Chan Sow Lin LRT station

ST1  AG1  PH1  Chan Sow Lin LRT Interchange 陈秀莲轻快铁转换站 சந சு லின் Ampang Line rapid transit station
The exterior of the Chan Sow Lin interchange, as seen towards the southwest from Jalan Chan Sow Lin.
Station statistics
Address	Jalan Chan Sow Lin, Pudu, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
Coordinates	3°7′40″N 101°42′55″E / 3.12778°N 101.71528°E / 3.12778; 101.71528
Lines	Ampang Line (1996 to present)
Platforms	2 island platforms
Tracks	3
Parking	None
Other information
Opened	December 16, 1996
Code	ST1, AG1, PH1
Owned by	Syarikat Prasarana Negara (2002 to present); operated by RapidKL.
Services
Preceding station   RapidKL Rail   Following station Pudu toward Sentul Timur Ampang Line Miharja toward Ampang Cheras toward Sri Petaling

Chan Sow Lin LRT station is an at-grade rapid transit station and interchange station situated in Pudu, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. The station serves a single line that forms part of a common Ampang Line (formerly known as STAR, and the Ampang and Sri Petaling Lines) route shared by both the Ampang-Sentul Timur line and Sri Petaling-Sentul Timur line and is the southernmost station in the line of this form. The station was opened on December 16, 1996, as part of the first phase of the STAR system's opening, alongside 13 adjoining stations along the Sultan Ismail-Ampang route.

Location

Chan Sow Lin interchange is located on the southern edge of the incorporated town of Pudu, serving the locality alongside Pudu station and Hang Tuah station. The station was thus intended to serve patrons from the southern end of Pudu, the western end of Taman Maluri and the northwestern tip of Taman Miharja. The latter two localities also have their own namesake stations towards the south and east: Miharja station and Maluri station. The interchange itself is named after an extended portion of Jalan Chan Sow Lin, a roadway that adjoins the main entrance of the station. The road was named after Chan Sow Lin (陳秀連), 1845-1927, a wealthy businessman in the iron works industry. This man was also known then as The father of Chinese iron works in Malaya.^[1]

The interchange reuses the now defunct Federated Malay States Railway and Malayan Railway (KTM) route between Kuala Lumpur, Ampang and Salak South. Because of this, the station is located close to several former government compounds (Public Works and Engineering Works branches) that had once connect to the KTM line, up until the line was closed during the 1990s to make way for the STAR line.

Design

The principal styling of the interchange is similar to most other stations along the Ampang Line, featuring multi-tiered roofs supported by latticed frames, and white plastered walls and pillars. The platforms and tracks are at-grade, while the single ticket area is elevated at the same level as the footbridges crossing the tracks.

Platforms

A view of Chan Sow Lin interchange's platform level, illustrating its use of one island platform (left) and disuse of another (right).

Platform design and designation in the Chan Sow Lin interchange is considerably unique. The Chan Sow Lin interchange contains two island platforms along three tracks, but only one platform is open to commuters, where the two tracks it is linked to is assigned to trains heading for either Sentul Timur station to the north, or Ampang station or Sri Petaling station on the other ends.

Labelled as Platforms 1 and 2, both platforms are further divided with "A" and "B" suffixes (thus reading "1A", "1B", "2A" and "2B"), with the "B" partitions sharing the single middle track, while the "A" partitions connect to two outlying tracks. Platform 2 is currently opened, while Platform 1 is closed.

The two platforms are linked via two footbridge at both ends of the station. Owing its use of only one platform, however, both bridges in the interchange are closed for public use.

Interchange

The Chan Sow Lin interchange is specifically intended for passengers from stations connected exclusively with the Ampang-bound line to interchange for stations exclusively linked to the Sri Petaling-bound line, or vice versa. Interchanges in such manner typically involves disembarking a train at one side of the platform, waiting, and embarking on another train that arrives at the opposing side of the platform.

Interchanges between Ampang-bound and Sri Petaling-bound trains are also possible in all other stations between the Sentul Timur-Chan Sow Lin route as the route is utillised by both Ampang-bound and Sri Petaling-bound trains. However, because the Chan Sow Lin interchange is currently the only station in the route providing an island platform and shared by Ampang-bound and Sri Petaling-bound trains, the station is more specilised to handle smoother interchanges between trains from both lines.

Connection to rapidKL buses

Chan Sow Lin LRT station is accessible via the following rapidKL buses:-

• U41 : Terminal Jalan Sultan Mohamad - Bandar Sungai Long via Serdang KTM Komuter - Terminal Jalan Sultan Mohamad
• U48 : Bukit Bintang KL Monorail - Desa Petaling - Bukit Bintang KL Monorail

Neighbouring stations

Preceding station	Light Rail Transit			Following station
Pudu		Ampang Line (Sentul Timur-Sri Petaling route)		Cheras
Pudu		Ampang Line (Sentul Timur-Ampang route)		Miharja

References

1. ^ "Chan Sow Lin Memorial / 陳秀連墓園". My Time…. Chinese temple in Malaysia. http://my.72dragon.com/?p=1169.