Taroko Express
Encyclopedia
Tilting train
A tilting train is a train that has a mechanism enabling increased speed on regular rail tracks. As a train rounds a curve at speed, objects inside the train experience centrifugal force. This can cause packages to slide about or seated passengers to feel squashed by the outboard armrest due to...
of the Taiwan Railway Administration
Taiwan Railway Administration
The Taiwan Railway Administration is an agency of the Ministry of Transportation and Communications of the Republic of China responsible for managing, maintaining, and running passenger and freight service on 1097 km of conventional railroad lines in Taiwan...
. The name of this type of train series is named after the 19 kilometer long Taroko Gorge, one of Taiwan's most popular tourist spots and Truku people
Truku people
The Truku people are an Indigenous Taiwanese tribe. Taroko is also the name of the area of Taiwan where the Truku tribe resides. The Executive Yuan, Republic of China has officially recognized the Truku since January 15, 2004. The Truku are the 12th aboriginal tribe in Taiwan to receive this...
.
The Taroko Express (太魯閣列車) trains are Electrical Multiple Units called TEMU1000 and based on the JR Kyūshū 885 series
885 series
The is an AC electric multiple unit type operated on limited express services by Kyushu Railway Company in Japan. The type is part of Hitachi's A-train family of multiple units.-Operations:...
. They were imported to Taiwan
Taiwan
Taiwan , also known, especially in the past, as Formosa , is the largest island of the same-named island group of East Asia in the western Pacific Ocean and located off the southeastern coast of mainland China. The island forms over 99% of the current territory of the Republic of China following...
in 2006; since 2007, they have been running between Hualien
Hualien City
Hualien City is the capital of Hualien County, Taiwan. It is located on the East coast of Taiwan, by the Pacific Ocean, and has a population of 110,000 inhabitants.- History :...
and Taipei City, on the curvy Yilan Line at the existing narrow gauge
Narrow gauge
A narrow gauge railway is a railway that has a track gauge narrower than the of standard gauge railways. Most existing narrow gauge railways have gauges of between and .- Overview :...
tracks, where they reduced traveling time between the two places from previously 3 hours down to about 2 hours. Some trains also continue from Taipei to Tianzhong Station. The maximum operational speed is 150 kilometers per hour, or approximately 93 miles per hour.
Taroko Express are marked as Tzu-chiang Express, and the tickets are sold at the same price; however, Taroko Express does not sell standing/non-reserved tickets, and all seats are reserved. Nevertheless, in reality many passengers have been reported to breach the rule, riding without reserved seats and standing on the aisle. Report of Apple Daily Youtube Video