Wenhu Line

Wenhu Line
Overview
Other name(s) Brown Line, Wenshan–Neihu Line
Type Light metro\Rapid transit
Status In service
Locale Metropolitan Taipei
Termini Taipei Nangang Exhibition Center
Taipei Zoo
Stations 24
Services Muzha Line, Neihu Line
Operation
Opened March 28, 1996
Operator(s) Taipei Rapid Transit System (TRTC)
Character Elevated and underground
Depot(s) Muzha Depot, Neihu Depot
Rolling stock Matra VAL 256,[1] Bombardier Innovia APM 256[2]
Technical
Line length 25.7 km (16.0 mi)
Track gauge 1,880 mm (6 ft 2 in)[3]
Electrification Third rail (750 volts DC)
Operating speed 80 km/h
Route map

Nangang Exhibition Centre
Nangang Software Park
Keelung River
Sun Yat-Sen Fwy.

Minsheng Xizhi Line to Xizhi or Neigou

Donghu
Minsheng Xizhi Line to Dadaocheng
Huzhou
Dahu Park
Neihu
Wende
Gangqian
Xihu
Yellow Line

Jiannan Road
Dazhi
Keelung River
Sun Yat-Sen Fwy.
Songshan Airport
Zhongshan Jr. High School
Songshan-Xindian Line to Songshan

Nanjing Fuxing

Songshan-Xindian Line to Xindian

Zhongxiao Fuxing

Bannan Line to Dingpu
Tamsui-Xinyi Line to Xiangshan

Daan

Tamsui-Xinyi Line to Tamsui
Technology Building
Liuzhangli
Linguang
Xinhai Rd.
Xinhai
Wanfang Hospital
Wanfang Community
Muzha

Taipei Zoo
Maokong Gondola to Maokong
Wenhu Line
Traditional Chinese 文湖線
Simplified Chinese 文湖线
Alternative Chinese name
Traditional Chinese 文山內湖線
Simplified Chinese 文山内湖线
Second alternative Chinese name
Traditional Chinese 棕線
Simplified Chinese 棕线

Wenhu Line or Brown Line (BR as identifier) is a rapid transit line of Taipei Metro. It is an automated rubber-tyred metro line of medium-capacity and has a total of 24 stations serving the 7 districts in Taipei and stretching 25.7 km long. As of September 2011, the line transports an average of 180,000 passengers daily.[4] The line is mostly on the viaduct (except Dazhi Station and Songshan Airport Station, which is underground).[5]

The line connects to the Bannan line at Zhongxiao Fuxing and Taipei Nangang Exhibition Center, Songshan–Xindian Line at Nanjing Fuxing Station, and Tamsui–Xinyi Line at Daan Station.

The Wenshan Section began revenue service on March 28, 1996, as the Muzha Line. The Neihu Section began revenue service on July 4, 2009. The Wenhu Line was formerly named the Muzha–Neihu Line, colloquially shortened as the Zhahu Line before October 8, 2009.

History

Construction of the Wenshan Line began in December 1988 at a cost of NT$42.6 billion.[6] It was plagued by controversy, cost overruns and technical problems from its development up to a few years after its opening.[7] Originally slated to commence passenger service in December 1991, its revenue operation was repeatedly delayed up to 28 March 1996 owing to numerous accidents. Public confidence was shakened as incidents of lightning strikes, computer failures, two instances of rolling stock derailment and catching fire each were reported during the testing phase.[8][6] In 1999, cracks were found on the elevated pillars forcing the line to shut down temporarily.[7]

One of the largest suppliers for the system, Matra, which supplied the VAL 256 rolling stock and electrical systems for the line sued the Department of Rapid Transit Systems of the Taipei City Government for costs overruns claiming to have resulted from the latter failing to provide the necessary infrastructure to build the line.[6][9] Subsequently, the company pulled out of the operation of the line in 1994.[6] Chen Shui Bian, then Mayor of Taipei declared that progress and operation of the line would continue despite the walkout in the now-popular catchphrase "馬特拉不拉,我們自己拉" (lit: If Matra doesn't pull, we'd pull it ourselves). After a 12-year-long legal tussle, in 2005, Matra was awarded NT$1.6 billion (approx. US$50 million) in damages by the Supreme Court of the Republic of China.[10][11]

Services on the Wenshan Line began with two-car operation of the VAL 256 coupled together. Eventually, increasing patronage on the system led to operation in four-car configurations. The opening of Maokong Gondola in 2007 have also boosted passenger numbers travelling on the line to Taipei Zoo for transfer.

The Wenshan Line is connected to the Neihu Line, which opened in July 2009. It connects to Neihu and Taipei Songshan Airport, which currently has no rapid transit access.[8] Since an alternative contractor Bombardier was awarded to supply the rolling stock and the signaling system for the new line, the Wenshan Line's signaling system was converted to suit the new communication-based train control (CBTC) CITYFLO 650 to allow both the old Matra rolling stock and the new Bombardier rolling stock to run in co-existence.[8] On December 19, 2010, fifty-one pairs of retrofitted VAL256's (from the Matra rolling stock) will begin testing on the entire line.[12] After over half a year of testing, the additional trains will decrease the time between trains at rush hour from 2 minutes to 72 seconds and bring the total number of trains operating on the line to 152 pairs.[12]

The long-awaited Neihu Line has had many delays prior to its opening. Since the Neihu Line was planned as an extension to the Wenshan Line, the original plan called for a similar elevated medium-capacity line. However, due to the growth of the Neihu District, many residents and politicians called for an underground, high-capacity line instead (similar to the Blue Line).[13]

The initial cost estimate of the elevated line was NT$42.6 billion, but due to delays the price-adjusted cost estimate rose to over NT$60.3 billion. A shift to underground construction would have increased the cost to as high as NT$134.4 billion. However, the Central Government stated that if construction for the Neihu Line did not start immediately, they would withhold the grant money for the line. In addition, due to the narrow streets and numerous turns in Neihu, construction of an underground high-capacity line would have been infeasible.[14] Thus, the plan to build an elevated line continued after much delay.[13]

There was also significant debate whether Songshan Airport should be included on the route.[14] The addition of the station added an additional 1.9 kilometres (1.2 mi) to the line's length. Because of the inclusion of the station, the final cost of the line reached NT$66.7 billion.[15]

The line was initially planned to begin service in 1996, and after 13 years of delay, the line finally began operations. However, the Neihu Line has been criticized for its frequent malfunctions and safety issues.[14]

Important Dates

Rolling stock

The line was operated by the 2-car driverless VAL 256 built in 1993. A total of 102 cars were built with a maximum capacity of 114 passengers each. The fleet ran on rubber-tyred track at a maximum speed of 80 km/h.

With the opening of the Neihu Line, the entire line switched over to the new automatic train control CITYFLO 650 using Innovia APM 256 trains (produced by Bombardier). As of December 19, 2010, trials are being run on retrofitted VAL 256 trains modified to run on both the Muzha and Neihu Lines.[18] The trains are expected to fully enter revenue service after testing by December 26, 2010.[18][19] On December 26, 2010, the line will operate with 6 pairs of the retrofitted VAL 256's and 25-29 pairs of the Innovia 256's. By December 27, the ratio is expected to increase, with 10 pairs of VAL 256's and 40 pairs of the Innovia 256's.[19]

Stations

CodeStation NameTransferLocation
EnglishChinese
BR24Nangang Exhibition Center南港展覽館 (BL23) Nangang
BR23Nangang Software Park南港軟體園區
BR22Donghu東湖 Neihu
BR21Huzhou葫洲
BR20Dahu Park大湖公園
BR19Neihu內湖
BR18Wende
(Bihu Park)
文德
(碧湖公園)
BR17Gangqian港墘
BR16Xihu
(Takming University)
西湖
(德明科大)
BR15Jiannan Road
(Miramar)
劍南路
(美麗華)
 Y  [planned] Zhongshan
BR14Dazhi
(Shih Chien University)
大直
(實踐大學)
BR13Songshan Airport松山機場 TSA Songshan
BR12Zhongshan Junior High School中山國中 Zhongshan
Songshan
BR11Nanjing Fuxing南京復興 (G16)
BR10Zhongxiao Fuxing忠孝復興 (BL15) Da'an
BR09Daan大安 (R05)
BR08Technology Building科技大樓
BR07Liuzhangli六張犁 Da'an
Xinyi
BR06Linguang麟光
BR05Xinhai辛亥 Wenshan
BR04Wanfang Hospital萬芳醫院
BR03Wanfang Community萬芳社區
BR02Muzha木柵
BR01Taipei Zoo動物園  Y  [planned]
 Maokong Gondola 

References

  1. "Taipeï - en - Siemens".
  2. "Automated Metro - Taipei, Taiwan".
  3. 內湖線則採用膠輪/鋼軌系統,中心線間距為1,880mm。此外,文山線因採膠輪/水泥軌道系統,一般來說並無軌距之分,但其凸出於路面的兩條行車水泥軌枕,中心線間距為1,880mm。
  4. "http://english.trtc.com.tw/ct.asp?xItem=5687748&ctNode=11752&mp=122032". Taipei Rapid Transit Corporation. 2011-09-15. Retrieved 2011-11-15. External link in |title= (help)
  5. "Medium/High Capacity System Ridership Statistics". english.metro.taipei. 16 August 2011. Retrieved 16 April 2017.
  6. 1 2 3 4
  7. 1 2 Once again, MRT breaks down, Erin Prelypchan, Taipei Times, 4 December 1999, p. 2
  8. 1 2 3
  9. High Court orders compensation in fight over MRT line, Joy Su, Taipei Times, 9 April 2004, p. 1
  10. Matra wins final appeal against city government, Rich Chang, 24 July 2005, Taipei Times, p. 1
  11. 木柵捷運馬特拉案 北市府認賠20億 每位市民賠790元, ETTV News, 17 August 2005
  12. 1 2 文湖線馬特拉舊車 今天檢核 (in Chinese). 自由時報. 2010-12-19. Retrieved 2010-12-18.
  13. 1 2 "內湖捷運線採高架中運量系統".
  14. 1 2 3 "捷運內湖線細說從頭". Department of Rapid Transit Systems. 2009-09-01. Retrieved 2010-06-20.
  15. 1 2 "Route Map: 內湖線工程". East District Project Office, Department of Rapid Transit Systems. 2009-06-11. Archived from the original on June 1, 2009. Retrieved 2009-07-13.
  16. "內湖線松山機場站至劍南路站 電聯車運轉紀實". Department of Rapid Transit Systems. 2008-06-01. Retrieved 2010-06-19.
  17. Mo Yan-chih (11 July 2009). "MRT malfunction strands hundreds". Taipei Times. Retrieved 10 January 2016.
  18. 1 2 3 "Wenhu line integrated for faster service". The China Post. 2010-12-21. Retrieved 2010-12-21.
  19. 1 2 文湖線馬特拉列車 26日上線 (in Chinese). The China Times. 2010-12-22. Retrieved 2010-12-23.
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