Rail transport in Taiwan

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Taiwan has an extremely extensive network of railways (1496 km as of 2003). Though no longer as dominant as it once was, Taiwan's high population density continues to make rail transport an extremely important form of transportation, especially along the densely populated western corridor.

Rail transport was introduced to Taiwan during the Qing Dynasty (1891). Taiwan is the only part of the present-day Republic of China (ROC) to have rail transport. (i.e. None of Quemoy (Kinmen), Matsu Islands, Pratas, Wuchiu and Taiping has rail transport.)

The Railways of the Taiwan can generally be categorized into the following groups:

Contents 1 Interurban railways 2 Urban metro 3 Industrial & tourist railways 4 Cultural 5 See also 6 External links

[edit] Interurban railways

Long distance railways connecting several major cities and urban areas.

• Taiwan Railway Administration (台灣鐵路局): The TRA runs most of the main passenger and freight lines in Taiwan forming a closed loop around the island, as well as three branch lines.

• Taiwan High Speed Rail (台灣高速鐵路): High speed rail system based on Shinkansen technology, running along the western corridor. Currently under final stages of construction, due to be completed in January 2007.

[edit] Urban metro

With the increasing urbanization of Taiwan, several urban rapid transit systems have been constructed with several more being planned.

• Taipei Rapid Transit System (台北大眾捷運系統): The TRTS (also known as the MRT, or MetroTaipei) runs an extensive network of medium rail and underground metro systems throughout the metropolitan Taipei area.

• CKS International Airport Access MRT System (中正機場聯外捷運系統): This line will connect Taipei Main Station, Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport, and THSR Taoyuan Station. Construction begun in 2006. Scheduled for service in 2009.

• Kaohsiung Mass Rapid Transit (高雄捷運系統): Underground metro system currently under construction in Kaohsiung. Scheduled for service in 2007.

• Kaohsiung Light Rail: Light rail system in downtown Kaohsiung.

• Taichung Metropolitan Area MRT System (台中捷運): The project was approved in 2004. Scheduled for service in 2011.

[edit] Industrial & tourist railways

Originally built for the transportation of industrial products, these railroads have become tourist attractions.

• Alishan Forest Railway (阿里山森林鐵路): A narrow gauge rail line that runs from Chiayi City to the popular mountain resort of Alishan. Originally built by the Japanese Colonial Government for the logging industry in 1912, this line now caters mostly to tourists.

• Taiwan Sugar Railways (台灣糖業鐵路): An extensive series of narrow gauge lines mostly in central and southern Taiwan, originally built to haul sugarcane by Meiji Sugar Co., Ltd. during Japanese rule, but also capable of providing limited passenger service. Regular passenger services discontinued in 1982. In 2003, some short-distance train services resumed.

• Taiping Mountain Forest Railway (太平山森林鐵路): Short 3 km narrow gauge rail line running through the Taiping Mountain Scenic Area in Yilan County, originally constructed in 1924 for the logging industry, now a popular tourist attraction.

[edit] Cultural

Because of the Taiwan's extensive rail network (including many now defunct industrial narrow gauge lines which provided passenger service to rural areas), railways in Taiwan often have a romantic connotation, especially amongst the older generation who remember growing up when rail travel was the primary means of transportation between cities in simpler (and less prosperous) times. Many remember leaving their hometowns to attend school in far away cities by train or leaving via train to perform their compulsory military service. This nostalgia has often been capitalized upon in recent years through the introduction of various items such as "nostalgia box lunches" (懷舊便當), claimed to be authentic copies of the box lunches that were once served aboard trains.

There is also a sizable network of railway fans in Taiwan which has increased with the recent trend of Taiwanization.

[edit] See also

• Transportation in the Republic of China

[edit] External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Railways of Taiwan

• Taiwan Railway Club (Chinese)
• Taiwan railway scenery
• Twilight zone in Taiwan (Japanese)
• Railways of Taiwan from Asian Rails
• The Railways of Taiwan (English