Taiwan’s “Most Spacious MRT Train” for the Expected Operating Schedule of Taichung MRT
The Taichung Mass Rapid Transportation is expected to be in operation by the end of this year. The Mayor of Taichung City, Lu Shiow-Yen today (7th) went to Wenxin Forest Park Station to visit the first disclosed internal and train equipment designed with three major principles of being “light-weight, simple and transparent.”
Incorporated with the light-weight and simple design, the interior part of the train is equipped with pink green and pink seats respectively for general riders and priority seats. The cute and fresh macaroon colors symbolize the vigor and warmth of Taichung. Riders when riding and waiting for the MRT train are expected to feel being touched.
According to Mayor Lu, the green line of MRT is expected to be completed by the end of this year and now, it is in the stage of last preparation, testing and training. The Wenxin Forest Park Station introduced today is located at the park and when riding, riders will feel like “walking on the sea of trees.” Trains are built with extra height and width and compared to other MRT systems in Taiwan, the Taichung MRT trains have the most spacious designs incorporated with macaron colors such as pink and pink-green. Riders cannot only feel safe and convenient but also enjoy the comfort and romantic surrounding design.
Additionally, Mayor Lu for the first time told the story behind the name of the green line of Taichung MRT. She pointed out that the Green Line is the first MRT line of Taichung and it is numbered from 103a Beitun Terminal Station to 119 Taichung THSR Station and # 101 and 102 as well as 120 and 121 are reserved for those of Jingbuku Station on the extension line northbound to Dakeng and southbound to Changhua. In the future, the number of stations on the Blue Line on Taiwan Boulevard will start from 2 while the Orange Line will begin from 3 for easy identification.
According to Director General Yeh, there are 18 stations of the Green Line with the overall design concept of “Rapid Green Axis and LOHAS Taichung.” The whole line has been elevated and stations are designed with three major principles of being “light-weight, simple and transparent” that incorporate local features to create different images. Among them, the architecture of Wenxin Forest Park Station is shaped with “dots” to respond to vigorous city atmosphere and diverse festival celebration outside the surrounding Yuanman Outdoor Theater.
Director General Yeh pointed out that the Green Line of Taichung MRT is planned with an unmanned piloting system. There are two trains each row with ten doors on each side of the train to shorten time for riders to get on and off while the path in between connects two trains for easy movement of riders. Riders will be served with higher efficiency.
Furthermore, each train has the length of 22.17 meters, width of 2.98 meters and height of 3.78 meters to accommodate up to 536 riders. Compared to other MRT systems in Taiwan, the Taichung MRT has the most spacious train design.
Director General Yeh especially introduced the most eye-catching seat design of the Taichung MRT, the pink and pink-green macaroon colors of freshness and nature that highlight the whole interior part of train. He said the Taichung MRT would like to provide riders with the most comfortable and touching experience for waiting and riding the MRT.
The President of Metro Taichung Corporation, Lin Chih-Ying, said after taking over the 18 stations and rails on the whole line on February 3rd, the Corporation actively began intensive trainings such as equipment operations, simulation training and interval testing.
Trains were test driven from every 15 minutes in February, 8 minutes in March, to formal operational interval of “5 minutes for peak times and 8 minutes for off-peak times.” By the end of May, stability tests will be conducted and if everything goes well, initial investigation and inspection for acceptance will be conducted by the City Government in August for the expected operations by the end of this year.
In the future, by riding the MRT from Beitun and Taichung THSR Station, it will take only about 32 minutes and it will save much time for riders. For the most concerned issue of pricing, President Lin said on March 31st that the City Government meeting approved prices of “NTD20 for the first five kilometers and extra NTD5 will be added for every two kilometers after the first five kilometers with the maximum riding ticket price per trip under NTD50.”
The announcement will be made after final approval of the City Council meeting. Incentive programs for different group of riders including tourist package tickets, regular rider tickets and frequent rider tickers will be launched to satisfy the needs of various riders.
Mayor Lu today went to visit the facilities of the Wenxin Forest Park Station and accompanied and introduced by Director General of Yeh Chao-Fu and President of Metro Taichung Corporation, Lin Chih-Ying, Mayor Lu and Councilman Liu Shi-Chou used the ticketing machine and entrance and exit system of the MRT to enjoy the train riding experience.
