How Old LRT Coaches Found A New Purpose Beneath Tioman’s Waves

By Lara Kramer  •  09 Sep 2025 in Features

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All aboard the coral line!

Did you know that Tioman is home to a dive site made out of retired LRT coaches?

The same carriages that once ferried office crowds along the Kelana Jaya Line are now sitting quietly on the seabed, playing host to fish, coral, and curious divers.

Back in July 2024, Tioman became the first island in Malaysia to sink LRT trains as part of a conservation effort. The project was officiated by the Sultan of Pahang, Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri’ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah, and earned a spot in the Malaysia Book of Records.

The new dive attraction was even named after him, officially known as the Al-Sultan Abdullah Dive Site.

The carriages chosen were the earliest models from the Kelana Jaya Line, in service since 1998 before being decommissioned in 2023. Rather than ending their journey in a scrapyard, they were given a second act underwater, where they could encourage coral growth, create new habitats, and add an unusual twist to Tioman’s marine tourism.

The effort came at a time when Malaysia’s reefs were under heavy stress. Between April and June 2024, more than half of the country’s coral reefs experienced bleaching due to rising sea surface temperatures.

Pulau Payar in Kedah, Pulau Perhentian, Pulau Redang and Pulau Tenggol in Terengganu, Pulau Pemanggil in Johor, and Pulau Tioman itself were all affected, according to the Fisheries Department and NGOs like Reef Check Malaysia.

Coral reefs are crucial to the health of our oceans, supporting up to a third of marine species by providing food, shelter, and breeding grounds.

When heat-stressed, corals lose the algae that sustain them, leaving behind fragile white skeletons in a process known as bleaching.

Artificial reefs like Tioman’s sunken trains help relieve pressure on natural coral ecosystems by offering alternative sites for diving, giving corals a fighting chance to recover, and protecting those that may be under threat.

From rush hour to reef hour, Tioman’s sunken trains remind us that innovation might just keep our oceans breathing.

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