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The Luodong Forest Railway or Bong Bong Train () was a 36.4 km (22.6 miles) long
In 1970 Lin-Tailong railway station north of Luodong railway station was inaugurated. Chinese diesel rail cars were introduced in 1971, to improve the quality for the passengers while reducing the operating cost. The goods volume of forest produce declined after 1976, and passenger transport lost in importance due to increasing road traffic.
The track required many wooden bridges, and as a consequence it was prone to flood damage. Thus the track was de-commissioned on 1 August 1979 after 56 years of service. In August 2019, Wu Tze-cheng stated that the railway would be rebuilt in two phases, for a total cost of NT$8 million.
File:Luodong forest railway postcard, Luodong - Victoria Peak.jpg, Luodong Forest Railway on the Tsaiqiao Bridge
File:Luodong forest railway postcard. Luodong - Victoria Peak.jpg, Alishan Forest Railway
File:太平山林鐵舊天送埤站.JPG, Tien-sung-pi railway station
File:Railway Turntable at Tiansongpi Station 天送埤車站迴轉盤 - panoramio.jpg, Turntable in Tien-sung-pi
File:Chu-lin Station 01.JPG, Chu-lin railway station
File:Lodong Forestry Culture Park 羅東林業文化園區 - panoramio.jpg,
narrow gauge
A narrow-gauge railway (narrow-gauge railroad in the US) is a railway with a track gauge narrower than standard . Most narrow-gauge railways are between and .
Since narrow-gauge railways are usually built with tighter curves, smaller structu ...
forest railway
A forest railway, forest tram, timber line, logging railway or logging railroad is a mode of railway transport which is used for forestry tasks, primarily the transportation of felling, felled logs to sawmills or railway stations.
In most cases th ...
with a gauge of near Luodong
Luodong Township () is an urban township in the central part of Yilan County, Taiwan. Luodong is the smallest township in the county.
Naming
Its name and former name () derive from the Kavalan word '' rutung'', meaning " monkey", referring to a ...
in Yilan County, Taiwan
Taiwan, officially the Republic of China (ROC), is a country in East Asia, at the junction of the East and South China Seas in the northwestern Pacific Ocean, with the People's Republic of China (PRC) to the northwest, Japan to the nort ...
. The track was opened in 1924 and closed in 1979. A section will be re-used for tourist trains.
History
The Luodong Forest Railway was inaugurated on 27 January 1924 for goods services. Passenger transport commenced in May 1926 with 10 stations.
In 1970 Lin-Tailong railway station north of Luodong railway station was inaugurated. Chinese diesel rail cars were introduced in 1971, to improve the quality for the passengers while reducing the operating cost. The goods volume of forest produce declined after 1976, and passenger transport lost in importance due to increasing road traffic.
The track required many wooden bridges, and as a consequence it was prone to flood damage. Thus the track was de-commissioned on 1 August 1979 after 56 years of service. In August 2019, Wu Tze-cheng stated that the railway would be rebuilt in two phases, for a total cost of NT$8 million.
Track
The railway was an extension of the Taiping Mountain Forest Railway. There were ten stations along the track, which passed seven tunnels and 17 or 22 bridges. A single trip lasted approximately 2 hours and 50 minutes.Preserved buildings
The rails were lifted and scrapped after de-commissioning, and the bridges and tunnels collapsed over time. There are still some railway station buildings and similar buildings as well as tunnels, dams and bridge pillars, of which some are listed as cultural heritage. Tunnel No 8 of 1921 is still in sound condition fertiggestellte Tunnel Nr. 8 is well preserved and has been listed in July 2012 as a Grade II listed historic building. It is near the Lan Yang CreekDamm, approximately 350 metres off the settlement of the Zhiban tribe. It is only 40 m (44 yards) long. At its entrance are concrete vaults and in other areas solid rock of slate. The interior was originally reinforced by wooden struts which have disappeared over time.Luodong Forestry Culture Park
The Luodong Forestry Culture Park () is a park in Luodong Township, Yilan County, Taiwan.
History
In 1905, the original site of the park became a major timber production area of the Luodong Branch of the Taiping Forest Area, drawn by the F ...
Restoration
New railway tracks were laid on both sides of the road at Tien-sung-pi railway station. New rolling stock in the historic style was manufactured and successfully tested. A 3.9-km-long piece of track is planned to be used for regular heritage trains starting with effect of October 2017.References
External links
* * {{Coord, 24.662518, N, 121.619969, E, display=title 1924 establishments in Taiwan 2 ft 6 in gauge railways in Taiwan Forest railways in Taiwan Railway lines opened in 1924 Tourist attractions in Yilan County, Taiwan