The Puyuma Express tilting train will begin its pilot service today after passing an independent verification and validation (IV&V) process by the UK-based Lloyd’s Register Group, the Taiwan Railways Administration (TRA) said yesterday.
“To ensure that the train fulfills safety regulations in its design and test runs, we asked an independent third party to execute the IV&V procedure,” the agency said.
The TRA expected to receive confirmation of the safety certification on Monday, but it did not arrive until 10am yesterday.
Photo: Wang yi-sung, Taipei Times
It said the delay was caused by the time difference between Taiwan and the UK, adding that its officials had stayed up late on Monday night to provide the supplementary documents requested by Lloyd’s.
The TRA has scheduled the pilot service to depart Shulin (樹林), New Taipei City (新北市), at 9:20am and arrive at Taipei Main Station at 9:40am, Songshan Station at 9:48am, Yilan station at 10:52am, Luodong (羅東) station in Yilan County at 11am and Hualien station at 11:50am.
The TRA ordered 136 tilting carriages from Nippon Sharyo, 16 of which were delivered at the end of last year.
To handle the expected crowds during the Lunar New Year holiday, the agency said eight trains would pass the IV&V procedure and start operating before the holiday begins on Saturday.
To reassure the public about the safety of the Puyuma Express, the TRA has made public the IV&V certification documents from Nippon Sharyo and Lloyd’s Register Group.
The TRA said the Puyuma Express allows for 56 runs to be added to the schedule between today and Feb. 18, providing an additional 2,000 seats per day.
However, tickets for the Puyuma Express during the nine-day-long Lunar New Year holiday have already sold out, the TRA said.
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