TAIWAN HIGH SPEED TRAIN - OPENING SOON!!!!

[thyrdrail]

Opening SOON. Almost there!!! Everything is just awesome - train design, colors, station designs, tracks, bridges, tunnels, and landscapes. it's a hybrid system based on japanese shinkansen train technology and elements of european track infrastructure. take a ride whenever you're visiting taiwan!!

(here's the full thread in the taiwan forum)

http://skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?p=10534042#post10534042


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NEW PICS OF TSOYING STATION!!! AWESOME!!!

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NEW PICS OF TAOYUAN STATION!!!

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NEW PICS OF TAINAN STATION!!!

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NEW PICS OF HSINCHU STATION!!! IT'S A BEAUT!!!!

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[earthJoker]

Spectacular! :uh: :drool: :master:

[Kenwen]

wowwwwwwwww, nice trains, thats really good for this province, infrastructure is improving

[misterdz]

Spectacular Taiwan and with the point of technology

[FM 2258]

Looks so graceful.

[Qaabus]

Seems like they didn't cut any corners costwise.
Gotta love those stations in the yet undeveloped area's.

[FallenGuard]

Awsome, how many KM of Bridges are there !? :eek:
Nice design of the Stations too.

[SungIEman]

Ah... I love those clocks. Simple ,elegant, and clear, it doesn't get any better then that. It's weird to say this but, HSR is actually looking a lot cooler than Shinkansen in Japan :D

[Jiangwho]

awesome.....

[ZZ-II]

stunning trains :eek2:

how fast will they be?

[hzkiller]

做人要厚道！

[glitz_boy]

目前世界。。

impressive ^_^

[Erebus555]

Very impressive indeed. How much did the whole thing cost to build? The British government wouldn't dare even think about doing something like this...

[thyrdrail]

stunning trains :eek2:

how fast will they be?


300 km/h (186 mph) but it went to 315 km/h (197 mph) during testing

[thyrdrail]

Very impressive indeed. How much did the whole thing cost to build? The British government wouldn't dare even think about doing something like this...

$16 billion dollars at least. the most expensive project in the world. taipei also had the most expensive subway system ever built in the world and it's still expanding.

[zergcerebrates]

$16 billion dollars at least. the most expensive project in the world. taipei also had the most expensive subway system ever built in the world and it's still expanding.



Nice station and train. But as for being the most expensive for both the subway and this HSR its all because of its long delay and corruption rather than the actual cost of the project.

[jlshyang]

Awesome!

[spongeg]

wow

Taiwan seems like the perfect place for a project like this to happen

[thyrdrail]

Nice station and train. But as for being the most expensive for both the subway and this HSR its all because of its long delay and corruption rather than the actual cost of the project.

ya that's true for the taipei mrt. but from what i remember reading about the launch of the HSR project few years ago in several articles, it was budgeted at appx. $14 billion dollars already when they began construction and was already touted as the world's most expensive construction project, at least in terms of transportation project.

[Dallas star]

So clean and out of this world!

[duskdawn]

Congratulations!
It is shiny!

[RSG]

Looks absolutlely fantastic.... world class.

The Australian government should take note. With all of Australia's financial power in the region, we still have shitty public transport and motorways in Sydney. The Australian government should finance a high speed link from Newcastle to the gong.

[jacobboyer]

The track looks so cluttered for it. It almost reminds me of a spaceship.

[ryanr]

amazing! congrats :okay:

[Welshlad]

Is there any reason why pretty much all of it is elevated?? im comparing to CTRL and the TGV network were most of the tracks run on the surface?

[thyrdrail]

Is there any reason why pretty much all of it is elevated?? im comparing to CTRL and the TGV network were most of the tracks run on the surface?

cuz taiwan is a dense, populated island and sparse land is rare and expensive.

[thyrdrail]

The track looks so cluttered for it. It almost reminds me of a spaceship.

i dont really know what that means. are you on crack?

[DonQui]

Gorgeous! :drool:

[FM 2258]

It makes me wonder how this will affect China Airlines, Far Eastern Air Transport (FAT), GreatWing Airlines, Mandarin Airlines, Eva Air, Uni Air and TransAsia Airways. Would this greatly reduce the amount of people that want to fly?

[bluga]

Is there any reason why pretty much all of it is elevated?? im comparing to CTRL and the TGV network were most of the tracks run on the surface?

Over 95% of the track is elevated because Taiwan is so dense otherwise it would be "low-speed" rail.

[bluga]

Nice station and train. But as for being the most expensive for both the subway and this HSR its all because of its long delay and corruption rather than the actual cost of the project.

Wrong, even before the delay Taiwan High Speed Rail is still the most expensive project.

[thyrdrail]

Taiwan High - Speed Rail Steams Toward Xmas Launch

By REUTERS
Published: November 30, 2006


TAOYUAN, Taiwan ( Reuters) - A super-fast rail line, the world's second to use ground-breaking Japanese bullet train technology, is steering toward a year-end service launch in Taiwan after years of delays.

``We expect to have a Christmas gift'' for the people of Taiwan, said Samuel Lin, deputy chief operating officer for the line's builder, Taiwan High Speed Rail Corp. (2633.TWO), at one of the line's first test drives for the public on Thursday.

``We hope our contribution is not only to give convenience to the public. It's another kind of revolutionary development.''

Nearly a decade in the making, the line and its sister line in Japan are the world's fastest using conventional rails, with top speeds of up to 315 kilometers per hour.

The world's fastest commercial train, which uses magnetic levitation technology, is a line capable of speeds of more than 400 kph connecting downtown Shanghai with its suburban airport.

Travel on the Taiwan train's main route, connecting the island's top two cities of Taipei in the north with Kaohsiung in the south, takes some 90 minutes to cover 345 km (214 miles), much less than the current five hours on existing rail service.

During a test run on Thursday -- one of the first times the line has been open to outsiders -- the train flew along its north-to-south route, whizzing past rice fields and palm trees.

Inside the train that seats up to 989, the compartments are quiet and comfortable, much like the line's Japanese counterpart.

In sharp contrast, the train's ride to the present has been anything but smooth, involving numerous cost overruns resulting in a US$15 billion price tag. Technical issues have also dogged the project, including two minor derailments -- both attributed to human error -- in recent weeks during trial runs.

SAFETY ISSUES

Safety has been one of the most recent concerns, with the train's operator required to clear a number of hurdles set by the transportation ministry before it can launch service.

Trains must complete safe test-runs for one month, checking braking ability at stations and meeting other smooth operation conditions before the formal launch will be permitted, a ministry committee decided on Tuesday.

``It's safe. For me it's not a problem,'' said Yvan Beuraert, one of the train's drivers, many of whom come from Europe. ``To have small problems is normal.''

The line will eventually have a dozen stations, with the capacity to handle a train every three to four minutes. Operators are initially aiming for 150,000 passengers a day, which would represent 70 percent of capacity.

Two Japanese consortia, led by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Ltd. (7011.T), were awarded contracts for the tracks, which they built using Japanese bullet train, or Shinkansen, technology.

Many people may initially be drawn to the trains as a sort of tourist attraction. Train watching, too, has become a spectator sport for those living in some of the smaller communities along the route.

In the town of Hsinchu outside Taipei, thousands of people have been gathering each weekend for guided tours of the local station and to watch as trains go by.

``Expectations are high,'' said Ann Li, a public affairs specialist at the rail operator. ``When the train comes, they go 'wow!' and applaud.''

A one-way Taipei-Kaohsiung ticket will cost T$1,490 when service starts, 30 percent less than an economy-class air ticket.

[spartaan]

Over 95% of the track is elevated because Taiwan is so dense otherwise it would be "low-speed" rail.

I think it is more an enginering thing; long distance trackbuilding in a tropic climate is less hard to do with elevated tracks fixed to a steady foundation, becourse the behavior of the tracks is better to calculate.

With elevated tracks there will also be less problems with severe rain, temprature change, earthquakes other traffic, etc.

[MaLaYSia aNd KoREa!!]

wow...i like the orangie train..the taiwanese bullet train...cool!

[yayoo]

Nearly a decade in the making, the line and its sister line in Japan are the world's fastest using conventional rails, with top speeds of up to 315 kilometers per hour.


Do not forget that in France and Germany, TGV and German ICE run at 320kph. The new spanish high speed line with the german velaro will open soon with a top speed of 350kph.
The new line in France will open in June 2007. This has been developped for a 320kph speed, but tests are actually running and many high speed lines in France will maybe be upgraded to 360kph.

BTW Congrats' to Taiwan for this Spectacular line! So many bridges, channels, and design stations! That's pure beauty !!!
Well done!!

[thyrdrail]

some videos:

http://youtube.com/watch?v=_OfB8TMil84&mode=related&search=

http://youtube.com/watch?v=v4zOcbHLKPk&mode=related&search=

http://youtube.com/watch?v=HfT_msJjxog&mode=related&search=

http://youtube.com/watch?v=YRi1pyZw8is

[zergcerebrates]

Wrong, even before the delay Taiwan High Speed Rail is still the most expensive project.


Whats the main reason for the cost? I'm really curious how they could make it the world's most expensive rail project considering the size of Taiwan. Japan,France, and Germany all have greater HS networks and I'm pretty sure they have more stations and related HS infrastructures than Taiwan. Is it the material, labor, land value, the entire elevated rail reason? enlighten me.

[SungIEman]

^ this is just an educated guess, but most likely the HSR project in taiwan was built from ground up, including the track, stations, equipments, personnels, etc... whereas Japan, and EU's HSR uses existing train stations and railroad tracks which greatly reduces the construction cost.

[KB]

picture spamming...:j/k:

but did you really need to post all those pics to make us see the development?

Nice train and nice station though...:)

[thyrdrail]

but did you really need to post all those pics to make us see the development?

I dont understand your question. Would you rather just read text and not see pics of the development? How boring that would be.

[thyrdrail]

some more pics of taichung station. i couldn't post the pics from this dude's flickr album. so here's the link:


http://flickr.com/photos/jdhuang/sets/72157594389593621/with/304872305/

[thyrdrail]

some more photos of hsinchu station:


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[nama]

it is really impressive and spectacular subway system ever built in the whole world.must be expensive for every train,like a amazing dragon flying in the sky.so many and many inhabitants take photo for them.never express with any language

[PDXPaul]

Is the land around some of the rural(I'm guessing?) stations marked off for development. It looks like it with the street grid surrouding the stations in place.

[bob rulz]

Very impressive! I would love to have something like that...so modern (hell, even futuristic), clean, and sleek!

[harsh1802]

Futuristic, very impressive, awesome and fantastic!

[Elsongs]

That's some SERIOUS infrastructure there. HOW MUCH CONCRETE DID THEY USE?!?!?

[KB]

I dont understand your question. Would you rather just read text and not see pics of the development? How boring that would be.

Nooo... i like pics but that first page was just over flooding with pics.

Anyway cool projects...and cool train.

[ntly1]

Very impressive indeed ! Congratulation !

[trueapprentice]

Notes from a nervous passenger

Saturday, January 27, 2007

http://www.thestandard.com.hk/newsimage/20070127/rail2.jpg

Taiwan hopes its new bullet train will prove to be something of an economic fast track, but the journey so far has been bumpy. Joshua Samuel Brown climbs aboard to tell the story
I t's 11am, three days after the official launch of Taiwan's High Speed Rail. I'm sitting uneasily in car four, watching the subtropical countryside whiz by at an unnerving speed. Adding to my general apprehension is the sound of an old woman in the seat behind me clipping her fingernails, the metallic "clack" of clippers juxtaposing strangely with the high-pitched whine of the bullet train gliding on new tracks.

Fifteen minutes out of Banciao and the train is already halfway between Taoyuan and Hsinchu stations. The digital sign over the front door of the car displays the words "current speed: 238 km/h" in Chinese and English, and we have yet to reach top speed.

Behind me the clacking continues, and I find myself praying for the old woman to run out of nails before we really pick up speed.

The HSR project has been big news in Taiwan for years, its construction dogged by charges of pork-barrel politics, corruption large- and small-scale and questions of competence since before even the first meter of rail was laid.

Early on there were fears that the vibrations might damage precision instruments used in semiconductor factories near to the railway, problems that were supposedly alleviated by changes in route and investment in vibration- dampening technology. As the project grew nearer to
completion, its opponents have publicly denounced it on grounds more tangible to the average citizen, namely safety. Possibly the most vocal opponent of the HSR is Taiwan's Consumers' Foundation.

Cheng Jen-hung, chairman of the foundation, gave Taiwanese journalists an early Chinese New Year present by issuing an imminently quotable, if not somewhat hyperbolic, warning to the people of Taiwan against taking the train.

"Cherish your life," Cheng solemnly advised during a news conference before opening week. "Don't be a guinea pig!"

It was not Cheng's warning that nearly prevented me from buying my ticket; that honor went to a malfunctioning ticketing machine, one of many reportedly plaguing the system. On the first day of operations, tens of thousands of Taiwanese queued up at automatic ticketing kiosks at every HSR station along the line, waiting to take advantage of the half-price tickets offered as part of a two-week confidence building period. Each kiosk was manned (defeating the purpose of automation, some might say) by a chirpy twentysomething, seemingly chosen for appearance, charm and language skills rather than experience with either trains or automated ticketing machines.

I bought my ticket in Taipei station at a kiosk manned by a charming young man named John.

John's conversation skills came in handy, enabling us to have a fine chat about the benefits of the HSR to Taiwan's economy, during what might otherwise have been a tense 15 minutes while I waited for the machine to relinquish my bank card. Finally the automated kiosk rejected the card without explanation, and John suggested I try cash. Moments later the machine (perhaps sensing my dislike for it) issued me the most unlucky of all possible seat reservations for a train leaving the next day - car four, seat 13.

With this inauspicious beginning in mind, I wisely decided to postpone the grittiest phase of my research into the potential hazards of high-speed rail travel; I did not head home and immediately Google the phrase "high-speed rail disaster," thus sparing myself from learning the extremely hideous details of the 1998 Eschede catastrophe (more about this later). Instead, I called up Linda Arrigo, a local activist and member of Taiwan's Green Party. I wanted an environmentalist's take on the HSR's impact on Taiwan. After all, anything that offers an alternative to driving has to be endorsed by Greenies, at least so I assumed.

But Arrigo told me that Taiwanese environmentalists were less enthusiastic about the train than I'd expected.

"Anytime you concrete over open space you get a negative environmental effect," she said. "Animal migration is hindered and groundwater systems are disrupted. Personally, I don't think environmental concerns were a priority in the building of the HSR."

Surprisingly, Arrigo said the most negative impact of the HSR would be not to the environment, but to the socio- economic structure of the towns the train passed through. "Essentially, what you have with the HSR is a series of airports in areas that until recently were zoned for agricultural use. These areas are already magnets for heavy business and residential development. Though much has been written about how the HSR is based on the Japanese model, in Japan the lines were built through urban centers. The Taiwan HSR bypasses them."

Back at home, a quick glance at Google Earth showed that Arrigo was correct, at least as far as geography and population density is concerned.

The HSR track - straight in most sections - stands in sharp contrast to the smooth noodle map of Taiwan's road system. Whereas the highways generally follow the curvature of the coast, jutting in and out of city centers, the HSR line carves a path from Banciao (on the outskirts of Taipei) to Zouying (on the outskirts of Kaoushiung) without actually passing through any major cities.

Sure enough, I discovered the next day that station names along the HSR are a bit misleading. Hsinchu's station turned out to be in Jhubei ("North Hsinchu"), 15 minutes by taxi from the city center. And Taichung's station was again as far from the actual city itself, in a small hamlet called Wurih. At every station along the line, the story was the same - big-city satellites in the early stages of massive development. While the HSR promises to bring prosperity and development throughout Taiwan's west coast, it's probable that all the trappings - traffic and urban sprawl, to name a few - will follow.

But surely a little urban sprawl, not to mention the US$15 billion (HK$117 billion) estimated price tag of the project so far, is fair trade for the speed of travel that the HSR brings to Taiwan? The answer dependends on how much one likes rice paddies versus how fast one wishes to travel.

Less subjective is the matter of speed itself. While it's fun to throw around numbers such as "287 km/h," the hair- raising speed the train reaches on the flat-out 28-minute burn between Hsinchu and Taichung, can the speed of the Taiwan HSR be put in easier to grasp terms?

Well, consider the work of Jackie Chan, Hong Kong's favorite son. Roughly speaking, the average Jackie Chan movie is 90 minutes long. This seemingly irrelevant piece of information is more illuminating than it might at first seem, for over the past decade a number of luxury bus lines operating in Taiwan have installed personal LCD monitors in each extra-wide seat. More often than not, these are used to screen Jackie Chan movies.

Generally speaking, a bus trip between Taipei and Hsinchu is just long enough to watch an average Jackie Chan movie (and the bus usually beats a normal Taipei-Hsinchu train by about five minutes).

In the same period of time, the fastest bullet train will do the Banciao- Kaoushiung run, leaving a traveler just enough time to watch Police Story on his laptop. The same traveler going by the speediest luxury coach would be forced to endure Police Story and both of its sequels before emerging bleary- eyed into the smoggy sunlight of Taiwan's southernmost city.

In other words, the bullet train is way faster.

There are clearly still some bugs in the system, my own experience with the bank-card hungry ticket machine being one of many. Some have been mere booking errors: the initial days of operation were filled with complaints of double booking of seats. One mishap was comical - on the first day of service, one passenger reported that an automated ticketing machine poured out a mountain of NT five-cent coins in lieu of a train ticket. But most disconcerting were the more ominous snafus that occurred during the first week: doors failing to open at stations and a short-circuiting air-conditioning system that caused one car to fill up with fumes, horrifying passengers.

This segues into the most important question of all: is Taiwan's bullet train safe? There's something about moving so fast while still attached to the ground that gives some people the willies. Paul, a photographer friend of mine living in Taichung, says he's dubious, and it's more than just gut feeling.

"I've seen the inspectors coming by and checking out the loose rock that's slid out from the track bed," he tells me as we drive around the railway looking for a good place to get a shot of passing trains. "That sort of thing scares the hell out of me. If it goes five years without having a major accident, then I'll consider taking it. Until then, I'm fine with the slow train."

High-speed rail systems in general have a far lower rate of derailment incidents than normal trains. The problem is that when an accident does occur the results are disastrous.

On June 3, 1998, a high speed train en-route from Munich to Hamburg derailed in Lower Saxony and the results were horrific. One derailed carriage slammed into the concrete piling supporting an overhead bridge, obliterating it and causing the bridge to collapse. Of the 287 passengers onboard the ill-fated train, 101 were killed and 88 were severely injured.

For comparison's sake, two-thirds of the 97 passengers on the iconic Hindenburg not only survived, but escaped with relatively minor injuries. Had the train not been at less than 50 percent passenger capacity, fatalities would have been far worse. Had the accident occurred just two minutes earlier, before the train bound for Munich had already passed, the results might well have been unthinkable.

Rather than mull over such grim statistics, consider instead that Japan's Shinkansen, the world's best-known bullet train and on which Taiwan's HSR is based, boasts a near-impeccable safety record. In operation since 1964, the Shinkansen has recorded only one derailment, caused by an earthquake in 2004 and resulting in no fatalities. There have been bullet train-related deaths in Japan, but except for one (some poor soul whose arm became caught in a door), all were the result of people jumping in front of, or off, speeding trains. You can't blame fatalities such as those on poor design.

And where design is concerned, Taiwan's HSR is a thing of beauty - certainly the trains are. At first glance, the interiors of the carriages look about the same as regular trains, save that the cars are cleaner and the seats recline a bit further. But then you notice the smell. It's a familiar odor but one that's hard to place. It's the one you might remember from childhood drives in the new family car.

From the outside the differences are obvious, with uniformly sleek orange- striped cars and Kawasaki-built engines with aerodynamically-curved noses. Though the front ends of the engines are not quite as angular as those of the newer Japanese bullet trains, they still scream that they are built for speed. As for comfort, the designers again deserve kudos. Even at top speed, the train rides about as smoothly as the Hong Kong Airport Express.

Only the blur of the passing landscape and the wind shriek give a true indication of what land speeds approaching 300 km/h look and sound like.

Speed and comfort aside, the key component is public confidence. Compared to that of the Japanese, the Taiwanese temperament leans toward easygoing when it comes to pricey public works projects and malfunctioning ticket machines. But they are far less likely to forget a headline-grabbing disaster such as that in Germany a decade ago. Whether Taiwan's HSR proves boon or boondoggle depends largely on whether it can replicate the Shinkansen's safety record.

Meanwhile, the board of directors of the Taiwan HSR Corp, aware of how a multitude of small-scale hiccups in the first two weeks might be interpreted by a dubious public, has announced that the half-price ticket period will be extended until the end of the month. It would appear the spin doctors still have more work to do.

[hkskyline]

Over two million callers jammed the automated hotline of the Taiwan Railway
29 January 2007
The China Post

Over two million callers jammed the automated hotline of the Taiwan Railway Administration (TRA) over a two hour period yesterday trying to buy train tickets for the Chinese New Year holiday, according to the TRA.

The TRA began selling train tickets yesterday for travel along the western route February 17 onwards and immediately received a heavy flow of callers flooding its automated ticket sales system.

Complaints were voiced as people experienced difficulty buying tickets whether through the phone or online, citing slower-than-usual processing times.

Local media reported that some customers had to wait thirty to forty minutes for the system to register their purchase.

The heavy sales volume forced customers to wait when picking up their tickets at the train station.

Normally people who purchase tickets through the phone or online can pick up their tickets a half hour later at the train station.

But customers yesterday were advised to arrive at the train station two to three hours after their purchase.

TRA officials said that the slow processing speeds were due to the heavy volume being experienced by the system server, which is maintained by Chunghwa Telecom.

A request to accelerate the system speed has been forwarded to Chunghwa Telecom, said TRA officials.

TRA officials said that some 280,000 tickets had been sold by 9 a.m. yesterday.

[ignoramus]

Over two million callers jammed the automated hotline of the Taiwan Railway
29 January 2007
The China Post

Over two million callers jammed the automated hotline of the Taiwan Railway Administration (TRA) over a two hour period yesterday trying to buy train tickets for the Chinese New Year holiday, according to the TRA.

The TRA began selling train tickets yesterday for travel along the western route February 17 onwards and immediately received a heavy flow of callers flooding its automated ticket sales system.

Complaints were voiced as people experienced difficulty buying tickets whether through the phone or online, citing slower-than-usual processing times.

Local media reported that some customers had to wait thirty to forty minutes for the system to register their purchase.

The heavy sales volume forced customers to wait when picking up their tickets at the train station.

Normally people who purchase tickets through the phone or online can pick up their tickets a half hour later at the train station.

But customers yesterday were advised to arrive at the train station two to three hours after their purchase.

TRA officials said that the slow processing speeds were due to the heavy volume being experienced by the system server, which is maintained by Chunghwa Telecom.

A request to accelerate the system speed has been forwarded to Chunghwa Telecom, said TRA officials.

TRA officials said that some 280,000 tickets had been sold by 9 a.m. yesterday.

Should post in the Taiwan thread instead.:) This thread's about THSRC.

[oogabooga]

Notes from a nervous passenger

Saturday, January 27, 2007

http://www.thestandard.com.hk/newsimage/20070127/rail2.jpg

Taiwan hopes its new bullet train will prove to be something of an economic fast track, but the journey so far has been bumpy. Joshua Samuel Brown climbs aboard to tell the story
I t's 11am, three days after the official launch of Taiwan's High Speed Rail. I'm sitting uneasily in car four, watching the subtropical countryside whiz by at an unnerving speed. Adding to my general apprehension is the sound of an old woman in the seat behind me clipping her fingernails, the metallic "clack" of clippers juxtaposing strangely with the high-pitched whine of the bullet train gliding on new tracks.

Fifteen minutes out of Banciao and the train is already halfway between Taoyuan and Hsinchu stations. The digital sign over the front door of the car displays the words "current speed: 238 km/h" in Chinese and English, and we have yet to reach top speed.

Behind me the clacking continues, and I find myself praying for the old woman to run out of nails before we really pick up speed.

The HSR project has been big news in Taiwan for years, its construction dogged by charges of pork-barrel politics, corruption large- and small-scale and questions of competence since before even the first meter of rail was laid.

Early on there were fears that the vibrations might damage precision instruments used in semiconductor factories near to the railway, problems that were supposedly alleviated by changes in route and investment in vibration- dampening technology. As the project grew nearer to
completion, its opponents have publicly denounced it on grounds more tangible to the average citizen, namely safety. Possibly the most vocal opponent of the HSR is Taiwan's Consumers' Foundation.

Cheng Jen-hung, chairman of the foundation, gave Taiwanese journalists an early Chinese New Year present by issuing an imminently quotable, if not somewhat hyperbolic, warning to the people of Taiwan against taking the train.

"Cherish your life," Cheng solemnly advised during a news conference before opening week. "Don't be a guinea pig!"

It was not Cheng's warning that nearly prevented me from buying my ticket; that honor went to a malfunctioning ticketing machine, one of many reportedly plaguing the system. On the first day of operations, tens of thousands of Taiwanese queued up at automatic ticketing kiosks at every HSR station along the line, waiting to take advantage of the half-price tickets offered as part of a two-week confidence building period. Each kiosk was manned (defeating the purpose of automation, some might say) by a chirpy twentysomething, seemingly chosen for appearance, charm and language skills rather than experience with either trains or automated ticketing machines.

I bought my ticket in Taipei station at a kiosk manned by a charming young man named John.

John's conversation skills came in handy, enabling us to have a fine chat about the benefits of the HSR to Taiwan's economy, during what might otherwise have been a tense 15 minutes while I waited for the machine to relinquish my bank card. Finally the automated kiosk rejected the card without explanation, and John suggested I try cash. Moments later the machine (perhaps sensing my dislike for it) issued me the most unlucky of all possible seat reservations for a train leaving the next day - car four, seat 13.

With this inauspicious beginning in mind, I wisely decided to postpone the grittiest phase of my research into the potential hazards of high-speed rail travel; I did not head home and immediately Google the phrase "high-speed rail disaster," thus sparing myself from learning the extremely hideous details of the 1998 Eschede catastrophe (more about this later). Instead, I called up Linda Arrigo, a local activist and member of Taiwan's Green Party. I wanted an environmentalist's take on the HSR's impact on Taiwan. After all, anything that offers an alternative to driving has to be endorsed by Greenies, at least so I assumed.

But Arrigo told me that Taiwanese environmentalists were less enthusiastic about the train than I'd expected.

"Anytime you concrete over open space you get a negative environmental effect," she said. "Animal migration is hindered and groundwater systems are disrupted. Personally, I don't think environmental concerns were a priority in the building of the HSR."

Surprisingly, Arrigo said the most negative impact of the HSR would be not to the environment, but to the socio- economic structure of the towns the train passed through. "Essentially, what you have with the HSR is a series of airports in areas that until recently were zoned for agricultural use. These areas are already magnets for heavy business and residential development. Though much has been written about how the HSR is based on the Japanese model, in Japan the lines were built through urban centers. The Taiwan HSR bypasses them."

Back at home, a quick glance at Google Earth showed that Arrigo was correct, at least as far as geography and population density is concerned.

The HSR track - straight in most sections - stands in sharp contrast to the smooth noodle map of Taiwan's road system. Whereas the highways generally follow the curvature of the coast, jutting in and out of city centers, the HSR line carves a path from Banciao (on the outskirts of Taipei) to Zouying (on the outskirts of Kaoushiung) without actually passing through any major cities.

Sure enough, I discovered the next day that station names along the HSR are a bit misleading. Hsinchu's station turned out to be in Jhubei ("North Hsinchu"), 15 minutes by taxi from the city center. And Taichung's station was again as far from the actual city itself, in a small hamlet called Wurih. At every station along the line, the story was the same - big-city satellites in the early stages of massive development. While the HSR promises to bring prosperity and development throughout Taiwan's west coast, it's probable that all the trappings - traffic and urban sprawl, to name a few - will follow.

But surely a little urban sprawl, not to mention the US$15 billion (HK$117 billion) estimated price tag of the project so far, is fair trade for the speed of travel that the HSR brings to Taiwan? The answer dependends on how much one likes rice paddies versus how fast one wishes to travel.

Less subjective is the matter of speed itself. While it's fun to throw around numbers such as "287 km/h," the hair- raising speed the train reaches on the flat-out 28-minute burn between Hsinchu and Taichung, can the speed of the Taiwan HSR be put in easier to grasp terms?

Well, consider the work of Jackie Chan, Hong Kong's favorite son. Roughly speaking, the average Jackie Chan movie is 90 minutes long. This seemingly irrelevant piece of information is more illuminating than it might at first seem, for over the past decade a number of luxury bus lines operating in Taiwan have installed personal LCD monitors in each extra-wide seat. More often than not, these are used to screen Jackie Chan movies.

Generally speaking, a bus trip between Taipei and Hsinchu is just long enough to watch an average Jackie Chan movie (and the bus usually beats a normal Taipei-Hsinchu train by about five minutes).

In the same period of time, the fastest bullet train will do the Banciao- Kaoushiung run, leaving a traveler just enough time to watch Police Story on his laptop. The same traveler going by the speediest luxury coach would be forced to endure Police Story and both of its sequels before emerging bleary- eyed into the smoggy sunlight of Taiwan's southernmost city.

In other words, the bullet train is way faster.

There are clearly still some bugs in the system, my own experience with the bank-card hungry ticket machine being one of many. Some have been mere booking errors: the initial days of operation were filled with complaints of double booking of seats. One mishap was comical - on the first day of service, one passenger reported that an automated ticketing machine poured out a mountain of NT five-cent coins in lieu of a train ticket. But most disconcerting were the more ominous snafus that occurred during the first week: doors failing to open at stations and a short-circuiting air-conditioning system that caused one car to fill up with fumes, horrifying passengers.

This segues into the most important question of all: is Taiwan's bullet train safe? There's something about moving so fast while still attached to the ground that gives some people the willies. Paul, a photographer friend of mine living in Taichung, says he's dubious, and it's more than just gut feeling.

"I've seen the inspectors coming by and checking out the loose rock that's slid out from the track bed," he tells me as we drive around the railway looking for a good place to get a shot of passing trains. "That sort of thing scares the hell out of me. If it goes five years without having a major accident, then I'll consider taking it. Until then, I'm fine with the slow train."

High-speed rail systems in general have a far lower rate of derailment incidents than normal trains. The problem is that when an accident does occur the results are disastrous.

On June 3, 1998, a high speed train en-route from Munich to Hamburg derailed in Lower Saxony and the results were horrific. One derailed carriage slammed into the concrete piling supporting an overhead bridge, obliterating it and causing the bridge to collapse. Of the 287 passengers onboard the ill-fated train, 101 were killed and 88 were severely injured.

For comparison's sake, two-thirds of the 97 passengers on the iconic Hindenburg not only survived, but escaped with relatively minor injuries. Had the train not been at less than 50 percent passenger capacity, fatalities would have been far worse. Had the accident occurred just two minutes earlier, before the train bound for Munich had already passed, the results might well have been unthinkable.

Rather than mull over such grim statistics, consider instead that Japan's Shinkansen, the world's best-known bullet train and on which Taiwan's HSR is based, boasts a near-impeccable safety record. In operation since 1964, the Shinkansen has recorded only one derailment, caused by an earthquake in 2004 and resulting in no fatalities. There have been bullet train-related deaths in Japan, but except for one (some poor soul whose arm became caught in a door), all were the result of people jumping in front of, or off, speeding trains. You can't blame fatalities such as those on poor design.

And where design is concerned, Taiwan's HSR is a thing of beauty - certainly the trains are. At first glance, the interiors of the carriages look about the same as regular trains, save that the cars are cleaner and the seats recline a bit further. But then you notice the smell. It's a familiar odor but one that's hard to place. It's the one you might remember from childhood drives in the new family car.

From the outside the differences are obvious, with uniformly sleek orange- striped cars and Kawasaki-built engines with aerodynamically-curved noses. Though the front ends of the engines are not quite as angular as those of the newer Japanese bullet trains, they still scream that they are built for speed. As for comfort, the designers again deserve kudos. Even at top speed, the train rides about as smoothly as the Hong Kong Airport Express.

Only the blur of the passing landscape and the wind shriek give a true indication of what land speeds approaching 300 km/h look and sound like.

Speed and comfort aside, the key component is public confidence. Compared to that of the Japanese, the Taiwanese temperament leans toward easygoing when it comes to pricey public works projects and malfunctioning ticket machines. But they are far less likely to forget a headline-grabbing disaster such as that in Germany a decade ago. Whether Taiwan's HSR proves boon or boondoggle depends largely on whether it can replicate the Shinkansen's safety record.

Meanwhile, the board of directors of the Taiwan HSR Corp, aware of how a multitude of small-scale hiccups in the first two weeks might be interpreted by a dubious public, has announced that the half-price ticket period will be extended until the end of the month. It would appear the spin doctors still have more work to do.

Looks like Mr. Joshua Samuel Brown needs to grow some balls! People like this guy are ready to piss all over any great achievment by any country anywhere in the world. Regardless of how many people benefit from such projects, there will always be sceptics. Hopeless cynics who have nothing better to do than to criticize every infrastructure project.

[superchan7]

It's fine to be sceptical. However, boycotting it or persuading other people not to use it is unacceptable unless there is a record of safety problems.

THSR hasn't proven itself yet; that takes time. But for the time being, it seems fairly safe to use.

[Jean Luc]

AFAIK there has never been a fatality on a high speed train whilst running on dedicated high speed lines anywhere in the world.

The accident involving the ICE train in Germany in 1998 occurred on a conventional (non-high speed) line, so it could have involved a regular train instead of an ICE.

In France the only deaths involving the TGV have occurred on conventional lines too, often at level crossings where a motor vehicle has blocked the line. A couple of TGVs have derailed at high speed (on LGVs) causing injuries but no deaths, as the trains remained upright as they were meant to, due to their advanced design.

High speed trains and lines are designed and built with safety in mind right from the outset, making them one of the safest forms of transport around, along with planes. As with flying however, I guess that some people will always be afraid to travel on HSTs, no matter what the statistics say.

[elfabyanos]

AFAIK there has never been a fatality on a high speed train whilst running on dedicated high speed lines anywhere in the world.

The accident involving the ICE train in Germany in 1998 occurred on a conventional (non-high speed) line, so it could have involved a regular train instead of an ICE.



And it was caused by metal fatigue on the metal tyre of one of the wheels. This occurs on other trains too - UK networkers were put in a program of phased inspection and replacement after that incident as they use similar wheel designs.
Before anyone asks it is totally safe as long as the inspection proceedure is followed, namely using ultrasound to test for cracks. Unfortunately in the German incident the maintenance regime lapsed to somthing like kicking the rim and saying (in German of course) "Looks allroit guv'nor", so no wonder it went wrong.

[tr]

THSRC gets MOTC approval for Taipei to Banciao section

By Shelley Shan and Jessie Ho
STAFF REPORTERS
Thursday, Feb 01, 2007, Page 2

Advertising Minister of Transportation and Communications Tsai Duei (蔡堆) approved the operation of the high speed rail on the section between Taipei and Banciao (板橋) yesterday.
Bureau of High Speed Rail Director-General Pang Chia-hua (龐家驊) said the approval merely meets one of the preconditions for the Taiwan High Speed Rail Corp (THSRC) to secure an operating permit, adding that the company has yet to comply with all the requirements of the Railway Law (鐵路法) and its build-operate-transfer (BOT) contract.

For example, the THSRC has not yet submitted the NT$5 billion (US$156 million) deposit required, Pang said.

Should the company meet all the outstanding requirements, the operational permit could be issued as soon as today, he said.

Pang added that the THSRC will face a stern challenge today, when advance tickets for the Lunar New Year holidays go on sale.

Ticket sales will begin at 6am today and the bureau expects some would-be travelers to queue-up at the high speed rail stations.

Although the THSRC will soon be permitted to operate between Banciao and Taipei, several media reports have speculated that the high speed rail may not do so in time for the Lunar New Year holidays since the company has encountered difficulties with its ticketing system and train schedules. Those in Taipei choosing to take the high speed rail during this time will probably still be required to board from the high speed rail station in Banciao.

Pang said the company and the bureau had reached a consensus that the high speed rail would operate between Banciao and Tsoying (左營) during the Lunar New Year holidays.

He urged the company to come up with a comprehensive plan that took all possible scenarios into account.

"The bottom line is that the company has to finalize its plan and announce it to the public as soon as possible," he said, "[The THSRC] must stop making plans only to change them the next day."

Pang also suggested possible solutions to the problem. For example, he said, if the THSRC was only able to sell tickets from Banciao to Tsoying (左營), the company could alter the setting on the ticket-checking gates at Taipei Main Station to allow those purchasing tickets from Banciao to pass.

THSRC spokesman Arthur Chiang (江金山) confirmed in a phone interview yesterday that the THSRC had decided not to operate on the Taipei to Banciao section during the Lunar New Year holidays. He said that passengers would need to wait at least until next month before they could take the bullet train from Taipei.

It will take some time for the THSRC to reorganize its train schedule before applying for a license, he added.

The THSRC's decision not to operate between Taipei and Banciao during the Lunar New Year holidays was also prompted by technical concerns, he said.

The ticketing system and gates in THSRC stations have been found to malfunction frequently, especially during peak hours, Chiang said.

[Taipei Walker]

I took the Taiwan High Speed Train during Chinese New Year. Had no time to prepare the photos only until recently, here are photos from my journey:

1. Banqiao station
http://img86.imageshack.us/img86/3466/001sp4.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

2. ticket vending machines, working well now ;)
http://img86.imageshack.us/img86/3334/002hb1.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

3.
http://img86.imageshack.us/img86/2802/004cl8.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

4.
http://img86.imageshack.us/img86/8573/005eg8.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

5. behind the glass is TRA station (normal rail)
http://img86.imageshack.us/img86/2899/006vo8.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

6. on the platform
http://img86.imageshack.us/img86/2751/008gp1.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

7.
http://img86.imageshack.us/img86/3284/010mx7.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

8. the light in the floor informs that the train is approaching
http://img86.imageshack.us/img86/636/011hp3.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

9. approaching train, everybody taking pictures :D
http://img86.imageshack.us/img86/8704/012fy9.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

10. the doors are pretty small, I guess I am used to Taipei MRT :)
http://img86.imageshack.us/img86/4307/013hw8.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

11. inside
http://img86.imageshack.us/img86/6844/015na3.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

12.
http://img86.imageshack.us/img86/4654/016yb3.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

13.
http://img86.imageshack.us/img86/9492/017mw9.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

14. departure
http://img86.imageshack.us/img86/8392/014qm3.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

15. somewhere in Taoyuan
http://img86.imageshack.us/img86/2254/019fv4.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

16. Taoyuan station
http://img86.imageshack.us/img86/9153/020ay5.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

17. somewhere between Taoyuan and Hsinchu
http://img86.imageshack.us/img86/6965/021qc3.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

18. approaching Hsinchu station
http://img86.imageshack.us/img86/1323/022vn1.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

19. emptiness around Hsinchu station, it's the same with most stations :bash:
http://img86.imageshack.us/img86/2092/023yr5.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

20. Hsinchu station
http://img86.imageshack.us/img86/5762/024hp9.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

21. rural Taiwan
http://img86.imageshack.us/img86/9752/028mn2.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

22. maximum speed of 300km/h, most of the time was only around 200-220km/h a bit dissapointing, just hope lower speed is because of initial period of operation and in the future it will be faster
http://img86.imageshack.us/img86/443/029mr9.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

23. outside on full speed
http://img86.imageshack.us/img86/5781/030qy4.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

24. approaching Taichung
http://img86.imageshack.us/img86/1684/032dy6.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

25.
http://img86.imageshack.us/img86/483/033lw2.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

26. the same as in Hsinchu, the city is far away :bash:
http://img86.imageshack.us/img86/1949/034uy5.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

27. Taichung station
http://img86.imageshack.us/img86/4900/036sw7.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

28. rural landcape of Central and Southern Taiwan is awesome, we're leaving mountains behind, from this mountain range all the way down to Zuoying station in Kaohsiung we'll ride on the world's longest viaduct
http://img86.imageshack.us/img86/5138/038io1.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

29.
http://img86.imageshack.us/img86/4232/042bt2.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

30.
http://img86.imageshack.us/img86/5540/043wy1.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

31.
http://img86.imageshack.us/img86/8200/044ir8.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

32.
http://img86.imageshack.us/img86/2274/046zd2.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

33.
http://img86.imageshack.us/img86/7497/047sm9.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

34.
http://img86.imageshack.us/img86/7880/051sc0.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

35.
http://img86.imageshack.us/img86/687/057le7.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

36.
http://img86.imageshack.us/img86/6161/058oa1.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

37.
http://img86.imageshack.us/img86/4688/062zv2.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

38.
http://img86.imageshack.us/img86/381/063va1.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

39. cemetary
http://img86.imageshack.us/img86/145/065up1.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

40.
http://img86.imageshack.us/img86/7008/066ee9.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

41. approaching Kaohsiung
http://img86.imageshack.us/img86/1182/067ml1.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

42.
http://img86.imageshack.us/img86/4817/068am1.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

43.
http://img86.imageshack.us/img86/1149/069oc7.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

44.
http://img86.imageshack.us/img86/8936/070xd1.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

45.
http://img86.imageshack.us/img86/3297/072bk6.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

46. end of viaduct, we're in Kaohsiung (Zuoying station)
http://img86.imageshack.us/img86/8719/073tk1.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

47. Zuoying station
http://img86.imageshack.us/img86/7392/074yj2.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

photos from Zuoying station:

48. Zuoying station from the mountain
http://img86.imageshack.us/img86/6461/075lu1.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

49.
http://img86.imageshack.us/img86/9084/076xa1.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

50.
http://img86.imageshack.us/img86/1076/077ig5.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

51.
http://img86.imageshack.us/img86/6606/078ev8.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

52.
http://img86.imageshack.us/img86/4601/079as1.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

53. Kaohsiung is an industrial city :)
http://img86.imageshack.us/img86/9169/080ie5.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

54. New Zuoying Station belongs to TRA
http://img86.imageshack.us/img86/2092/081rw0.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

55.
http://img86.imageshack.us/img86/2521/082fz8.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

56.
http://img86.imageshack.us/img86/7706/083jk5.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

57.
http://img86.imageshack.us/img86/7152/084jl9.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

58.
http://img86.imageshack.us/img86/6767/085yz1.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

59. TRA station
http://img86.imageshack.us/img86/6061/086sq9.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

60. connection to Taiwan High Speed Rail Station
http://img86.imageshack.us/img86/9297/087nl3.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

61. Zuoying station, station hall
http://img86.imageshack.us/img86/1075/088ey5.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

62.
http://img86.imageshack.us/img86/108/089wx1.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

63.
http://img86.imageshack.us/img86/6771/090ba5.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

64.
http://img86.imageshack.us/img86/7736/091nw1.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

65.
http://img86.imageshack.us/img86/4599/092af8.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

66. ticket vending machines
http://img86.imageshack.us/img86/3080/093tv8.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

67.
http://img86.imageshack.us/img86/889/094ij5.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

68.
http://img86.imageshack.us/img86/5060/095ak4.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

69.
http://img86.imageshack.us/img86/7578/096sq8.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

70.
http://img86.imageshack.us/img86/1268/097up9.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

71.
http://img86.imageshack.us/img86/638/098cb6.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

72.
http://img86.imageshack.us/img86/7392/099ww1.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

73. below will be Kaohsiung MRT station, above another department store
http://img86.imageshack.us/img86/2601/100dn4.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

74.
http://img86.imageshack.us/img86/4462/101lk5.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

75.
http://img86.imageshack.us/img86/539/102db5.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

76.
http://img86.imageshack.us/img86/5494/103pv5.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

77.
http://img86.imageshack.us/img86/3771/104lr9.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

78.
http://img86.imageshack.us/img86/7092/105eb0.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

79.
http://img86.imageshack.us/img86/4332/106pg4.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

80.
http://img86.imageshack.us/img86/7179/107ff5.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

81.
http://img86.imageshack.us/img86/6660/108nw0.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

82.
http://img86.imageshack.us/img86/9723/109cr2.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

83. car park next to station
http://img86.imageshack.us/img86/6441/110ss3.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

84. at least from one side it looks like a city
http://img86.imageshack.us/img86/9081/111ra4.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

85. car park has direct link to the freeway
http://img86.imageshack.us/img86/2320/112ia6.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

86.
http://img86.imageshack.us/img86/4053/113ra2.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

87.
http://img86.imageshack.us/img86/189/114gr3.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

88.
http://img86.imageshack.us/img86/6223/115xo3.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

89. the street in front of the station from the station
http://img86.imageshack.us/img86/2500/116yc3.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

90.
http://img86.imageshack.us/img86/7752/117el2.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

91.
http://img86.imageshack.us/img86/50/118zr2.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

92. from car park
http://img86.imageshack.us/img86/4686/119hf7.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

93.
http://img86.imageshack.us/img86/1396/120ws1.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

94.
http://img86.imageshack.us/img86/46/121uq5.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

95. back in the station hall
http://img86.imageshack.us/img86/1364/122wj1.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

96.
http://img86.imageshack.us/img86/3221/123cb2.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

97.
http://img86.imageshack.us/img86/4417/124ok7.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

98.
http://img86.imageshack.us/img86/8010/125nr9.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

99.
http://img86.imageshack.us/img86/2304/126ij5.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

100.
http://img86.imageshack.us/img86/2202/127bt7.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

101.
http://img86.imageshack.us/img86/3953/128co5.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

102.
http://img86.imageshack.us/img86/6317/129ey1.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

103.
http://img86.imageshack.us/img86/9652/130nz2.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

104.
http://img86.imageshack.us/img86/2977/131ft2.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

105.
http://img86.imageshack.us/img86/8929/133fi8.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

106.
http://img86.imageshack.us/img86/2047/134ft3.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

107. on the platform
http://img86.imageshack.us/img86/4288/135hj0.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

108.
http://img86.imageshack.us/img86/9149/136xv1.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

109.
http://img86.imageshack.us/img86/1060/137ee1.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

110.
http://img86.imageshack.us/img86/1360/138fn9.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

111.
http://img86.imageshack.us/img86/5856/139dz0.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

112.
http://img86.imageshack.us/img86/1585/140gz2.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

113.
http://img86.imageshack.us/img86/3621/142ew7.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

114.
http://img86.imageshack.us/img86/2268/141ad0.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

115.
http://img86.imageshack.us/img86/5693/143wp3.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

116.
http://img86.imageshack.us/img86/9587/144qn3.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

117.
http://img86.imageshack.us/img86/8501/145iw9.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

118.
http://img86.imageshack.us/img86/2636/146dq1.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

119. blood, killer train :D
http://img86.imageshack.us/img86/3537/147qr2.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

120.
http://img86.imageshack.us/img86/2295/148an8.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

some shots from return jurney, the weather was much better

121. industry in Kaohsiung
http://img86.imageshack.us/img86/434/150pm2.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

122.
http://img86.imageshack.us/img86/2058/151aa2.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

123.
http://img86.imageshack.us/img86/6914/152br1.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

124.
http://img86.imageshack.us/img86/9517/153hz9.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

125.
http://img86.imageshack.us/img86/3063/154ff3.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

126.
http://img86.imageshack.us/img86/5647/155ba5.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

127.
http://img86.imageshack.us/img86/6731/156vl8.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

128.
http://img86.imageshack.us/img86/5113/157tj8.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

129.
http://img86.imageshack.us/img86/5949/158ny9.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

130.
http://img86.imageshack.us/img86/373/159sn6.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

131. approaching Taichung
http://img86.imageshack.us/img86/8461/161vu9.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

132.
http://img86.imageshack.us/img86/956/162yk4.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

133.
http://img86.imageshack.us/img86/8/163qc7.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

134.
http://img86.imageshack.us/img86/8906/164lk7.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

135.
http://img86.imageshack.us/img86/1701/165ll7.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

136.
http://img86.imageshack.us/img86/7063/166jb7.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

137.
http://img86.imageshack.us/img86/1741/167xx9.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

138.
http://img86.imageshack.us/img86/3949/169rg2.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

139.
http://img86.imageshack.us/img86/824/170bp9.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

140.
http://img86.imageshack.us/img86/3655/171wx3.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

141.
http://img86.imageshack.us/img86/465/172gb6.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

142.
http://img86.imageshack.us/img86/8736/173xq7.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

143.
http://img86.imageshack.us/img86/6710/174he4.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

144.
http://img86.imageshack.us/img86/5306/175cn0.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

145.
http://img86.imageshack.us/img86/2812/176is3.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

the end

[zergcerebrates]

Nice Pictures. I thought the Kaoshiung Station would look nice on the inside but not really so. The exterior surroundings like the landscaping, the exterior building and the platforms are nice but the interior main hall is kinda disappointing. They should of used marble on its floors, yes I know more expensive but it'll make the station look more modern. I am not really impressed by the tiles they've chosen to use, makes the entire station look dated and the tiles looks like those you will find at public toilets.

[superchan7]

Those outdoor-ish types of tiles are used extensively in Taipei MRT and Kaohsiung MRT. While I have nothing against them (they get stepped on anyway), I have heard numerous complaints about them being out of place.

[thyrdrail]

Nice Pictures. I thought the Kaoshiung Station would look nice on the inside but not really so. The exterior surroundings like the landscaping, the exterior building and the platforms are nice but the interior main hall is kinda disappointing. They should of used marble on its floors, yes I know more expensive but it'll make the station look more modern. I am not really impressed by the tiles they've chosen to use, makes the entire station look dated and the tiles looks like those you will find at public toilets.

i TOTALLY agree about the tiles. they definitely should have used marble or some other kind of surface treatment besides tiles. i'm so sick of seeing tiles covering EVERYTHING in Taiwan - buildings, houses, sidewalks, platforms, walls, etc. etc. etc. alot of buildings even have the same exact tiles covering the sidewalks, exterior walls, interior walls and floors. i mean, how friggin lazy is that to use the same tiles to cover everything?? everything there are tiles, tiles, tiles, tiles. and cement.

[SungIEman]

Tile's less slippery for wet days? There must be some reason.

[FM 2258]

Those are impressive pictures Taipei Walker.