[Coyett]

THSRC (Service)

Taipei-Kaohsiung, 2007

345 km
8 stations
39 km Mined Tunnels
8 km of Cut and Cover Tunnels
251 km of Viaducts and Bridges
31 km Cut and Fill Embankments

Rolling Stock: T700 - Kawasaki, Nippon Sharyo, Hitachi
http://i51.photobucket.com/albums/f355/chung68/thsrc-s.jpg
photo: THSRC

------------------------------------------------------------------------
TRA Express (Service)

TEMU 1000 "Taroko", Taipei-Hualien, 2007

Rolling Stock: Hitachi
http://i51.photobucket.com/albums/f355/chung68/temu1000tra-s.jpg
photo: ITC
---------------------------------------------------------------------
TRA Rapid Transit

Hsinchu MRT (Construction)
TRA - HSR, Lioujia Line, 2010
11.28 km
4 stations
Rolling Stock: EMU
http://www.erieb.gov.tw/eg4e.htm

Tainan MRT (Construction)
TRA - HSR, Salun Line, 2010
6.4 km
2 stations
Rolling Stock: EMU
http://www.erieb.gov.tw/eg5e.htm

Northeast Coast (Construction)
Rueifang - NMMST, Shenao Line, 2011
4.2 km
1 station
Rolling Stock: DMU

Pingdong (Planning)
Hengchun Line
36 km
6 stations
Rolling Stock: EMU

Taoyuan MRT (Construction)
Taipei - Taoyuan Airport - Jhongli, 2013
51 km
21 stations

Taoyuan MRT (Approved)
Jhongli A21 - Jhongli TRA, 2016
4 km
2 stations

Rolling Stock: Kawasaki
http://i51.photobucket.com/albums/f355/chung68/cksairportEMU.jpg
http://www.mrt.tpc.gov.tw/web66/_file/1680/upload/9537/map1b.jpg

--------------------------------------------------------------------------
Taipei MRT Projects

Light Metro (Construction)

Brown Line - Neihu Extension, 2010
14.8 km
12 stations

Rolling Stock: Bombardier
http://i51.photobucket.com/albums/f355/chung68/BombardierAPM2.jpg

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Orbital Line, 2014 (Planning)
15.4 km
14 stations
http://www.mrt.tpc.gov.tw

------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Heavy Metro (Construction)

Rolling Stock: Kawasaki
http://i51.photobucket.com/albums/f355/chung68/dortskawasaki.jpg

Orange Line, 2013
19.7 km
16 stations

Orange Line - Luzhou Extension, 2010
6.4 km
5 stations

Green Line - Songshan Extension, 2012
8.5 km
8 stations

Blue Line - Nangang Extension, 2008
2.5 km
2 stations

Red Line - Xinyi Extension, 2012
6.4 km
5 stations
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Kaohsiung MRT (Construction)

Rolling Stock: Siemens
http://i51.photobucket.com/albums/f355/chung68/kaohsiungmrtsiemens.jpg

Red Line, 2008
28.3 km
24 stations

Orange Line, 2009
14.4 km
14 stations
------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Taichung MRT (Planning)

Green Line, 2016
16.5 km
15 stations
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
TRA Line Reconstruction

Taipei Nangang Extension Project, 2011 (Construction)
19.4 km tunnel/elevated rail line

Kaohsiung Underground Railway Project, 2016 (Construction)
9.75 km rail tunnel

Taichung Elevated Railway Project, 2015 (Construction)
21.19 km viaduct

Yuanlin Elevated Railway Project, 2013 (Construction)
4 km viaduct

Dongshan Station Elevated Railway Project, 2008 (Construction)
5.7 km viaduct

Taoyuan - Jhongli Elevated Railway Project, 2016 (Approved)
18 km viaduct

Hualien-Taitung Double-Track Electrification, 2016 (Approved)
155 km

[Coyett]

TRA EMU 700

http://i51.photobucket.com/albums/f355/chung68/emu700tra.jpg

http://i51.photobucket.com/albums/f355/chung68/emu700tra3.jpg

http://i51.photobucket.com/albums/f355/chung68/emu700tra-2.jpg

http://i51.photobucket.com/albums/f355/chung68/emu700tra-4.jpg

http://i51.photobucket.com/albums/f355/chung68/emu700TRA-6.jpg

http://i51.photobucket.com/albums/f355/chung68/emu700TRA-5.jpg

http://eip.railway.gov.tw/IndexNewsManager/upload/680/emu700-2.jpg

Photos: ITC http://www.wretch.cc/blog/itcphoto&article_id=9755256

TRA TEMU 1000 "Taroko" Express

http://pics1.webs-tv.net/5/userfile/t/teen520/album/145929aa764fa0.jpg

http://pics1.webs-tv.net/5/userfile/t/teen520/album/145929aa73ddac.jpg

http://pics1.webs-tv.net/5/userfile/t/teen520/album/145929d5994517.jpg

Photos: teen520 http://album.blog.yam.com/teen520&folder=1879933&page=2&limit=20

[philip]

Wow, that was a wonderful compilation of all the railway/metro constructions in Taiwan. It must have taken you a while to put this together. Wonderful Job!!

I like how you separated them into system categories, it is much easier to see where each system is used in what city. I also like the look of the Taroko Trains; they look like High Peed Rail trains "ICE" in Germany.

This is by far the best Taiwan transportation thread, I will check this thread often, so please continue to make updates, thanks.

I used to live in Xinyi until I was 18 years old. I will visit Taiwan for the first time in 10 years this summer (2007). There is so much to see and to do, I am excited.

[Coyett]

Thanks for the encouragement! ;)

There should be an announcement about the proposed Xinyi maglev sometime this spring. I'll try to keep the thread alive with updates, but that's not always easy as topics related to Taiwan attract few posters in this subforum.

Back on topic, I hope the new EMU 800, up for tender this spring, don't mimic the exterior of previous models. If I had any influence over the tender criteria, the design would be similar to JR's E233.

Companies who have expressed an interest in bidding for the EMU 800 contract include; TRSC/Nippon Sharyo, Hitachi, and Rotem.

[Coyett]

Kawasaki Heavy, Marubeni Win 57 Billion Yen Taipei Subway Order

By Masumi Suga

March 3 (Bloomberg) -- Kawasaki Heavy Industries Ltd., Marubeni Corp. and CTCI Corp. have won a 57 billion yen ($488 million) order to supply subway systems in Taiwan.

Kawasaki Heavy, Japan's biggest maker of rail cars, will build 138 rail cars and supply signal systems by April 2015, the Kobe-based manufacture said in a faxed statement. Marubeni, a Tokyo-based trading company, will handle system integration, communication systems and automated ticket gates, while Taipei- based CTCI will be in charge of power feeding systems.

The train systems will be used for two new subway lines in Taipei, the statement said. Kawasaki Heavy, which leads the group, has so far won orders to build a total of 453 subway train cars for Taipei since the 1990s.

http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601101&sid=agugJGNMRolU&refer=japan

Kawasaki C371
http://otis-metro.myweb.hinet.net/c371.htm

[Coyett]

THSRC plans to increase trains

By Jessie Ho
STAFF REPORTER
Saturday, Mar 10, 2007, Page 12

The nation's high-speed rail operator announced it would increase the number of trains in operation at the end of the month to serve more passengers, a move that indicated improvements in the rail system and customer service, company officials said yesterday.

Starting on March 31, the Taiwan High Speed Rail Corp (THSRC, 台灣高鐵) would increase the number of trains running in each direction on the north-south track from 19 to 23-25 per day, THSRC executive director Ou Chin-der (歐晉德) said at a press gathering yesterday.

http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/biz/archives/2007/03/10/2003351744

[JFK]

I was in Taipei in February and thought the Taipei subway was one of the cleanest, most reliable, efficient systems I have every seen. The expansion of they system that is underway now is also incredible. Can not wait to go back in a few years to see how the system changes.

[Coyett]

TRA vows early replacement of railway tracks

By Shelley Shan
STAFF REPORTER
Saturday, Mar 03, 2007, Page 2

To ensure the safe operation of tilting trains, the Taiwan Railway Administration (TRA) will replace the railway tracks on some of the sections along the Northern Line (北迴鐵路) at an early date, a senior official at the railway operator said yesterday.

"We will reduce the life cycle of railway tracks that are placed along the curves by five to 10 years," TRA deputy director-general Huang Ming-ren (黃民仁) said.

http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/taiwan/archives/2007/03/03/2003350774

[Coyett]

TRA conducts test ride of tilting trains

By Shelley Shan
STAFF REPORTER, IN HUALIEN
Wednesday, Mar 21, 2007, Page 4

The Taiwan Railway Administration (TRA) conducted a public test ride of its tilting trains along the North Link yesterday.

"Alright," yelled a TRA driver, as the train -- also known as Taroko Express -- pulled out of Taipei Main Station at 2pm.

The tilting train is equipped with a mechanism that allows it to counteract the centrifugal force generated when driving through curves. Rather than slowing down the train, drivers of tilting trains increase speed slightly when negotiating curves.

The train yesterday only took one hour and 55 minutes to get to Hualien. That compares with a travel time of nearly three hours for the usual express trains, known as Tzuchiang Express.

Although the ride was a little bumpy at the beginning, it went on smoothly afterward.

Passengers who were seated could hardly feel the train tilt, but it was palpable to those who were standing during the ride.

The TRA started using the newly imported trains to transport passengers during the Lunar New Year, but it had yet to test the trains' ability to tilt.

TRA Director-General Chen Feng-nan (陳峰男) said yesterday that test-runs of the tilting trains would be completed soon. The first three groups of tilting trains will start operating on May 8.

http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/taiwan/archives/2007/03/21/2003353205

[Coyett]

A few more photos of the new rolling stock: http://www.wretch.cc/album/album.php?id=cgychen&book=5

[KrisYYC]

Fantastic!! I heard from another forum that the new high speed rail link is awesome!!

My sister lives in Kaohsiung and everytime I've been to visit I've noticed the construction of the MRT, especially around Mega. I was always wondering when it was due for completion, now I know!

Thanks!
Kris

[Coyett]

Taiwan Taoyuan Airport Express Update

Copied from the BOHSR's monthly newsletter.

In order to simultaneously meet the needs of both urban transit and inter-city transportation, the Taoyuan International Airport Access MRT System will feature a mixture of express trains and commuter trains. Express trains will provide service between Station A1 (Taipei Gate) and A14 in Taoyuan International Airport, while commuter trains will provide to all stations between Station A1 in Taipei and Station A21 in Jhongli. The design and furnishing of MRT cars must therefore consider the needs of both air travelers and urban transit passengers. The following plans have been made to accommodate both needs:

http://i51.photobucket.com/albums/f355/chung68/cksairportEMU.jpg

Express train cars: Taipei Gate - TPE
Seat Configuration: 2X2
Amenities: overhead reading lamps, flight arrival/departure displays, luggage racks,

Commuter train cars: Taipei Gate - TPE - Taoyuan THSRC - Jhongli
Seat Configuration: MRT-style longitudinal banks of seats.

source: http://www.hsr.gov.tw/homepage.nsf/homepage-eng?OpenFrameset
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Taiwan High Speed Rail Video
Revh66OVTI0

fvEprAL5jAg

[KrisYYC]

Sweet videos!! I can't wait to try it!

Kris

[Coyett]

New high-tech tilting trains make their debut


The Taroko Express train from Taipei to Hualien on Taiwan's east coast makes its debut.

The new train, which is Taiwan's first tilting train, made its first run on Tuesday. It speeds up the trip from Taipei to Hualien by almost an hour. Previously the trip took two hours and forty-five minutes. Now, passengers can complete their journey in a little less than two hours.

An official with the Taiwan Rail Association (TRA) said the Taroko Express is the fastest train on the east coast. Because of the train's tilt, it can go 20-25 km faster on curves than traditional trains.

The TRA has invested almost US$85 million into the new trains. They employ nanotechnology to help sterilize restrooms and clean the glass windows on the trains. According to TRA officials, a special coating on the windows prevents dust from accumulating.

The Taroko Express will run three times a day from Taipei to Hualien, and will make an extra run on holidays. A one-way ticket costs a little more than US$13.

http://i51.photobucket.com/albums/f355/chung68/tarokoexpress.jpg

image: http://www.flickr.com/photos/mileswen/366928520/

interior: http://www.flickr.com/photos/liwuriver/339641159/

[KrisYYC]

Sweet, I can't wait to go back to Taiwan!

[Coyett]

Refunds galore as rain hits fast train

RAIN, HAIL OR SHINE: High-speed rail passengers who are delayed by more than a certain period are entitled to a refund, even if the villain is caution after heavy rain
By Jason Tan
STAFF REPORTER, WITH CNA
Saturday, Jun 09, 2007, Page 11

Affected by heavy downpours, the nation's high-speed rail suffered its longest delay yesterday morning since the service started in January.

Nine bullet trains, including four northbound services and five southbound, were delayed by more than half an hour, said Ted Chia (賈先德), assistant vice president of Taiwan High Speed Rail Corp's (THSRC, 台灣高鐵) press office.........

There are 31 services in each direction on the high-speed railway. THSRC chairwoman Nita Ing said full utilization of system capacity would raise that to a total of 88 commercial and maintenance train runs per day.

The number of trips in each direction was scheduled to increase to 41 or 42 per day next month, and then to 61 in September.

"Ultimately, we hope to expand the total number of daily train runs in each direction to 88,".

http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/biz/archives/2007/06/09/2003364515

[Coyett]

More pics of recently acquired rolling stock!

Alishan Forest Railway DL
Nippon Sharyo/TRSC
Refurbish

http://pic20.picturetrail.com/VOL1464/9580528/17445208/289467536.jpg
source: http://pix.kfei.net/oebb2016/album101/album136/?g2_page=9

TRA EMU700
Nippon Sharyo/TRSC

http://pic20.picturetrail.com/VOL1464/9580528/17445208/289467539.jpg
source: http://www.flickr.com/photos/mileswen/


TRA TEMU1000
Hitachi

http://pic20.picturetrail.com/VOL1464/9580528/17445208/289467540.jpg
source: http://www.flickr.com/photos/mileswen/


THSR T700
Kawasaki/Nippon Sharyo/Hitachi

http://pic20.picturetrail.com/VOL1464/9580528/17445208/289467538.jpg
source:http://www.flickr.com/photos/mileswen/

[Coyett]

Oct 23, 2007

THSRC to add more trains

The Taiwan High Speed Rail Corp (THSRC) will increase the number of southbound and northbound daily train runs to 113 next month, with more than 50 trains in each direction every day, THSRC executive director Ou Chin-der (歐晉德) said yesterday. He said that a train will depart every 10 minutes during rush hours and that they will offer open-seat tickets to serve more passengers. The prices of open-seat tickets have not been determined but it was unlikely they would be substantially discounted, he said. THSRC has also started to map out plans for the phone booking system, but it probably would not be ready before the end of this year. THSRC also plans to begin selling light meals priced at under NT$100, excluding beverages. Lunch boxes are also being considered, he said
--------------------------------------------------------------------------

High speed rail allows online booking for same-day travel, beginning today

STAFF WRITER, WITH CNA
Wednesday, Nov 21, 2007, Page 12
Taiwan High Speed Rail Corp (THSRC, 台灣高鐵) said yesterday that passengers may book train tickets online for same-day travel starting today. A THSRC spokesman said that passengers interested in buying tickets online for same-day travel should complete the booking and payment with a credit card at least two hours before the departure of the designated train. When the booking is completed, THSRC's Web site will issue a confirmation number for the transaction. Passengers can present the number at a THSRC station to claim their ticket.

convenience

The THSRC's decision to allow online booking for same-day travel is part of the company's move to provide more convenient service to passengers. On Nov. 12, the company began offering open-seat tickets to passengers, with tickets sold at a discount through Dec. 31. Between Nov. 12 and Nov. 19, the high speed rail sold a total of 158,000 open-seat tickets, or an average of 19,000 passengers per day. On Sept. 24, the company began to allow 24-hour online booking of tickets from one day up to 14 days prior to the scheduled time of departure.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

New train inaugurated for southern Taiwan

Tuesday, November 20, 2007
CNA

TAINAN, Taiwan -- The Taiwan Railway Administration (TRA) held a ceremony yesterday in the Tainan railway station to inaugurate a new Electric Multiple Unit (EMU) 700-model train for southern Taiwan.
The new commuter train will make its inaugural ride Tuesday, replacing the Fuhsing Express, a third-class train, that carries short-distance passengers between Chiayi and Pintung. Train fares will remain the same.

TRA officials said the TRA has ordered 160 EMU700 cars, with the first 12 manufactured by Nippon Sharyo Co., and the remaining 148 produced by the Taiwan Rolling Stock Co. (TRSC) under the technical assistance from Nippon Sharyo.

The officials said that TRSC will provide another 112 cars by the end of the year for the TRA to use for its commuter services on the West Trunk Line, the Yilan Line and the North-link Line.

The EMU700 train is designed to provide convenience to commuters. Information about forthcoming stations on its route will be displayed electronically above all exits in both Chinese and English.

[Swede]

So with just one HSR line, Taipei will for a few hours a day have a Shinkansen coming or going ever 5 minutes?
I'm guessing the THSR is getting alot of passengers?

[Justin10000]

*sigh*

Threads like this constantly remind me why I hate living in North America.

[Coyett]

So with just one HSR line, Taipei will for a few hours a day have a Shinkansen coming or going ever 5 minutes?

In two or three years that will likely be the case. At the moment peak service is limited to a train every fifteen minutes.
http://www.thsrc.com.tw/en/ticketing/timetable.asp

I'm guessing the THSR is getting alot of passengers?

With the addition of non-reserved seating they're probably at the level of 60,000 - 70,000 passengers a day.

[Coyett]

Alishan Railway to Reopen

The Alishan Forest Railway is expected to resume full operations on Friday, the Chiayi Forest District Office said yesterday. The railway has been closed since June, when a landslide destroyed one of the tunnels along the route. The maintenance crews repairing the tunnel have experienced problems because of two earthquakes in July and the heavy rains brought by typhoons Sepat and Krosa that caused more landslides in the surrounding areas, damaging both the railway tracks and roads. The office said the crews have completed the installation of protective layers both inside and outside the tunnel, so that falling rocks would not crush the tunnel structure. The office originally estimated that the construction would be completed next March.

High-Mountain Railways:
Qinghai-Tibet Railway
Ferrocarril Central Andino
Darjeeling Himalayan Railway
Alishan Forest Railway
Glacier Express

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alishan_Forest_Railway
http://my.so-net.net.tw/chih_wei_1118/images/AlishanRail/ALS-Vehicle/ALS-Vehicle.htm

KmQFYDhdXr4&NR

CnrTHF1fjVk&rel

iqfZ5r-6uI4

[Coyett]

Hsinchu TRA - HSR - Jhudong Branch Line, 2009

http://www.rrb.gov.tw/graph_main/253-2-4.jpg
Image: RRB Taiwan

[Coyett]

Shenao Line Closure Marks End of an Era

FOND FAREWELL: Rail fans yesterday took a nostalgic trip on the Shenao Line, which will be closed until it has been rejuvenated to carry tourists to Keelung Sea World
By Shelley Shan
STAFF REPORTER

As Cheng Min-chang (鄭銘彰), chairman of the Railway Culture Society, looks at photos taken along the Shenao Railway Line (深澳線), he remembers his days as a young railway fan.

Cheng had been unaware of the Shenao Line until he read a book by a Japanese writer who wrote about the railway lines he traveled on in Taiwan. In 1986, Cheng decided to explore the railway line the day after he finished his college entrance exam.

"I remembered the car was permeated with the smell of fish as vendors brought loads of fish from the harbor in Badouzih (八斗仔) to sell it at the day market in Rueifang (瑞芳)," he said.

Cheng recalled that there were only two other people on board on his return trip that day: the driver and the head of the train crew.

At 9:30am yesterday, Cheng and other railway enthusiasts boarded the last diesel-powered train to head toward the Shenao Line -- at least for a while.

When the train returned to Taipei Main Station at 12:35pm, it closed a chapter on this once popular minor railway line.

"I remembered the car was permeated with the smell of fish as vendors brought loads of fish from the harbor in Badouzih to sell it at the day market in Rueifang."

Cheng Min-chang, chairman of the Railway Culture Society

Some of the railway enthusiasts chased after the train on scooters, some trying to capture it on film.

"The scenery in Badouzih was just gorgeous," Cheng said during the three-hour trip.

Hsu Bang-yen (許邦彥), the station master in Rueifang, said that the 6.3km railway line had been constructed mainly to transport copper and help bring coal to Taiwan Power's Shenao Thermal Power Plant.

Construction of the Shenao Line was completed in 1967. Starting from Rueifang, trains on the Shenao Line made stops at Badouzih, Shenao, Rueibin (瑞濱), Haibin (海濱) and Liandong (濂洞).

Hsu said the Taiwan Railway Administration (TRA) decided to stop the train service from Haibin to Liandong in 1977 after the completion of Provincial Highway No. 2, also known as the Coastal Highway.

He said that because of the low occupancy rate, the administration terminated passenger services on the Shenao Line in 1989. Since then, the line has been used only to bring coal to the power plant.

"As the power plant ceased operations two weeks ago, the coal-carrier service is no longer needed either," Hsu said.

TRA spokesperson Chang Ying-huei (張應輝) said yesterday that the Shenao Line would be used to carry visitors to Sea World in Keelung County, which is scheduled to open in 2011.

The Shenao Train Station will be renamed as Sea World Train Station, Chang said.

He said the administration plans to spend NT$55 million (US$1.7 million) to replace all the outdated facilities along the railway line. Construction is expected to begin next year and is scheduled to be completed in 2010.

Chang said that the administration would arrange for up to 62 diesel-powered trains to operate between Rueifang and the Sea World Train Station, which are 4.2km apart.

The administration has estimated that the Keelung Sea World would draw approximately 2 million visitors a year, and that 17 percent of the visitors would use the railway service, he said.

However, the administration would not be able to cover the costs if it charged each passenger NT$28 for a round-trip ticket, which is the standing rate on commuter trains, Chang said.

He said the administration would have to spend at least NT$30 million a month to cover the personnel and railway maintenance costs.

"The other operational model could be that Sea World subsidizes travelers' transportation fees as a way to attract tourists," he said.

Cheng said that the administration should seriously consider extending the railway route to the scenic Badouzih area, which he said would also attract tourists.

Besides the Shenao line, the administration has also recently closed other minor railway lines, including the one in Donggang (東港), Pingtung County.

Cheng said that it was difficult for the TRA to maintain minor railway lines used by very few passengers.

To save on personnel costs, he suggested that the administration use an automatic signaling system along minor railway routes.

"Since the TRA would have to deploy extra trains to carry passengers on this line, it is reasonable to charge each passenger a bit more," Cheng said.


http://www.taipeitimes.com/images/2007/09/29/20070928200203.jpeg
PHOTO: LO PEI-DER, TAIPEI TIMES

Sea World Station
http://pic20.picturetrail.com/VOL1464/9580528/17445208/293725797.jpg
Image: MMST

[Coyett]

Taiwan's Japan-made bullet trains end first year in red — but on track


By MAX HIRSCH
TAIPEI (Kyodo) Taiwan's Japan-built high-speed trains have yet to become a cash-cow success, but neither are they the disaster critics had once predicted.

As Taiwan marked the first year of the rail system on Jan. 5, bittersweet pride surely ranks high among its founders.

The bitter sprouts from a fiscal shortfall as Taiwan High Speed Rail Corp. seeks to dramatically boost ridership from the current 43,000 passengers daily to at least the break-even point.

But the sweet is just as palpable as Taiwan's first bullet trains, which traverse 345 km between Taipei and Kaohsiung at the island's southern tip, run without a hitch.

"Before operations began, many media outlets reported the system would be very dangerous. . . . False reports still appear in the press," said Takaomi Goto, chairman of the Taiwan Shinkansen Engineering Corp. "But . . . there haven't been any big errors. In terms of safety, we have achieved reliability. . . . Everybody is saying that Taiwan's high-speed rail network is successful."

Taiwan High Speed Rail in 2000 contracted Taiwan Shinkansen Engineering, a consortium of seven Japanese firms, to provide and maintain the core technology for the bullet-train network.

The consortium's contributions include a fleet of 30 700 Series bullet trains, which Goto said boast a 99.6 percent punctuality rate.

But that precision has come at great cost — literally and figuratively.

Over budget and 16 months behind schedule, the high-speed rail system opened for business amid intense, and often negative, media attention on Jan. 5, 2007.

Multiple minor derailments in test runs two months prior to the opening supplied ammunition to critics, who conjured up images of a nightmarish pileup at 300 kph, the trains' top speed.

Mixing European track technology with Japanese bullet trains, they warned, was a recipe for derailment.

Originally, German bullet-train maker InterCityExpress was slated to provide the core technology.

But in 1998, an ICE train in Germany jumped the tracks at 200 kph, killing 101 passengers in the worst high-speed train accident ever. Investigators pointed to suspect wheel technology.

The crash ended ICE's business in Taiwan and the island turned to Japan-based Taiwan Shinkansen Engineering for "earthquake-proof" bullet trains, but the Western technology-oriented THSR still insisted on European-style tracks.

That decision led to a troubled collaboration with Taiwan Shinkansen Engineering to forge the world's first Japanese-European bullet-train system in the world's biggest build-operate-transfer project ever. The final price tag was $15 billion.

As delays and cost overruns mounted, critics panned the project as a doomed, extravagant bid to integrate incompatible technologies.

But the detractors are falling silent as the system turns a corner in its first year.

Boasting an impeccable safety record so far, THSR plans to increase daily trips from 113 to 176 and post profits next year, THSR Chairwoman Nita Ing said.

Already, a new ticketing policy is boosting passenger traffic.

In November, THSR added open seating, while reducing fares by 20 percent, for seats in three train cars, a policy that saw passenger traffic jump from 1.44 million passengers in October to 2 million in December.

And so popular is the policy that THSR plans to extend it indefinitely, said Ted Chia, vice president of the THSR public affairs division.

"The trend is obvious," he added. "Passengers are steadily increasing."

Still, 2 million riders monthly is a far cry from what an industry insider said is the 3.6 million passengers, each paying at least 1,000 Taiwan dollars (¥3,350), that THSR needs to start settling its debts and making a profit.

Nonetheless, "THSR expects to break even in the latter half of this year," Chia said, adding the network will run 176 daily trips by then.

So even though THSR is running deep in the red, its future could be bright.

This year's goals, Chia said, include improving ticketing systems and inducing convenience stores to serve as ticket outlets.

Local personnel are meanwhile increasing as THSR internalizes its Eastern and Western technologies.

At the start of operations, nearly all train operators were foreign.

Now, of the current 89 train operators, 54 are Taiwanese and most of the remaining 35 are French, Chia said.

Another key goal this year, he added, is to employ 100 Taiwanese drivers as foreign drivers dwindle.

Long-term plans include developing about 92 hectares of land in five "business districts" near the line, a business opportunity for THSR as its bullet trains drive up real estate near stations, Chia said. THSR manages the land under government contract.

Next year, THSR plans to break ground on a 12-km extension to the Nangang District in Taipei with operations starting in 2011.

Construction of three more stations on the current line will follow, Chia said.

"Our biggest source of target customers now are private car owners," he said. "Nearly 2 million private vehicle trips are made on Taiwan's highways. If we could draw one-tenth, or even one-eighth, of that traffic, that would be phenomenal."

[Coyett]

Taiwan Taoyuan Airport Express/Taoyuan MRT, 2013 (Construction)
Distance: 51 km
Stations: 21
Rolling Stock: Kawasaki

http://i51.photobucket.com/albums/f355/chung68/cksairportEMU.jpg

http://pic20.picturetrail.com/VOL1464/9580528/17445208/298747660.jpg
image: railway reconsruction bureau

Express train cars: Taipei Station Zone - TTIA
Seat Configuration: 2X2
Amenities: overhead reading lamps, flight arrival/departure displays, luggage racks,

Commuter train cars: Taipei Station Zone - TTIA - Taoyuan THSRC - Jhongli
Seat Configuration: MRT-style longitudinal banks of seats.[/i]

Construction Progress:
Three sections under construction: TTIA, Chingpu depot (Jhongli), TMS - Sanchong underground.

NEW
Station renderings for the entire line:
www.rbtr.gov.tw/download_files/2007.10.26_機場捷運未來願景.ppt

[Coyett]

*double post

[staff]

Thanks for the updates! Seems like infrastructure expansions in Taiwan go hand in hand with those of the PRC, relatively! Very nice.

[Coyett]

Greater Taipei TOD Projects:

Keelung Station (TRA)
Status: planning
http://pic20.picturetrail.com/VOL1464/9580528/17445208/298932790.jpg

Nangang Station (MRT, HSR, TRA)
Status: under construction
http://pic20.picturetrail.com/VOL1464/9580528/17445208/298932792.jpg

Kunyang Station (Nangang) (MRT)
Status: under construction
http://pic20.picturetrail.com/VOL1464/9580528/17445208/298936903.jpg

Songshan Station (MRT, TRA)
Status: under construction
http://pic20.picturetrail.com/VOL1464/9580528/17445208/298932786.jpg

Xiaobitan Station (MRT)
Status: under construction
http://pic20.picturetrail.com/VOL1464/9580528/17445208/286352832.jpg

Taipei Main Station Zone (MRT, HSR, TRA)
Status: under construction
http://i51.photobucket.com/albums/f355/chung68/TMSMAKITaipeiGate2.jpg

Wanhua Station (TRA)
Status: planning
http://pic20.picturetrail.com/VOL1464/9580528/17445208/298993124.jpg

[Coyett]

The Kaohsiung MRT is set to open sometime in the next month. Here's a preview from the CNY trial runs of one of the more interesting stations - Central Park Station (R9). Enjoy!

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2320/2252094793_9fd083613b_b.jpg
hiroshiken - http://www.flickr.com/photos/hiroshiken/

More:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/yetbi/2263975555/sizes/l/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/yetbi/2263975665/sizes/l/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/yetbi/2264765584/sizes/l/

[bugsy]

Seeing all this (especially the High Speed Rail) makes me so proud of Taiwan. I still remember taking the train with my mom from Taipei to Kaohsiung when I was little, before moving to Vancouver at age 6.

All the trains here remind so much of JR's rolling stock (I was recently vactioning in Japan). Needs more Fastech 360 and N700.

[Rathgrith]

Is the gauge standard in Taiwan?

[Coyett]

Is the gauge standard in Taiwan?

Here's a breakdown by operator of the different rail gauges in use:

Alishan Railway: 762 mm
Taiwan Railway Administration: 1067 mm
Taiwan High Speed Rail: 1435 mm
Taipei/Kaohsiung MRT: 1435 mm

[edluva]

taiwan is beginning to resemble a mini-japan. taiwan's built environment (taiwan's architecture is much uglier tho) and its topography already do, and now its rail infrastructure, everything from coverage density to rolling stock is beinning to resemble japan's.

[Coyett]

HSR passenger volume hits record new high

CNA

TAIPEI, Taiwan -- The Taiwan High Speed Railsystem transported 132,000 passengers and operated a total of 130 trains Sunday, the last day of Taiwan's Tomb Sweeping holiday, marking two new highs, an executive of the Taiwan High Speed Rail Corp. (THSRC) said yesterday.
Sunday's passenger volume broke the record of 123,000 set on the eve of the traditional holiday when local people travel to their family homes to pay tribute to their ancestors and clean up their graves, the executive said.

Some 460,000 passengers traveled on the system during the four-day holiday, a figure that exceeded the volume recorded over the Chinese New Year holiday in February this year, according to the executive.

The official attributed the increased volume to the THSRC's decision to provide additional trains and more non-reserved seats, a service that drew a lot of impromptu passengers, adding that during the Chinese New Year holiday most travelers had reserved seats for planned tours.

On the last day of the Tomb Sweeping holiday, the THSRC allowed free seating on some train cars and dispatched four additional non-reserved trains to carry people from Kaohsiung to Taipei and one from Taichung to Taipei, but many passengers still had to stand all the way, the executive said.

[Coyett]

TRA to elevate 17 km section of railway in northern Taiwan
04/13/2008 (CNA)

Taipei, April 13 (CNA) The Taiwan Railway Administration (TRA) will elevate a 17.15 km section of railway in northern Taiwan to improve transport efficiency and services as part of its strategy to cope with competition from the Taiwan High Speed Rail.

According to TRA executives, the project to elevate the railway section between Yingge township in Taipei County and Jhongli City in Taoyuan County will eliminate 17 grade crossings, and the three current stations at Taoyuan, Neili and Jhongli will be replaced by new elevated stations.

The project will also add five new stations between Yingge and Jhongli at an interval of about two kilometers between every two stations to facilitate commuters. The decision was made in accordance with the TRA's policy to operate the railway more like a metro system.

The entire project will carry a price tag of NT$30.8 billion (US$1.02 billion) and will take seven and a half years to complete.

The 120-year-old railway network in Taiwan's west corridor has lost 33 percent of its long-distance passengers since the High Speed Rail became operational in January 2007. The 345-km high speed rail linking Taipei and Kaohsiung has reduced travel time between Taiwan's two largest cities from four-and-a-half hours to 90 minutes. (By Han Nai-kuo)

Taoyuan Station
http://i51.photobucket.com/albums/f355/chung68/TaoyuanTRAStation.jpg

Neili Station
http://i51.photobucket.com/albums/f355/chung68/NeiliTRAStation.jpg

Jhongli Station (transfer station for HSR and Taoyuan International Airport)
http://i51.photobucket.com/albums/f355/chung68/JhongliTRAStation.jpg

[Swede]

So THSR is a real success? great :) The more successfull systems there are, the easier to get new ones built (like... up here!).

I like the sound of the non-HSR development there too, grade-separated and five new stations placed where needed is awesome. I like how those planners are thinking.