The Alishan Forest Railway and Cultural Heritage Office last week said it is planning to introduce six new carriages with interiors lined with Formosan and Hinoki cypress wood.
The office made the statement on Friday last week, hours after the carriages completed their first run from Chiayi Station to Alishan (阿里山).
The new train would be christened Formosensis, it said.
Photo courtesy of the Alishan Forest Railway and Cultural Heritage Office via CNA
The office said it commissioned the cars as part of a program to bolster safety and comfort on the Alishan railway, using funds from the “far vision infrastructure plan” for 2019.
The cars are scheduled to undergo safety tests this month and would enter service by the second half of this year, office Deputy Director-General Chou Heng-kai (周恆凱) said.
The steel-frame carriages are lined with domestically harvested cypress wood, and feature unique thematic designs and adjustable lighting, Chou said.
Photo courtesy of the Alishan Forest Railway and Cultural Heritage Office via CNA
Cypress wood is used for the carriages’ roofs, floors, walls, desks and armrests, he said, adding that the cars would feature large windows in black-and-red frames, which are typical for trains serving the scenic route.
The cars’ ergonomic bucket seats have high-elasticity foam bodies lined with stitched leather, he said, adding that they are comfortable and visually striking.
The name of the train comes from the Latin name for the Formosan cypress, Chamaecyparis formosensis, Chou said.
The new train uses a single-pilot system designed to shorten driver reaction times, he added.
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