A section of railway in eastern Taiwan that was damaged in a deadly train crash on April 2 reopened yesterday, with the first train on the route departing at 5:27am.
Train services were able to resume after the Taiwan Railways Administration (TRA) on Friday completed its repairs and safety inspections on the track in the area of the Cingshuei Tunnel (清水隧道) in Hualien County, where the accident occurred, killing 49 people and injuring at least 200.
A local train carrying Minister of Transportation and Communications Lin Chia-lung (林佳龍), TRA Acting Director-General Chi Wen-chung (祁文中) and other passengers made the first scheduled run on the repaired track, departing from Yilan County at 5:27am and passing through the Cingshuei Tunnel.
Photo: CNA
“The ride was smooth,” Lin said, upon arrival at Hualien Railway Station at 7:08am.
Now that the section of railway between Chongde and Heren stations has reopened, Lin said he hoped that the TRA would work on rebuilding its safety record by carrying out essential reforms.
The reopening of the railway section marks the completion of a major phase of the work that needed to be done after the accident, Lin said, adding that it was his last day on the job, as he had tendered his resignation to take responsibility for the crash.
The fatal accident occurred at 9:28am on April 2, when Taroko Express No. 408 crashed inside the Cingshuei Tunnel after colliding with a crane truck on the track near the tunnel’s entrance.
The collision caused part of the eight-carriage train, which was traveling at more than 100kph, to derail and pile up inside the tunnel, footage showed.
Lin offered to resign one day after the derailment and later tendered his written resignation to Premier Su Tseng-chang (蘇貞昌), who approved it on Thursday last week.
Lin returned to Taipei later yesterday on a Puyuma Express train to attend a farewell party hosted by staff at the Ministry of Transportation and Communications.
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