International Railroad Discussion > More Taiwan Steam

I took these photos in Hualien, Taiwan, on December 30, 1965.

---

---

---

One more in Hualien, Taiwan, December 30, 1966

---

Jerry,
Great pictures. Great memories. Anyone hassle you as you walked into these areas to take photos?
Loren

Loren:  Not only no hassle, but I was almost welcomed in the locomotive servicing area.  It was a rarity for a foreigner to show interest, so there was no problem at all in getting access, even in the much larger facilities in Taipei which are shown in some of my other Taiwan photos.  I'm sure it's very different now.

Thanks for your interest.

Jerry

Great photos,
What is the purpose of the small light to the right of the headlight? I have seen photos of locomotives in Japan with those photos also. Also what are the track gages in Taiwan?

Charlie

Charlie:

Don't know the purpose of the auxiliary light to which you refer.  The Hulien scenes are from the line that ran from there to Taitung, further south on the east coast.  This was a bona fide narrow gauge line, I believe 2'6" though I'm not positive of that.  Regrettably, that line was completely dismantled years ago and replaced with a new "standard" gauge line of, I believe, 3'6", and connected to the pre-existing substantial line which covered the more heavily developed and populated west cast of the island.  

Taiwan also has a newer high speed rail line running the length of the west coast, with a gauge of 1435 mm or 4' 8 and 1/2 inches.

There is a museum adjacent to the new Hulien station, much further inland from the scenes depicted in my photos (which are right on the Pacific Ocean coast), where rolling stock from the former narrow gauge line has been preserved.  This includes steam locomotive #LDT103, depicted in my Hualien photos.

Appreciate the interest.

Jerry