Railway fans and passengers gathered at Taipei Railway Station yesterday to celebrate the 122nd anniversary of the Taiwan Railway Administration (TRA).
Taiwan’s railway system was established in 1887, after the Qing Dynasty governor of Taiwan and founding father of Taiwan’s railway, Liu Ming-chuan (劉銘傳), sanctioned the building of a track from Taipei to Keelung. It was completed four years later.
The TRA hosted yesterday’s celebration at Taipei Railway Station as part of this year’s Railway Festival.
PHOTO: LO PEI-DER, TAIPEI TIMES
Aside from displaying artifacts from the country’s railway history and photos provided by the National Museum of History, the administration also invited members of railway clubs to display their model train collections, including models of TRA and Taiwan High Speed Rail Corp trains. The model trains moving around on miniature railway tracks among hills, bridges and tunnels drew much attention, with visitors eagerly capturing images of the trains on their digital cameras.
The administration meanwhile introduced a series of souvenirs from its stations around the nation, including figurines of TRA conductors and train crews, T-shirts and key rings. It also presented anniversary stamps published by Chunghwa Post.
As more TRA passengers are boarding trains with their bicycles, the administration will be selling a variety of folding bicycles bearing the TRA logo, with prices ranging from about NT$6,000 to NT$30,000.
The TRA said it would also coordinate with the Taipei City Government to promote the Taipei International Gardening and Horticulture Exposition next year.
The TRA plans to open the plaza on the east side of the Taipei Railway Station as well as the lobby inside the station to provide an outlet where the city government can sell works of art designed to promote the exhibition.
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