-6-0 wheel arrangement. A total of 30 locomotives were directly ordered from several factories in Europe such as Werkspoor, Netherlands and Schweizerische Lokomotiv-und Maschinenfabrik, Switzerland starting from 1927 to 1928. These locomotives were numbered SS 1600 series. Uphill and hilly routes such as Cibatu-Cikajang-Garut and Purwakarta-Padalarang are easily passed by the SS 1600 locomotive. The CC50 locomotive has been proven to be able to overcome difficulties that it does not have. by other locomotives, such as being able to pull a train weighing 1,300 tons at a speed of 55 km/hour, and also being able to turn sharp corners. During the Japanese colonial era, this locomotive received a new serial number, namely CC50, and continued to be used from the DKARI era to the PJKA era.

With all the advantages possessed by the CC50, this locomotive is also used for the Purwakarta, Cibatu, Purwokerto, Ambarawa, and Madiun. In fact, Cibatu is one of the main bases for all Mallet type locomotives.

In 1981, the CC5022 locomotive belonging to the Purwokerto Locomotive Depot was donated by PJKA to the Utrecht Railway Museum, as a symbol of friendship between Indonesia and the Netherlands. This locomotive unit was then returned to its original numbering, namely the SS 1622 series. Apart from that, CC5019 belonging to the Purwakarta Locomotive Depot became the main star in the War of Independence themed film entitled Last Train in the same year.

The impact of the policy of rationalizing steam locomotives to diesel locomotives meant that the CC50 had to retire in 1984 after the end of its service period spent on the Cibatu-Garut route which began to close that same year. Its existence was displaced and replaced by various diesel locomotives, plus at that time the CC 201 locomotive had just been imported.

Preservation
Currently, there are only 3 CC50 units left, namely CC5001, CC5022, and CC5029. CC5001 is at the Transportation Museum Taman Mini Indonesia Indah, Jakarta. Before being taken to TMII for preservation, this locomotive unit first obtained components that were cannibalized from other CC50 units, for example the tender taken from CC5019. CC5022 is in the Utrecht Railway Museum, Netherlands, and CC5029 is in the Ambarawa Railway Museum.