Reilly is aware that people in Taiwan complain a great deal about the two railway services, particularly about the lateness of the trains. He has found, however, that both TRA and THSRC trains were by and large punctual. Some of the complaints were unjustified, he said, given the density of the network and overall frequency and reliability of the systems.
Reilly was also amazed at the rich railway heritage that Taiwan possesses. Aside from the Alishan Railway, he said the fan-shaped railway depot in Changhwa County, built in 1922, was a well-preserved historical treasure.
Currently, the depot also keeps two functional locomotives.
Reilly encouraged the nation to advertise its railway culture more in the international community.
He mentioned that some British parliament members of a railway lobby group came last fall and traveled by railway. They went on a TRA cruise train called Formosa Star (寶島之星) and were surprised that nobody had told them about it before, Reilly said.
“Taiwan has got the image problem; it doesn’t do enough to promote its attractions and its charms,” he said. “Things always have to come through word of mouth.”
RSS