Taiwan Railway

Taiwan Railway (TR) is a state-owned conventional railway in Taiwan. It is operated by the Taiwan Railway Corporation under the supervision of the Ministry of Transportation and Communications, responsible for managing, maintaining, and running conventional passenger and freight railway services on of track in Taiwan. Passenger traffic in 2018 was 231,267,955.

The railway was previously operated by Taiwan Railways Administration (TRA). On 1 January 2024, Taiwan Railway Administration became a state-owned corporation, Taiwan Railway Corporation.TRA becomes Taiwan Railway Corporation International Railway Journal 2 January 2024

Overview

Construction of railway service on Taiwan began between Keelung and Hsinchu in 1887 under the Qing dynasty and was significantly expanded by the under Japanese occupation. As a result, Japanese influence and heritage persists to this day on Taiwanese railways. Similarities between TR and the Japan Railways (JR) companies can be found in signal aspects, signage, track layout, fare controls, station architecture, and operating procedures. As Japan's southern base during World War II, Taiwan's railways suffered significant damage by Allied air raids. Following the surrender of Japan in the aftermath of World War II, the Republic of China's government created the Taiwan Railways Administration on 5 March 1948 to reconstruct and operate railway infrastructure, with as its first director-general.

TRA was a government organisation that fell under Taiwan's Ministry of Transportation and Communication (MOTC) and employed around 13,500 people (4,700 in transportation and 7,700 in maintenance titles) and directly operated some 682 route miles of gauge railways.Abbott, James (ed.) Jane’s World Railways, 38th Ed., Coulsdon, Surrey, England, 1996. Three mainlines form a complete circle around the island. TRA's West Coast line and Badu-Hualien section feature mostly double-track, electrification, modern colour light and cab signalling, overrun protection, and centralized traffic control (CTC). South-link line, east coast Taitung (converted from 762 mm gauge), and three "tourist" branches are non-electrified single-track with passing sidings.

Since the early 1980s, conventional railway capital improvements have been nationally funded and managed by the MOTC's Railway Reconstruction Bureau, then turned over to TRA for operations. Taiwan's challenging terrain meant all lines feature extensive tunneling and long bridges. Double-tracking frequently requires construction of parallel single-track railroads or bypass tunnels on new alignments. The US$14.5 billion standard gauge high-speed rail (HSR) line was built and operated by a separate public-private partnership under a 35-year concession, but TRA provides feeder services to HSR terminals. Although TRA operates all commuter rail, other quasi-private organizations operate subways in Taipei and Kaohsiung.

Local and intercity passenger services (5am–1am, very few overnight trains) operate at 95.3% on-time performance. 2008 annual passenger ridership was 179 million (incurring 5.45 billion passenger-miles), generating US$434 million in revenue.Ministry of Transportation and Communication, Taiwan Railways Administration, Accounting Office. 2008 Statistical Annual Report. Banqiao, Taiwan, 2008. Retrieved from railway.gov.tw on 15 March 2010. Commuter trains carry 76% of riders (43% of passenger miles). WCML carries >90% of ridership. TRA's loose-car and unit-train bulk freight services haul mainly aggregates (58% of tonnage), cement (26%), and coal (9%). In 2008, 9.5 million tons of freight (481 million ton-miles) generated US$28.6 million in revenue. Limited container services operate between the port of Hualien and suburban Taipei, but loading gauge restrictions preclude piggyback operations. During typhoon season, small trucks are carried on flatcars when highways are closed by flooding or mudslides.Rail News Speed Report. Typhoon Parma Impacts. In Taiwan Rail News, Volume 192, Page 30, Sanchong, Taiwan, November–December, 2009.

In the past, a shipper-owned light railway network (762 mm gauge, never operated by TRA) handled freight services throughout Taiwan and once boasted 1,800 route miles. Largely abandoned today, it served important industries including sugar, logging, coal, salt, and minerals.

Unlike JR East and Hong Kong's Mass Transit Railway, revenues from ancillary businesses accounted for only 17.8% of TRA's revenues. TRA's estimated farebox recovery ratio (including freight operations) was ~40%.

Staffing costs, pension benefits, capital debt, changing demographics, highway competition, and low fare policies resulted in accumulated deficits nearing US$3.3 billion. Locally considered large and problematic, TRA's deficits paled in comparison to those incurred by European and U.S. transit agencies, and Japan National Railways (JNR) prior to its 1987 privatization. Like JNR and U.S. transit authorities, interest payments on long-term debt represents a significant burden for TRA. Planning for TRA's restructuring had been underway since 2000.Reddy, Alla, A. Lu, and T. Wang. Subway Productivity, Profitability, and Performance: A Tale of Five Cities. In Press, TRB Paper No. 10-0487. In Transportation Research Record 2143, Transportation Research Board of the National Academies, Washington, D.C, 2010.

Recent growth in the highway system and increased competition from bus companies and airlines has led to a decline in long-distance rail travel (except during major holidays such as Chinese New Year), though short and intermediate distance travel is still heavily utilized by commuters and students. The high-speed rail line is not run by TR, and is also a major source of competition. To offset this TR has begun placing an emphasis on tourism and short-distance commuter service. This has led to several special tourist trains running to scenic areas and hot springs, the addition of dining cars (originally deemed unnecessary due to Taiwan's relatively small size), and converting several smaller branch lines to attract tourists. Several new stations have been added in major metropolitan areas, and local commuter service increased. Its boxed lunches remain the company's most popular product, with sales totaling NT$320 million (US$10.8 million) in 2010 (around 5% of its annual revenue).

On 31 December 2010, TR signed a NT$10.6 billion contract with Sumitomo Group and Nippon Sharyo to supply 17 tilting train sets capable of traveling . These eight-car electric multiple units (EMUs) were delivered from 2012 to 2014 for Taroko Express services running between Taipei and Hualien on the east coast lines. The system achieved a single day record on 5 February 2011 during Chinese New Year celebrations, transporting 724,000 passengers a day.

History

The first Taiwanese railway was completed during the Qing era in 1893. In 1895, the Qing Empire ceded Formosa (Taiwan) to the Empire of Japan after the First Sino-Japanese War. The line was about in length but in a poor condition when the Japanese arrived:

The Official Japanese Annual Report of 1935 states (under title Colonial Railways Section II Taiwan):

Due to damage sustained from American bombardment of Taiwan as well as general wartime neglect, Taiwan's railway, both track and equipment, were in a state of advanced disrepair after the Retrocession of Taiwan. Over 1,400 spans of railway bridges had insufficient loading capacity, and over half of railroad ties were decomposed. The railway system also contracted due to the removal of rails, such as between Linbian and Fangliao, in support of Japanese military procurement. The Taiwan Railway Administration began operations in 1947 to recondition and operate the public railways on the island, initially also making use of financial aid from the United States.

In the passenger service department, the TRA introduced the 32100 class of coaches in a streamliner style, as part of its premier service between Taipei and Kaohsiung. Reserved seating was introduced to the railroad initially on this service. Due to a shortage of coaches, TRA converted boxcars as third class passenger coaches; these were phased out in 1961.

A feature of TRA's passengers services today is that each service generally consists of only one class of service, attracting one fare rate. This policy originated in 1951, when the TRA purchased 10 third-class coaches (named TP32200 class) and, instead of augmenting existing services, made two trains consisting of only these new coaches. These trains thus had only a single class of service, deemed in line with the egalitarian ethos of public policy. By 1953, the TRA extended the mono-class policy to all its services, most of which hitherto had consisted of coaches of multiple classes. This would remain TRA's longstanding practice with only a few exceptions: a parlor car was present on the premier train between 1953 and 1957, the Fu-hsing Semi Express, at introduction, briefly was an economic section of the Chu-kuang Express in the same rake, and, recently, the introduction of the EMU3000 class, which features a business class section.

Timeline

1887: Construction begins on first railway in Taiwan between Keelung and Taipei in early March. (Imperial approbation obtained by Qing dynasty governor Liu Ming-chuan, as part of development of new Taiwan Province.) 1891: First rail line completed; branch from Twatutia to Keelung, driven by English engineers 1893: First Formosa railway completed. 1895: Taiwan ceded to Japan by China following the end of the First Sino-Japanese War. Ministry of Taiwan Railway established by the Japanese Government. Reconstruction begins of Kīrun-Taihoku branch to avoid numerous short curves and steep grades. Work is also performed on the line leading from Taihoku to the south. Total cost of these improvements reaching nearly two million yen. Railway under direct control of the Military Department. 1897: The railway comes under control of Civil Department. 1898: Local island government announces its intention of carrying on the work itself. Plans formulated by chief engineer Hasegawa. 1899: Work started on the southern line from Dagu (打狗) north to Tainan, a distance of ; completed in November 1900. Japanese Diet granted 30,000,000 yen for ten years to cover cost of mainline from Taihoku to Takow. 1900: The Keelung and Hsinchu lines were repaired. Rolling stock was added. Work commenced on the short branch line from Taihoku to Tansui; completed in June 1901. Over 7 million yen spent by Japanese government on Formosan railways by 1903. 1908: Mainline from Taihoku to Takao is completed. 1922: The West Coast line (Chikunan - Shōka) is completed. 1924: The Giran line (Hatto - Suō) is completed. 1926: The Taitō Line (Karenkō - Taitō) is completed. 1941: The Heitō line (Takao - Bōryō) is completed. 1940–1945: The railways are repeatedly bombed by the Allies during World War II. 1945: Taiwan is handed over to the Republic of China. 1948: Taiwan Railways Administration established. 1949: Taiwan becomes the main base of the Republic of China government after losing the civil war in the mainland to the Chinese Communist Party. 1979: West Coast line fully electrified. The North-link line is completed. 1989: Rail lines running through downtown Taipei moved underground. The new Taipei Main Station is completed. The Shen-ao line ceases passenger operations. 1991: The South-link line completed, completing the rail loop around Taiwan. 1997: Online reservations become available. 1998: The Former Mountain line ceases operations. 2000: The Yilan line is electrified. 2001: Various special trains targeting tourists are offered. 2003: The North-link line is electrified. 2007: The Taroko Express begins operations. The launch of Local Express trains with the delivery of Taiwan Railway EMU700 series. The Neiwan line is temporarily closed in order to allow the construction of the Liujia line.