Taiwan High Speed Rail Corp (THSRC) yesterday announced that it would work with the Industrial Technology and Research Institute and Taiwan Rolling Stock Co (TRSC) to develop equipment that would greatly improve maintenance and reduce the firm’s reliance on foreign technology.
During a ceremony in Taipei, THSRC signed a contract with the institute to develop a bogie running tester.
A second contract inked with the train carriage manufacturer would see the construction of three diesel hydraulic locomotives, which would greatly improve train dispatch efficiency and allow trains to be moved on railway tracks without power.
Both devices are scheduled to enter use by January 2022 at a cost of about NT$763 million (US$24.51 million), THSRC said.
The signing ceremony was attended by Minister of Transportation and Communications Lin Chia-lung (林佳龍), Minister of Economic Affairs Shen Jong-chin (沈榮津), THRSC chairman Chiang Yao-chung (江耀宗), institute president Edwin Liu (劉文雄) and TRSC chairman Tsai Huang-liang (蔡煌瑯).
The bogie running tester, which is used to test a train’s operations after a general inspection, would ensure the company’s ability to conduct quality and efficient train maintenance, Chiang said.
Diesel-hydraulic locomotives would be used to haul engineering and dispatch trains within train depots, he said.
The locomotives’ braking system would also make sure that the trains connected to the locomotives are operating at a controlled speed, he added.
The running tester and new locomotives are part of the government’s policy to support the development of the railway industry, Chiang said,
Taiwan is able to conduct up to 90 percent of high-speed rail train maintenance on its own and has saved NT$300 million in maintenance costs by purchasing local materials, he added.
THSRC has formed partnerships with various local companies, including China Steel Corp, Delta Electronics and Syscom Group, as well as a paint manufacturer to develop a special coating for train carriages, Chiang said.
After 23 months of development, the company started using the paint in May, he said.
The development of a bogie running tester would make Taiwan the fourth nation to own this technology, followed by Japan, Germany and China, Liu said.
The tester would also be linked to systems that would allow THSRC to analyze data and conduct preventive maintenance work, he said.
The institute and THSRC would join forces to sell such products in other nations, he added.
The new locomotives would be delivered by December 2021 as planned, Tsai promised.
The company has assessed the relevant technology and would build the device using its established supply chain, he added.
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