TRA Western Line Reconstruction (Construction)

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

Taipei Nangang Station (HSR/TRA/MRT), 2011
http://i51.photobucket.com/albums/f355/chung68/NangangStation.jpg

Kaohsiung Underground Railway Project, 2016
9.75 km rail tunnel

Taichung Elevated Railway Project, 2015
21.19 km viaduct

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TRA Express (Testing)

TEMU 1000 "Taroko", Taipei-Hualien, 2007

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

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

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TRA Local (Testing)

EMU 700, Yilan Line, 2007

Rolling Stock: TRSC / Nippon Sharyo
http://i51.photobucket.com/albums/f355/chung68/EMU700TRA-s.jpg
photo: ITC

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

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

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

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

Excellent pics.

i was wondering, but why does taiwan like to buy only japanese built trains and not others? like isn't bombardier, alstom, and siemens good as well?

i was wondering, but why does taiwan like to buy only japanese built trains and not others? like isn't bombardier, alstom, and siemens good as well?

It might have to do with politics. I don't think price is a factor since they're about the same perhaps when parts are needed they can also obtain it from Japan faster. Another explanation is Taiwanese attitude towards Japan, they typically favor Japanese stuff. Just like Japanese like western stuff.
No offense but Taiwanese are also known as Japanese worshippers in Asia.

Japanese trains have a good reputation for reliability and quality, although some of that reputation may come from Japan's railway network management itself. Generally, the proximity and the quality make Japanese equipment popular. Politics and pro-Japan sentiment may also be reasons; one more piece of evidence of this is the tendency to hire Japanese architects for major projects. But whatever is safe, reliable and efficient will make the day, and I think the day that Japanese rolling stock suffers from poor reputation is not anywhere in the visible future =P

Taiwan now is like an extension of JR

Taiwan now is like an extension of JR

wouldn't be surprised in the future that Japan and Taiwan build a tunnel to connect with each other:runaway:

i was wondering, but why does taiwan like to buy only japanese built trains and not others? like isn't bombardier, alstom, and siemens good as well?

The Muzha line extention in Taipei MRT is actually a Bombardier system.

Personally I like Bombardier.... it's the best thing on the rail....!

I personally like the new Bombardier train serving the Guangshen (Guangzhou-Shenzhen) line in Guangdong province.

However, I think Bombardier slipped a little when providing mass-transit trainsets to Shanghai and Guangzhou....they looked identical and had cold, sterile interior lighting. Let's hope they've got their tastes back on track with the new mini-trains for Taipei.

http://photos.friendster.com/photos/01/86/2596810/355379922l.jpg

I took this shot at Taipei County Hall, on my way to the Banciao TRA/HSR/MRT station.

If I don't understand Chinese, I will be having a big problem understand this abbreviated destination signs.




EDIT:

TRA is the official company name for Taiwan Rail Administration, while HSR (High Speed Rail), and MRT (Mass Rapid Transit) are the types of transportation technology.

Correct name should be THSR & TRTC, if Taipei County wants to align with TRA and TRA logo. (note the HSR/MRT are not their real company logo, it show a graphic symbol of the vehicle).

Perhap I should send an email to the Taipei County Hall, to correct this problem.

I personally like the new Bombardier train serving the Guangshen (Guangzhou-Shenzhen) line in Guangdong province.

.



Same here I think they look better than this TRA Express.

I took this shot at Taipei County Hall, on my way to the Banciao TRA/HSR/MRT station.

If I don't understand Chinese, I will be having a big problem understand this abbreviated destination signs.




EDIT:

TRA is the official company name for Taiwan Rail Administration, while HSR (High Speed Rail), and MRT (Mass Rapid Transit) are the types of transportation technology.

Correct name should be THSR & TRTC, if Taipei County wants to align with TRA and TRA logo. (note the HSR/MRT are not their real company logo, it show a graphic symbol of the vehicle).

Perhap I should send an email to the Taipei County Hall, to correct this problem.

I don't think this is a major problem as English signage is fairly inconsistent across Taiwan. Unless the westerner population in Taipei rises to a horrific double-digit percentage, few will complain. Those who do are expecting too much out of a Chinese-language society.

are westerners not like in Taiwan?

I am spending a month there this summer:nuts:

It might have to do with politics. I don't think price is a factor since they're about the same perhaps when parts are needed they can also obtain it from Japan faster.
:ohno:

Another explanation is Taiwanese attitude towards Japan, they typically favor Japanese stuff. Just like Japanese like western stuff.
No offense but Taiwanese are also known as Japanese worshippers in Asia.
:ohno:

The reason the rolling stock is sourced from Japan is that both JR and the TRA operate narrow gauge railways (1067 mm). Moreover, the Japanese manufacturers are much better than their Western counterparts at suiting their sales proposals to the Taiwanese market.

In the past, Taiwan has ordered from Rotem, Alstom, Union Wagon (S.A), and others, but reliability has always been a problem.

Politics and pro-Japan sentiment may also be reasons; one more piece of evidence of this is the tendency to hire Japanese architects for major projects.

Taiwan uses the same building code as Japan, so naturally Japanese architects have a competitive advantage over other rivals. Since the codes were adopted during the Chiang era, I think describing it as pro-Japan sentiment is overstating the case.

I've heard of the problems with the Rotem stock on the Tze-Chiang Hao train...are they planning to augment the fleet for those lines?

The TRA are in the process of conducting a open tender for an additional 316 cars. The new EMU "800", maximum speed of 130/kph, will be introduced on the western trunk line in 2009.

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

EMU 800
http://pic20.picturetrail.com/VOL1464/9580528/17445208/394622544.jpg

Japan-Taiwan joint venture wins order for 296 train cars in Taiwan
Sunday 16th January, 03:51 AM JST

NAGOYA — Japanese rail car manufacturer Nippon Sharyo Ltd and trading house Sumitomo Corp said that a Taiwanese train car maker they have jointly set up with local partners has won an order for 296 commuter train cars from the Taiwan Railways Administration.

Under the 44 billion yen deal, the joint venture Taiwan Rolling Stock Co, which was set up in 2002, plans to deliver the cars from 2012 through 2015, the Japanese firms said.

The low-floor train cars will run in Taipei’s suburban areas and on lines connecting between major cities in Taiwan at a speed of up to 130 kilometers per hour.


New Taidong Express
http://pic20.picturetrail.com/VOL1464/9580528/17445208/394622552.jpg

Sumitomo and Nippon Sharyo wins train sets supply deal in Taiwan

Monday, 10 Jan 2011, Japanese suppliers Sumitomo Corporation and Nippon Sharyo confirmed on January 6th 2011 that they had signed a TWD 10.6 billion contract to supply Taiwan Railway Administration with 17 inter city tilting train sets (136 rail cars) capable of operation at 150 kilometers per hour.

Under the deal agreed on December 31st 2010, the eight car EMUs are due to be delivered in 2012-14 for use on Taroko Express services between Taipei and Hualien on TRA's 1.067 mm gauge east coast route. The aluminium bodied trains will feature wheelchair access, luggage and bicycle spaces and onboard vending machines.

The east coast line was electrified at 25 kV 60 Hz in 2003, and TRA introduced its first tilting trains in April 2007, helping to shorten journey times and making rail more competitive with the island's improved roads.

TRA acquired an initial build of six 8 car tilting train sets from Marubeni and Hitachi to launch the Taroko Express services. The railway had planned to exercise an option for a further 48 vehicles in 2009, but called new tenders after it failed to agree terms with the suppliers because of changing exchange rates. Three rounds of bidding were held in the new competition, but most bidders were reportedly unable to meet TRA's requirements in terms of price and delivery schedule.

Thanks for updating this thread tr. I was wondering where it was. Taiwan's railways need to be showcased more here.

Updated the thread title to fit with the others. All non HSR topics can now be put in here for Taiwan. :)

The EMU800 render looks impressive. They don't look like commuter trains though, more like an inter city express.

沙崙線 Shalun Line, Tainan TRA - Tainan HSR
Train: Rotem, EMU600

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Hsinchu - Jhubei (Liujia) [六家] is completed.

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Love it!

Ouch.

Taroko Express crash kills 1, injures 26 (http://www.chinapost.com.tw/taiwan/national/national-news/2012/01/18/329311/Taroko-Express.htm)

A speeding Taroko Express train yesterday rammed into the rear of a heavy-duty gravel truck in northern Taiwan, killing the train driver and leaving 26 injured, none critically.
The truck driver, who is being blamed for the crash, managed to narrowly escape certain death by jumping off the truck before the impact. Police yesterday interviewed the truck driver, a man identified by his surname Peng, after his brief, mysterious “disappearance” from the scene, and may charge him with negligent manslaughter.

The train, with 250 passengers on board, was heading north at 8:42 a.m., when it hit the truck at a crossing on Yangmei's Yongmei Road. It kept going after the impact, pushing the damaged truck along for 300 meters, until it reached the Puxin Railway Station in downtown Yangmei.

The Puxin Railway Station was immediately shut down, and south- and north-bound trains could go no further south than the Zhongli Railway Station in the north and no further north than the Yangmei Railroad Station south of the Puxin Railway Station, respectively. As train service was disrupted, long backups were reported on the major highways and roads nearby. As of press time, emergency crews were still combing the scene of the accident and resumption of normal train service was not expected until this morning.

According to Taiwan Railway Administration (TRA, 臺灣鐵路管理局), the train's locomotive was completely destroyed and a section of railroad and a rail switch were damaged. The truck was also totaled.

Security cameras show the gravel truck driven by Peng entered the level crossing immediately after another truck, without keeping a safe distance. When the driver of the first truck stepped on the brake after clearing the tracks, Peng also braked to avoid a rear-end collision and got caught on the tracks.

Tsai, the train driver killed in the crash, was the father of an only son, graduated third from his class at the TRA Training Center and has been a fine train driver twice honored for this meritorious performance since he officially joined TRA in 1988. He had been asked to help train a number of female rookies before his untimely death.

With one Taroko locomotive gone, the TRA will have to rely on the remaining five to transport passengers on the 86.6-km North-Link Line, in the central section of the Eastern Line of the TRA, including the 7.4-km segment between Beipu in Hsinchu and Hualien Port, during the Chinese New Year holidays. A slower PP Ziqiang locomotive will be used as a stopgap.

Shortly after the accident, the TRA reassured people who have reserved tickets for service on the North-Link Line during the Chinese New Year Holidays will not be affected, while cautioning them to expect an up-to-30-minute increase in travel time.

The TRA loss is estimated at NT$200 million, according to officials.

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Wow what kind of a idiot who doesn't make sure there are enough clearance before crossing train tracks. Miraculously no body on the platform was killed, the way the truck was pushed through the station is crazy.

Is this grade crossing protected by gates? It's hard to tell from the close-circuit video sample. Also, are there some kind of optical obstruction sensors installed at grade crossings? It may have at least warned the driver of the train a few seconds earlier, and gave him time to at least brake a few seconds faster. Also, was this a through train or was it going to stop at the station? Is the stretch of track a straight line, or is there a curve before the grade crossing that prevents the train driver from seeing the condition ahead?

Is this grade crossing protected by gates? It's hard to tell from the close-circuit video sample. Also, are there some kind of optical obstruction sensors installed at grade crossings? It may have at least warned the driver of the train a few seconds earlier, and gave him time to at least brake a few seconds faster. Also, was this a through train or was it going to stop at the station? Is the stretch of track a straight line, or is there a curve before the grade crossing that prevents the train driver from seeing the condition ahead?

This is the Google Earth coordinates of the crash site:

24°55'01.58" N 121°10'52.11" E

http://i659.photobucket.com/albums/uu314/Silver_Swordsman/Puxin.jpg

The crossing is gate-protected, like all of Taiwan's RR crossings. The truck simply followed the truck before it and stopped on the tracks when the truck before it stopped for a red light. The collision happened only twenty seconds after the truck had stopped, and as you can see, there IS a curve. The Taroko is Taiwan's only tilting train in service, with only six trainsets in service (now five). It can negotiate curves at speeds of 130 km/h. Since Puxin is a small station, it can naturally be assumed that the train was not stopping at the station.

Ouch.

This brings up an interesting point:
Should we eliminate at-grade crossings?

This brings up an interesting point:
Should we eliminate at-grade crossings?

I think it depends on the level of urbanization along the tracks. If a road frequently experiences traffic jams because of the trains, and if the costs are deemed worthwhile, then yes, the grades should be separated. Taipei has already done that over a decade back, and some other cities want to as well, but again, the costs are prohibitively expensive.

As for this incident, I don't think Puxin even counts as urban, and I don't think that Taiwan should pour millions of NT just to avoid car-train collisions. The crossings are already a lot safer than that of the US'.

The crossing is gate-protected, like all of Taiwan's RR crossings. The truck simply followed the truck before it and stopped on the tracks when the truck before it stopped for a red light. The collision happened only twenty seconds after the truck had stopped, and as you can see, there IS a curve. The Taroko is Taiwan's only tilting train in service, with only six trainsets in service (now five). It can negotiate curves at speeds of 130 km/h. Since Puxin is a small station, it can naturally be assumed that the train was not stopping at the station.

Seems like a combination of factors led to this accident, though ultimately it was the truck drivers fault for following too closely. I see the grade crossing serves a cement (?) plant (private crossing), rather than being part of a public through road. Perhaps the cement company in cooperation with TRA needs to institute a more strict protocol for vehicle traffic using this crossing, such as adding a human crossing guard, or resetting the grade crossing timing so that it activates sooner for an oncoming train.

This is a very close call because there are numerous houses right next to the track too, if the train derailed slightly farther the cars can destroy a lot of houses. Trains going through stations at speed is awesome to watch, but quite scary too.

Was the truck empty?

I can see the train being heavily damaged if the truck was full of a few dozen tons of dirt, but without anything?

Judging from this picture the truck is empty.
http://www.chinapost.com.tw/news_images/20120118/p01b.jpg


However the train's nose is heavily damaged resulting in the driver's death.
http://www.chinapost.com.tw/news_images/20120118/p01a.jpg

Pics from China Post.

Empty or full, the truck was made to carry heavy loads, thus having a very strong and sturdy chassis. Second of all, Taiwan's trains, unlike American trains, are not designed to meet FRA specifications (weight), and instead of being heavy, are designed to be light. This is the biggest issue that concerns the California High Speed Rail, the issue of whether 220 mph high speed trains, designs which are imported from overseas, will be allowed to run on US-regulated systems.

Empty or full, the truck was made to carry heavy loads, thus having a very strong and sturdy chassis. Second of all, Taiwan's trains, unlike American trains, are not designed to meet FRA specifications (weight), and instead of being heavy, are designed to be light. This is the biggest issue that concerns the California High Speed Rail, the issue of whether 220 mph high speed trains, designs which are imported from overseas, will be allowed to run on US-regulated systems.

If it is completely grade separated combined with a modern security system, the US could have new, specialized regulations for HSR.

For a light tilting training hitting the truck at such a high rate of speed I'd say the train fared well, no passengers were killed.

台湾现在就像是一个延伸的JR

台湾现在就像是一个延伸 (http://dsagfsaf.com)的JR