Mon, Aug 03, 2026 page3

• THSRC details emergency capabilities after quake

  • By Shelley Shan / Staff reporter
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  The new N700ST high-speed rail train is equipped with a battery-powered self-propulsion system that enables it to move at up to 30kph for approximately 10km without external power, which would allow it to clear tunnels or bridges and reach a safe location during an emergency, Taiwan High-Speed Rail Corp (THSRC) said yesterday.

  The quake-resistance features of the newly purchased high-speed rail trains drew attention following a magnitude 7.1 earthquake that hit Japan’s Kumamoto Prefecture on Tuesday last week, killing at least 38 people.

  The Kyushu Railway Co (JR Kyushu), part of the Japan Railways Group, suspended all rail services immediately after the earthquake, including on the Kyushu Shinkansen Line.

  

  The Taiwan High Speed Rail Corp’s new N700ST train is depicted in an undated poster.

  Photo courtesy of the Taiwan High Speed Rail Corp

  The disaster fractured rails and displaced a bridge girder near Shin-Yatsushiro Station, while noise barriers were damaged or toppled at more than 200 locations.

  Limited service between Hakata and Kumamoto resumed on Friday morning, but trains between Kumamoto and Kagoshima-Chuo remained suspended.

  JR Kyushu senior managing executive officer Michiya Sadakari said the disaster was “on a scale the company has never experienced.”

  Taiwan’s high-speed rail line spans 350km along the densely populated western corridor, with trains capable of traveling up to 300kph, THSRC said.

  To help protect the system against severe damage during natural disasters, more than 300 detectors have been installed along the high-speed rail route, it said.

  They include 52 earthquake detectors, 67 slope movement detectors, 28 intrusion detectors and 84 rockfall detectors, it added.

  The high-speed rail system is expected to withstand earthquakes of seismic intensity 6 to 7, the company said.

  When an earthquake occurs, THSRC staff determine how many trains are affected, where they are and whether there are any nearby system abnormalities, it said.

  If a train is stationary during a power outage, its battery can supply power for up to 30 minutes to maintain essential onboard services, such as lighting and toilet flushing, THSRC said.

  Under THSRC’s operating procedures, the response depends on the intensity of the earthquake along the route.

  Following minor quakes, trains might resume at reduced speeds after safety checks, while stronger earthquakes require more comprehensive inspections before normal operations can resume, the company said.

  During inspections, maintenance personnel examine tracks, overhead catenary systems, structures and signaling equipment.

  If a major earthquake causes extensive damage, THSRC activates its emergency operations center, bringing together representatives from engineering, operations, maintenance and other departments to coordinate inspections, repairs and passenger service, the company said.

  Restoring services after a major earthquake can take time, as every section of track must be confirmed safe before trains are allowed to operate, it said, adding that passenger safety is its priority.

  The magnitude 7.2 earthquake that struck off Hualien on April 3, 2024, had the largest impact on high-speed rail operations since the system began service in 2007. Of the operator’s 34 trainsets, 21 were affected immediately, with disruptions stretching 275.1km from Nangang Station to Tainan Station.
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