Phnom Krom railway
Encyclopedia
The Phnom Krom railway was a narrow gauge railway that ran approximately 6 miles (9.5 km) from the town of Siem Reap
, Cambodia
in the north to the temple hill of Phnom Krom
in the south. Very little historical evidence remains about this railway, its original purpose, date of construction or date of closure.
. For example, a 1962 US Army Corps of Engineers map
of the area shows the railway clearly marked, and its demarcation is as a ‘narrow gauge’ railway, as opposed to standard gauge (which, in keeping with the standard gauge of Cambodia and much of South East Asia, is listed as 1 metre). The railway also shows up in the same position on a number of other maps of Siem Reap
from the 1960s.
town, in a straight line to Phnom Krom
. According to the available maps, the northern terminus of the railway was just north of National Highway 6, in what was then a military area.
on the north eastern and south eastern faces of Phnom Krom
(which are still evident, though now defunct) to provide material for the construction of the French colonial administrative centre at Siem Reap
. It is impossible to speculate when the railway was constructed, but most likely it would have between around 1890 (when the French were, among other things, undertaking extensive construction in Phnom Penh
which also included the use of narrow gauge railways) and perhaps as late as the 1920s, when work on the Grand Hotel D’Angkor was being undertaken (a project which would have required large quantities of building materials). Given the French colonial pattern of railway use, most likely it was a 600mm gauge Decauville
style narrow gauge railway (see also Surviving Evidence, below)
during that decade.
, most likely the southern terminus of the railway was in a cluster of buildings that are now used by the RCAF
, under an old quarry face on the southern side of the hill. It then runs on the road leading to the Tonle Sap
for a short distance, before turning off to the north and taking a more direct route into Siem Reap
. The majority of the length of the trackbed is a raised, red earth embankment, though no original bridges seem to have survived. It enters Siem Reap
from the south, where the trackbed becomes a nameless street leading in a straight line leading due northwest, and passes in front (i.e. to the east) of what is now the Angkor Night Market. At the extreme northern end, it seems that the trackbed has been converted through a recent construction project into an open culvert
for rainwater run-off, this runs as far as National Highway 6. Where the railway might once have terminated just north of the highway, the modern Hotel Sokha now stands.
itself is a winding road leading up to a Buddhist monastery
, and an Angkorian temple. Lining this road are a series of old lampposts
, no longer functional, with cast concrete bases and rails providing the pole. These rails, still extant in 2011, are consistent with a Decauville
-style narrow gauge of 600mm, and are at any rate far ‘lighter’ than that used for the Cambodian standard gauge of 1 metre.
It is impossible to conjecture whether the rail-lampposts were placed there by the railway itself (perhaps an attempt to develop Phnom Krom
as a tourist location), or by another party after the railway had ceased to function.
Siem Reap
Siem Reap is the capital city of Siem Reap Province in northwestern Cambodia, and is the gateway to Angkor region.Siem Reap has colonial and Chinese-style architecture in the Old French Quarter, and around the Old Market...
, Cambodia
Cambodia
Cambodia , officially known as the Kingdom of Cambodia, is a country located in the southern portion of the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia...
in the north to the temple hill of Phnom Krom
Phnom Krom
Phnom Krom is a 140 m high hill close to Siem Reap, Cambodia.-Location:Phnom Krom is located to 12 kilometers southwest of Siem Reap town....
in the south. Very little historical evidence remains about this railway, its original purpose, date of construction or date of closure.
Historical evidence
The primary source of historical evidence for the existence of the Phnom Krom railway is its appearance on a number of mapsMAPS
Maps is the plural of map, a visual representation of an area.As an acronym, MAPS may refer to:* Mail Abuse Prevention System, an organisation that provides anti-spam support...
. For example, a 1962 US Army Corps of Engineers map
Map
A map is a visual representation of an area—a symbolic depiction highlighting relationships between elements of that space such as objects, regions, and themes....
of the area shows the railway clearly marked, and its demarcation is as a ‘narrow gauge’ railway, as opposed to standard gauge (which, in keeping with the standard gauge of Cambodia and much of South East Asia, is listed as 1 metre). The railway also shows up in the same position on a number of other maps of Siem Reap
Siem Reap
Siem Reap is the capital city of Siem Reap Province in northwestern Cambodia, and is the gateway to Angkor region.Siem Reap has colonial and Chinese-style architecture in the Old French Quarter, and around the Old Market...
from the 1960s.
Description of route
The railway ran 6 miles (9.5 km) in a south-westerly direction from what was then the western side of Siem ReapSiem Reap
Siem Reap is the capital city of Siem Reap Province in northwestern Cambodia, and is the gateway to Angkor region.Siem Reap has colonial and Chinese-style architecture in the Old French Quarter, and around the Old Market...
town, in a straight line to Phnom Krom
Phnom Krom
Phnom Krom is a 140 m high hill close to Siem Reap, Cambodia.-Location:Phnom Krom is located to 12 kilometers southwest of Siem Reap town....
. According to the available maps, the northern terminus of the railway was just north of National Highway 6, in what was then a military area.
Conjecture on origin, use and removal
Though no evidence is known to exist on the origins and use of the Phnom Krom railway, it is possible to hazard some guesses based on the pattern of French colonial railway construction in the rest of South East Asia, and remaining physical evidence on the ground.Origin and use
It is most probable that the railway originated as a quarrying railway, transporting stone from extensive quarriesQuarries
Quarries - The "Royal Quarries" — not found in Scripture — is the namegiven to the vast caverns stretching far underneath the northern hill, Bezetha, on which Jerusalem is built. Out of these mammoth caverns stones, a hard limestone, have been quarried in ancient times for the buildings in the...
on the north eastern and south eastern faces of Phnom Krom
Phnom Krom
Phnom Krom is a 140 m high hill close to Siem Reap, Cambodia.-Location:Phnom Krom is located to 12 kilometers southwest of Siem Reap town....
(which are still evident, though now defunct) to provide material for the construction of the French colonial administrative centre at Siem Reap
Siem Reap
Siem Reap is the capital city of Siem Reap Province in northwestern Cambodia, and is the gateway to Angkor region.Siem Reap has colonial and Chinese-style architecture in the Old French Quarter, and around the Old Market...
. It is impossible to speculate when the railway was constructed, but most likely it would have between around 1890 (when the French were, among other things, undertaking extensive construction in Phnom Penh
Phnom Penh
Phnom Penh is the capital and largest city of Cambodia. Located on the banks of the Mekong River, Phnom Penh has been the national capital since the French colonized Cambodia, and has grown to become the nation's center of economic and industrial activities, as well as the center of security,...
which also included the use of narrow gauge railways) and perhaps as late as the 1920s, when work on the Grand Hotel D’Angkor was being undertaken (a project which would have required large quantities of building materials). Given the French colonial pattern of railway use, most likely it was a 600mm gauge Decauville
Decauville
The Decauville manufacturing company was founded by Paul Decauville , a French pioneer in industrial railways. Decauville's major innovation was the use of ready-made sections of light, narrow gauge track fastened to steel sleepers; this track was portable and could be disassembled and transported...
style narrow gauge railway (see also Surviving Evidence, below)
Removal
Some maps from the 1960s with the railway marked mark it as disused, as it would almost certainly have been by that time. Again, it is possible the tracks were lifted a lot earlier, and the maps of this time are merely marking a railway that had long since disappeared on the ground, by compiling and copying information from earlier maps. If the track did survive in situ into the 1960s, it would have certainly been removed during the 1970s and the conflict that swept over CambodiaCambodia
Cambodia , officially known as the Kingdom of Cambodia, is a country located in the southern portion of the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia...
during that decade.
Trackbed
The trackbed survives largely intact. Starting at Phnom KromPhnom Krom
Phnom Krom is a 140 m high hill close to Siem Reap, Cambodia.-Location:Phnom Krom is located to 12 kilometers southwest of Siem Reap town....
, most likely the southern terminus of the railway was in a cluster of buildings that are now used by the RCAF
Royal Cambodian Armed Forces
The Royal Cambodian Armed Forces are the national military forces of Cambodia. The Commander-in-Chief is HM King Norodom Sihamoni, and consists of the Army, Navy, Air Force and Special Forces....
, under an old quarry face on the southern side of the hill. It then runs on the road leading to the Tonle Sap
Tonlé Sap
The Tonlé Sap is a combined lake and river system of major importance to Cambodia.The Tonlé Sap is the largest freshwater lake in South East Asia and is an ecological hot spot that was designated as a UNESCO biosphere in 1997....
for a short distance, before turning off to the north and taking a more direct route into Siem Reap
Siem Reap
Siem Reap is the capital city of Siem Reap Province in northwestern Cambodia, and is the gateway to Angkor region.Siem Reap has colonial and Chinese-style architecture in the Old French Quarter, and around the Old Market...
. The majority of the length of the trackbed is a raised, red earth embankment, though no original bridges seem to have survived. It enters Siem Reap
Siem Reap
Siem Reap is the capital city of Siem Reap Province in northwestern Cambodia, and is the gateway to Angkor region.Siem Reap has colonial and Chinese-style architecture in the Old French Quarter, and around the Old Market...
from the south, where the trackbed becomes a nameless street leading in a straight line leading due northwest, and passes in front (i.e. to the east) of what is now the Angkor Night Market. At the extreme northern end, it seems that the trackbed has been converted through a recent construction project into an open culvert
Culvert
A culvert is a device used to channel water. It may be used to allow water to pass underneath a road, railway, or embankment. Culverts can be made of many different materials; steel, polyvinyl chloride and concrete are the most common...
for rainwater run-off, this runs as far as National Highway 6. Where the railway might once have terminated just north of the highway, the modern Hotel Sokha now stands.
Rails
On Phnom KromPhnom Krom
Phnom Krom is a 140 m high hill close to Siem Reap, Cambodia.-Location:Phnom Krom is located to 12 kilometers southwest of Siem Reap town....
itself is a winding road leading up to a Buddhist monastery
Monastery
Monastery denotes the building, or complex of buildings, that houses a room reserved for prayer as well as the domestic quarters and workplace of monastics, whether monks or nuns, and whether living in community or alone .Monasteries may vary greatly in size – a small dwelling accommodating only...
, and an Angkorian temple. Lining this road are a series of old lampposts
Street light
A street light, lamppost, street lamp, light standard, or lamp standard is a raised source of light on the edge of a road or walkway, which is turned on or lit at a certain time every night. Modern lamps may also have light-sensitive photocells to turn them on at dusk, off at dawn, or activate...
, no longer functional, with cast concrete bases and rails providing the pole. These rails, still extant in 2011, are consistent with a Decauville
Decauville
The Decauville manufacturing company was founded by Paul Decauville , a French pioneer in industrial railways. Decauville's major innovation was the use of ready-made sections of light, narrow gauge track fastened to steel sleepers; this track was portable and could be disassembled and transported...
-style narrow gauge of 600mm, and are at any rate far ‘lighter’ than that used for the Cambodian standard gauge of 1 metre.
It is impossible to conjecture whether the rail-lampposts were placed there by the railway itself (perhaps an attempt to develop Phnom Krom
Phnom Krom
Phnom Krom is a 140 m high hill close to Siem Reap, Cambodia.-Location:Phnom Krom is located to 12 kilometers southwest of Siem Reap town....
as a tourist location), or by another party after the railway had ceased to function.
