The Railways of Taiwan
For frustrated, non-Chinese speaking Railbuffs!!!!
NORTH EAST COAST SCENIC AREA - all photographs taken on 9th July 2006
An unidentified E300 class Bo-Bo electric loco passes the rocky headland at Bei-guan between Kuei-shan and Ta-hsi stations (Map Ref 05 A3) with a block train of bulk powder wagons. These are most likely to be carrying cement from one of the rail-connected quarries and cement works on the east coast, these being situated at Su-ao (Map Ref 12 B1), Ho-ping (Map Ref 15 B1), Ho-jen (Map Ref 15 B2), Hsin-chen (Map Ref 21 B1) and Hua-lien (Map Ref 21 B3).
Literally minutes after the photograph above, E300 class Bo-Bo electric loco #E332 passes the same location with (presumably) a return working of the empties.
200 meters north of the above location another unidentified example of the handsome E300 class Bo-Bo electric loco works Train No. 48, the 1115 Hualien - Shu-lin Chu-kang Service. Shu-lin is the first station out of the TRUPO tunnels to the west of Taipei and is the location of a large traction and rolling stock maintenance depot and carriage sidings and is the northern starting and terminating point of many east coast services.
About 10 km north of the previous location, the line runs on a narrow formation between the sea and the main road (Route 2) and passes the Da-li temple complex just north of Da-li station (Map Ref 05 A2). General Motors (USA) built Co-Co diesel-electric loco #R154 passes Da-li with a south-bound train of empty side-discharge ballast wagons,.....
..... immediately afterwards being passed by north-bound EMU Class EMU500, built by Daewoo of South Korea, working the 1435 Yi-lan to Hsin-chu.
At the same location, an unidentified EMU Class EMU300 built by SOCIMI of Italy passes with the 1254 Shu-lin to Kaoh-siung via the east coast.
Ten minutes later and looking southwards shows an unidentified GM loco on Train No. 58, the 0750 Chu-kang from Tai-dong to Shu-lin. To demonstrate both the large distances involved and the difficulties of working trains over the mountainous east coast line, made worse by the 170km between Hua-lien and Tai-dong being single track with passing loops, this train takes a whopping 8 hours to complete the 320km run. Admittedly, it does stop at some 36 stations en route!!!