KCR Ma On Shan Rail
Encyclopedia
The Ma On Shan Line (formerly called Ma On Shan Rail, Chinese
: 馬鞍山鐵路, abbreviated as 馬鐵) is a branch line
of the East Rail Line in Hong Kong
. Originally, the railway was operated by Kowloon-Canton Railway Corporation
(KCRC). It is now operated by MTR Corporation
as one of the ten lines of the MTR
, after the merger of operations on 2 December 2007.
The Ma On Shan Line is coloured brown on the MTR map.
, Shatin and ends at Wu Kai Sha Station, Wu Kai Sha
, totalling 11.4 km or 16 minutes of journey time. It has nine stations, with a maintenance depot at Tai Wai. Construction began on 12 February 2001 and the line opened on 21 December 2004, 3 days earlier than the proposed opening date. When it was operating as part of the KCR system, the interchange with the East Rail Line at Tai Wai did not have ticket gates between the Ma On Shan line and East Rail Line platforms. A trip from either line to the other counted as one ride. It is estimated the line handled 190,000 passengers in the first year of service.
Most of the line, including stations, was built on a viaduct on reserved land (right-of-way
) along the eastern side of Sha Tin
and Ma On Shan (administratively within Sha Tin District
.) Although currently the trains are only in four-car configuration, most platforms have provision for eight-car trains for when patronage
increases.
The fare for a trip on the line varies from HK$3.2 to HK$5.8 depending on the distance travelled. The fare from Ma On Shan to East Rail Line stations in Kowloon
varies from HK$6.2 to HK$8.4.
Over a thousand passengers went to Tai Wai to take the first train on the first day of service. However, just an hour after service commenced, one train suffered minor door defects, causing a three minute delay. After the opening of the Ma On Shan Line, the usage of buses and taxis in the area decreased by as much as 50%. It was reported that some bus routes operated by KMB saw a decrease of ridership by one-third just a few days after the railway opened.
, running on the system in a four-car configuration. The train is the same model (with different contract code, SP1900) as those serving on the high capacity East Rail Line and West Rail Line, which run a 12-car and a seven-car configuration respectively. This model has the maximum running speed of 130 km/h, but trains will only reach a maximum service speed of 100 km/h; travelling between Shek Mun Station and Tai Shui Hang Station, when it is on ground level between Tate's Cairn Highway
. In fact, most of the time the trains on the line only travel between 55–75 km/h The Tai Wai Depot maintains the trains servicing this line.
:
, the Ma On Shan Line will be extended from Tai Wai Station to Hung Hom Station via East Kowloon
. The extension will connect to the West Rail Line at Hung Hom and continue on to the northwest New Territories
.
Chinese language
The Chinese language is a language or language family consisting of varieties which are mutually intelligible to varying degrees. Originally the indigenous languages spoken by the Han Chinese in China, it forms one of the branches of Sino-Tibetan family of languages...
: 馬鞍山鐵路, abbreviated as 馬鐵) is a branch line
Branch line
A branch line is a secondary railway line which branches off a more important through route, usually a main line. A very short branch line may be called a spur line...
of the East Rail Line in Hong Kong
Hong Kong
Hong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour...
. Originally, the railway was operated by Kowloon-Canton Railway Corporation
Kowloon-Canton Railway Corporation
The Kowloon–Canton Railway Corporation was established in 1982 under the Kowloon–Canton Railway Corporation Ordinance for the purposes of operating the Kowloon–Canton Railway , and to construct and operate other new railways...
(KCRC). It is now operated by MTR Corporation
MTR Corporation
MTR Corporation Limited is a company listed on the Hong Kong Exchange and included in the Hang Seng Index. MTR owns and runs the Hong Kong MTR metro system, and is also a major property developer and landlord in Hong Kong...
as one of the ten lines of the MTR
MTR
Mass Transit Railway is the rapid transit railway system in Hong Kong. Originally opened in 1979, the system now includes 211.6 km of rail with 155 stations, including 86 railway stations and 69 light rail stops...
, after the merger of operations on 2 December 2007.
The Ma On Shan Line is coloured brown on the MTR map.
Overview
KCRC estimated the construction cost of Ma On Shan Rail would be HK$10 billion. The line starts at Tai Wai station in Tai WaiTai Wai
Tai Wai is an area in the New Territories of Hong Kong, located between Sha Tin New Town and the Lion Rock. It is the largest part of the Sha Tin District....
, Shatin and ends at Wu Kai Sha Station, Wu Kai Sha
Wu Kai Sha
Wu Kai Sha , formerly known as Wu Kwai Sha or U Kwai Sha , is a place at the shore of Tolo Harbour, northwest of Ma On Shan in the New Territories, Hong Kong. It is famous for a campsite, Wu Kai Sha Youth Village of YMCA. Originally there were only a few villages like Wu Kwai Sha Village. It is...
, totalling 11.4 km or 16 minutes of journey time. It has nine stations, with a maintenance depot at Tai Wai. Construction began on 12 February 2001 and the line opened on 21 December 2004, 3 days earlier than the proposed opening date. When it was operating as part of the KCR system, the interchange with the East Rail Line at Tai Wai did not have ticket gates between the Ma On Shan line and East Rail Line platforms. A trip from either line to the other counted as one ride. It is estimated the line handled 190,000 passengers in the first year of service.
Most of the line, including stations, was built on a viaduct on reserved land (right-of-way
Right-of-way (railroad)
A right-of-way is a strip of land that is granted, through an easement or other mechanism, for transportation purposes, such as for a trail, driveway, rail line or highway. A right-of-way is reserved for the purposes of maintenance or expansion of existing services with the right-of-way...
) along the eastern side of Sha Tin
Sha Tin
Sha Tin, also spelled Shatin, is an area around the Shing Mun River in the New Territories of Hong Kong. Administratively, it is part of the Sha Tin District.-Geography:...
and Ma On Shan (administratively within Sha Tin District
Sha Tin District
Sha Tin District is one of the 18 districts of Hong Kong. One of the 9 districts located in the New Territories, it covers the areas of Sha Tin, Tai Wai, Ma On Shan, Fo Tan, Siu Lek Yuen and Ma Liu Shui . The district has the highest population...
.) Although currently the trains are only in four-car configuration, most platforms have provision for eight-car trains for when patronage
Patronage (transportation)
In public transportation, patronage or ridership is a type of forecasting or statistic for studying the average quantity of passengers carried per certain time in a mode of public transit system. The concept should not be confused with the maximum loading capacity of one particular vehicle or the...
increases.
The fare for a trip on the line varies from HK$3.2 to HK$5.8 depending on the distance travelled. The fare from Ma On Shan to East Rail Line stations in Kowloon
Kowloon
Kowloon is an urban area in Hong Kong comprising the Kowloon Peninsula and New Kowloon. It is bordered by the Lei Yue Mun strait in the east, Mei Foo Sun Chuen and Stonecutter's Island in the west, Tate's Cairn and Lion Rock in the north, and Victoria Harbour in the south. It had a population of...
varies from HK$6.2 to HK$8.4.
Over a thousand passengers went to Tai Wai to take the first train on the first day of service. However, just an hour after service commenced, one train suffered minor door defects, causing a three minute delay. After the opening of the Ma On Shan Line, the usage of buses and taxis in the area decreased by as much as 50%. It was reported that some bus routes operated by KMB saw a decrease of ridership by one-third just a few days after the railway opened.
Driving directionality
Road and rail traffic in Hong Kong move on the left, but Ma On Shan Line is an exception. This line is aligned to the east of East Rail Line, and the two southbound tracks are immediately next to each other at their connection in Tai Wai. This design is to speed up interchange to the East Rail Line to Kowloon during the morning commute.Rolling stock
Although Ma On Shan Rail is defined as a medium capacity system, KCRC has arranged 18 sets of Kinki Sharyo EMU SP1950 trains, built by Kinki SharyoKinki Sharyo
is an Osaka, Japan-based manufacturer of railroad vehicles. It is an affiliate company of Kintetsu Corporation.In business since 1920 and renamed The Kinki Sharyo Co., Ltd in 1945...
, running on the system in a four-car configuration. The train is the same model (with different contract code, SP1900) as those serving on the high capacity East Rail Line and West Rail Line, which run a 12-car and a seven-car configuration respectively. This model has the maximum running speed of 130 km/h, but trains will only reach a maximum service speed of 100 km/h; travelling between Shek Mun Station and Tai Shui Hang Station, when it is on ground level between Tate's Cairn Highway
Tate's Cairn Highway
Tate's Cairn Highway , opened on June 26, 1991, is a dual-3 lane expressway in Hong Kong. It links Tate's Cairn Tunnel and Ma Liu Shui Interchange, forming a part of Route 2 ....
. In fact, most of the time the trains on the line only travel between 55–75 km/h The Tai Wai Depot maintains the trains servicing this line.
Stations
The stations of this line are as follows. All of them are in the Sha Tin DistrictSha Tin
Sha Tin, also spelled Shatin, is an area around the Shing Mun River in the New Territories of Hong Kong. Administratively, it is part of the Sha Tin District.-Geography:...
:
| Livery Livery A livery is a uniform, insignia or symbol adorning, in a non-military context, a person, an object or a vehicle that denotes a relationship between the wearer of the livery and an individual or corporate body. Often, elements of the heraldry relating to the individual or corporate body feature in... and Name |
District Districts of Hong Kong The Districts of Hong Kong are the 18 political areas by which Hong Kong is geographically divided. Each district has a district council, which was formerly known as a district board. The districts were established in the early 1980s, when Hong Kong was under British rule... |
Connections | Opened | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ma On Shan Line | ||||
| Wu Kai Sha | Sha Tin Sha Tin District Sha Tin District is one of the 18 districts of Hong Kong. One of the 9 districts located in the New Territories, it covers the areas of Sha Tin, Tai Wai, Ma On Shan, Fo Tan, Siu Lek Yuen and Ma Liu Shui . The district has the highest population... |
December 21, 2004 | ||
| Ma On Shan | ||||
| Heng On | ||||
| Tai Shui Hang | ||||
| Shek Mun | ||||
| City One | ||||
| Sha Tin Wai | ||||
| Che Kung Temple | ||||
| Tai Wai | ||||
Future development
Since the early planning stages of the Ma On Shan Line, the system has been designed to be capable of joining with either West Rail Line. According to the latest modified proposal of the Sha Tin to Central LinkSha Tin to Central Link
Shatin to Central Link is a proposed railway line in Hong Kong which will run from Tai Wai Station in Tai Wai to Hung Hom. The original proposal had this line running to Central, but this will now be an extension of the East Rail Line....
, the Ma On Shan Line will be extended from Tai Wai Station to Hung Hom Station via East Kowloon
Kowloon
Kowloon is an urban area in Hong Kong comprising the Kowloon Peninsula and New Kowloon. It is bordered by the Lei Yue Mun strait in the east, Mei Foo Sun Chuen and Stonecutter's Island in the west, Tate's Cairn and Lion Rock in the north, and Victoria Harbour in the south. It had a population of...
. The extension will connect to the West Rail Line at Hung Hom and continue on to the northwest New Territories
New Territories
New Territories is one of the three main regions of Hong Kong, alongside Hong Kong Island and the Kowloon Peninsula. It makes up 86.2% of Hong Kong's territory. Historically, it is the region described in The Convention for the Extension of Hong Kong Territory...
.