Taitung line

Taitung Line
Overview
Native name	臺東線
Owner	Taiwan Railways Administration
Termini	Hualien Taitung
Stations	27
Service
Type	Passenger/freight rail
Operator(s)	Taiwan Railways Administration
History
Opened	25 March 1926
Technical
Line length	150.9 km (93.8 mi)
Number of tracks	2
Track gauge	3 ft 6 in (1,067 mm)
Electrification	25 kV/60 Hz Catenary
Operating speed	120 km/h (75 mph)

The Taitung Line (Chinese: 臺東線; pinyin: Táidōng Xiàn; Pe̍h-ōe-jī: Tâi-tang Soàⁿ), also known as the Hua-Tung line (Chinese: 花東線; pinyin: Huādōng Xiàn; Pe̍h-ōe-jī: Hoa-tang Soàⁿ), is the southern section of the Eastern Line of the Taiwan Railways Administration. The line starts in Hualien and ends in Taitung. It is 161.5 km long, including the main segment of 155.7 km between Hualien and Taitung.

The coastal branch lines of Hualien and Taitung were discarded after the broadening plan in 1982. The broadcasts of the station names on Taitung line are made in five languages: Mandarin, Taiwanese Hokkien, Hakka, English, and Amis. Broadcasts in Amis language only exists in Taitung line.

History

The north segment from Karenkō (花蓮港, now Hualien City) to Poshiko (璞石閣 ポシコ, then Tamazato, now Yuli) was built in 1909 and completed in 1917. The south segment form Hinan (卑南, then Taitō, now Taitung City) to Rirō (里巄, now Guanshan) was opened in 1919 by the Taitō Development Company (臺東開拓株式會社).

In 1922, the Taitō Development Company bought the railroad from Karenkō to Tamazato and called it the "Taitō North Line", while the south segment of Taitō to Rirō was called the "Taitō South Line."

The connecting railway between Tamazato to Rirō was begun in 1921 and completed in 1926, after which the total length was 171.8 km from Karenkō (Hualien City) to Taitō (Taitung City).

In 1966, the Kuang-Hua Express (光華號), utilizing diesel multiple units, started service in this line and greatly shortened the traveling time from Hualien to Taitung from 6–7 hours to 3–4 hours.

Its gauge was changed from 2 ft 6 in (762 mm) narrow gauge to 3 ft 6 in (1,067 mm) gauge in 1982 and connected with North-link line, after which the old Hualien Station was discarded and replaced by the Hualien railway station that is used now.

In 2007, the Environmental Protection Administration gave the line a conditional pass for an electrification project, which will boost the operating speed from 110 km/hr to 130 km/hr. In 2009, construction began on electrification work, with NT$15.5 billion set aside for the project. Electrification work was completed in late 2013 with the inauguration of electric services in late June 2014.

In cooperation with the electrification of the Hualien-Taitung Line

• • General Reconstruction - (Completed) Zhixue, Pinghe, Fengtian, Nanping, Fenglin, Wanrong, Guangfu, Dafu, Fuyuan, Ruisui, Sanmin, Yuli, Dongli, Dongzhu, Fuli, Chishang, Haiduan, Guanshan, Ruihe, Ruiyuan, Luye, Shanli, Taitung
  • Elevated Station - (In Construction) Hualien | (Under Planning) Jian | (Completed) Shoufeng
  • Underground Station - (Completed) Linrong Shinkong

Stations

Outline map near Hualien, Stations:
A: Hualien (former), B: Hualien Port,
C: Hualien, D: Beipu, E: Ji'an, F: Meilun
Lines:
Yellow: North-Link Line
Blue:Hualien–Taitung Line
Green: Hualien Port Line
Red: Hualien Port Line (former)

Name	Chinese	Taiwanese	Hakka	Amis	Dist. (km)	Transfers and Notes	Location
Hualien	花蓮	Hoa-liân	Fâ-lièn	Kalingko	0.0	→ North-link line	Hualien	Hualien County
Ji'an	吉安	Kiat-an	Kit-ôn	Yosino	3.4		Ji'an
Zhixue	志學	Chì-ha̍k	Chṳ-ho̍k	Cihak	12.4		Shoufeng
Pinghe	平和	Pêng-hô	Phìn-fò		15.3
Shoufeng	壽豐	Siū-hong	Su-fûng	Rinahem	17.2
Fengtian	豐田	Hong-tiân	Fûng-thièn	Telu'	19.9
Linrong Shin Kong	林榮新光	Lîm-êng Sin-kong	Lìm-yùng Sîn-kông		26.1		Fenglin
Nanping	南平	Lâm-pêng	Nàm-phìn	Naiko	28.3
Fenglin	鳳林	Hōng-lîm	Fung-lìm	Cingaroan	32.5
Wanrong	萬榮	Bān-êng	Van-yùng	Molisaka	37.3
Guangfu	光復	Kong-ho̍k	Kông-fu̍k	Fata'an	42.9		Guangfu
Dafu	大富	Tāi-hô	Thai-fu	Yamato	50.6
Fuyuan	富源	Hù-goân	Fu-ngièn	Pa'ilasen	53.6		Ruisui
Ruisui	瑞穗	Sūi-sūi	Lui-sui	Kohkoh	62.8
Sanmin	三民	Sam-bîn	Sâm-mìn	Takay	72.1		Yuli
Yuli	玉里	Gio̍k-lí	Ngiu̍k-lî	Posko	83.1
Dongli	東里	Tang-lí	Tûng-lî	Masai	89.8		Fuli
Dongzhu	東竹	Tang-tek	Tûng-chuk	Talampo	95.7
Fuli	富里	Hù-lí	Fu-lî	Naukun	101.9
Chishang	池上	Tî-siōng	Chhṳ̀-sông	Renaw	108.8		Chishang	Taitung County
Haiduan	海端	Hái-toan	Gói-tôn	Haitutuan	114.4		Guanshan
Guanshan	關山	Koan-san	Koân-sân	Dilradilrang	120.9
Ruihe	瑞和	Suī-hô	Lui-fò	Micuwa	128.3		Luye
Ruiyuan	瑞源	Suī-goân	Lui-ngièn	Ohala	131.1
Luye	鹿野	Lo̍k-iá	Lu̍k-yâ	Sikano	136.6
Shanli	山里	San-lí	Sân-lî	Kanatolan	142.8		Beinan
Taitung	臺東	Tâi-tang	Thòi-tûng	Falangaw	150.9	→ South-link line	Taitung