Train enthusiasts from across the nation yesterday gathered at train stations in Hualien and New Taipei City to bid farewell to the last of the Fu-hsing semi-express trains, once the workhorse of Taiwan’s passenger railway system.
Fu-hsing Semi-Express No. 605 was the last of its kind to embark on a journey when it left Hualien Station at 6:05am on a three-hour, 51-minute trip to Shulin Station in New Taipei City.
Several train buffs and Hualien residents gathered at the departure station to take photographs and catch a glimpse of the locomotive at it left adorned with commemorative decorations.
Photo: CNA
More people gathered at Shulin Station to watch the train make its final stop at 9:56am and bid the Fu-hsing series farewell.
One train enthusiast, surnamed Lai (賴), said he took the day off work to ride the train one last time with his wife and two children, after having lived with Fu-hsing-series trains his entire life.
Due to the unique braking system of the trains, it takes experience and skill to drive them, the train’s driver said, while its conductor said he was proud and sad to see a rolling stock older than him take its final bow.
The Taiwan Railways Administration (TRA) sold 300 NT$150 commemorative tickets for the Hualien to Xincheng Taroko Station stretch of the train’s final journey, which included official TRA validation.
Rolled out in early 1981, the Fu-hsing series were the first domestically built trains in the nation and the first with air-conditioning.
Once ubiquitous across the nation, Fu-hsing trains were phased out and replaced by more modern rolling stock and high-speed trains on most of the TRA routes.
All of the trains’ services would be taken over by the new EMU900 and existing EMU500 trains, as well as Tze-Chiang Limited Express trains following slight adjustments to the TRA’s schedule that took effect yesterday.
The change is part of a significant modernization of the TRA’s fleet that included the retirement on Monday of the EMU1200 train used on certain Ziqiang Limited Express routes, the TRA said.
The phasing out of older models would enable the TRA to fully utilize its newly acquired Japan-built EMU3000 trains and South Korean-made EMU900 trains that went into service last year.
The bulk of the Fu-hsing trains are to be demolished, except for some passenger cars that would be salvaged and repurposed for use on the South Link Line, the TRA said.
SHIPS, TRAINS AND AUTOMOBILES: The ministry has announced changes to varied transportation industries taking effect soon, with a number of effects for passengers Beginning next month, the post office is canceling signature upon delivery and written inquiry services for international registered small packets in accordance with the new policy of the Universal Postal Union, the Ministry of Transportation and Communications said yesterday. The new policy does not apply to packets that are to be delivered to China, the ministry said. Senders of international registered small packets would receive a NT$10 rebate on postage if the packets are sent from Jan. 1 to March 31, it added. The ministry said that three other policies are also scheduled to take effect next month. International cruise ship operators
NUMBERS IMBALANCE: More than 4 million Taiwanese have visited China this year, while only about half a million Chinese have visited here Beijing has yet to respond to Taiwan’s requests for negotiation over matters related to the recovery of cross-strait tourism, the Tourism Administration said yesterday. Taiwan’s tourism authority issued the statement after Chinese-language daily the China Times reported yesterday that the government’s policy of banning group tours to China does not stop Taiwanese from visiting the country. As of October, more than 4.2 million had traveled to China this year, exceeding last year. Beijing estimated the number of Taiwanese tourists in China could reach 4.5 million this year. By contrast, only 500,000 Chinese tourists are expected in Taiwan, the report said. The report
The Forestry and Nature Conservation Agency yesterday launched a gift box to market honey “certified by a Formosan black bear” in appreciation of a beekeeper’s amicable interaction with a honey-thieving bear. Beekeeper Chih Ming-chen (池明鎮) in January inspected his bee farm in Hualien County’s Jhuosi Township (卓溪) and found that more than 20 beehives had been destroyed and many hives were eaten, with bear droppings and paw prints near the destroyed hives, the agency said. Chih returned to the farm to move the remaining beehives away that evening when he encountered a Formosan black bear only 20m away, the agency said. The bear
HORROR STORIES: One victim recounted not realizing they had been stabbed and seeing people bleeding, while another recalled breaking down in tears after fleeing A man on Friday died after he tried to fight the knife-wielding suspect who went on a stabbing spree near two of Taipei’s busiest metro stations, Taipei Mayor Chiang Wan-an (蔣萬安) said. The 57-year-old man, identified by his family name, Yu (余), encountered the suspect at Exit M7 of Taipei Main Station and immediately tried to stop him, but was fatally wounded and later died, Chiang said, calling the incident “heartbreaking.” Yu’s family would receive at least NT$5 million (US$158,584) in compensation through the Taipei Rapid Transit Corp’s (TRTC) insurance coverage, he said after convening an emergency security response meeting yesterday morning. National
RSS