The Taiwan Railways Administration (TRA) yesterday introduced its first science fiction-themed train, featuring two “visitors from outer space desperate to travel on Taiwan’s tracks.”
TRA Director-General Chou Yung-hui (周永暉) said the train, called “Evolution No. 1001,” was remodeled from the one previously used by the agency’s directors to inspect railway routes, or serve as a temporary command center when the nation experienced a major natural disaster or catastrophic traffic accident.
The train’s registration number is DSC100l and its nickname is “TRA One,” after the name of the well-known presidential carrier Air Force One.
Photo: CNA
He said the remodeled locomotive would initially operate on branch lines in Pingsi (平溪), Neiwan (內灣) and Jiji (集集).
Inspired by the train’s registration number, the two “aliens” have been named “Mr Ten” and “Miss One.”
They were created by designer Akibo Lee (李明道), who wanted to tell the story of aliens trying to find a place to settle down by going on a railway tour.
Photo: Lo Pei-der, Taipei Times
“I am a father myself and I hope that more parents would take their children to travel with the aliens,” he said.
Mr Ten has a huge head containing all the maps to other galaxies, while Miss One has an antenna that is able to locate delicious food, Lee said. The couple have been traveling around the universe as backpackers, working to pay their dues.
They chose to travel to Earth this time and fell in love with Taiwan, Lee said.
The couple were particularly impressed by the railway system in Taiwan and decided to take a part-time job at the TRA, he said.
The alien couple can be seen on the exterior of the train as well as on restroom doors, no-smoking signs, wallpaper and seat headrest covers.
The railway operator will also sell memorabilia featuring images of the aliens, including lunch bags, lunch boxes and backpacks.
Typhoon Champi is forecast to turn northward earlier than previously expected, sparing Taiwan a direct hit but still bringing heavy rain to the north of the country on Friday and Saturday, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said yesterday. Typhoon Champi had strengthened and increased in size over the past 12 hours, and as of yesterday afternoon, was packing sustained winds of 198kph near its center, CWA forecaster Cheng Chieh-jen (鄭傑仁) said. However, due to the weakening of a Pacific high-pressure system the storm is now expected to turn northward earlier than initially forecast, likely around Japan’s Ishigaki Island, Cheng said. As Champi brushes
A sea warning for Typhoon Champi might be issued tonight, while the storm’s trajectory would determine whether a land warning is to be issued tomorrow night, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said yesterday. As of 2pm yesterday, Champi was about 1,536km east-southeast of Taiwan proper’s southernmost point, Oluanpi (鵝鑾鼻), packing maximum sustained winds of 198kph, CWA forecaster Tseng Chao-cheng (曾昭誠) said. The storm was moving west-northwest at 23kph and was expected to strengthen over the next 24 hours before weakening slightly as it approaches cooler waters east of Taiwan, Tseng said. Champi is expected to turn north tomorrow, with the angle of the
DEFENSE PROCUREMENT: Taiwan could become the largest operator of V-BAT drones outside the US if the contract is finalized, the Ministry of National Defense said The navy and the coast guard reportedly plan to acquire 292 units of MQ-35A V-BAT vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) surveillance drones. If the contract is awarded and finalized, it would make Taiwan one of the largest buyers of the uncrewed aerial vehicle (UAV) developed by the US-based defense technology company Shield AI. The Coast Guard Administration budgeted NT$1.2 billion (US$37.1 million) to buy 12 drones, which have been delivered, Shield AI said in a report on Oct 13. The navy is planning to spend NT$36 billion under a four-year program code-named Project Yuan Hsiao (遠鴞) to acquire 280 V-BAT drones,
A patrol vessel donated by the Coast Guard Administration (CGA) to the Philippines would not be used in waters near Taiwan or areas where Taiwanese fishing vessels operate, Premier Cho Jung-tai (卓榮泰) said yesterday. The vessel, formerly the CGA's 500-tonne-class Kinmen (金門), was commissioned into the Philippine Coast Guard on Oct. 2. Speaking at the Legislative Yuan, Cho said the Philippines had pledged during the donation process that the vessel would be used only for designated missions and would not operate in waters related to Taiwan. The vessel could even provide assistance to Taiwan if needed, he added. Responding to questions from Chinese
RSS