Green line (Taichung Metro) explained

Green line
Other Name:Line 1
Native Name:臺中捷運綠線
Native Name Lang:zh-tw
Type:Medium capacity rapid transit
Locale:Taichung, Taiwan
End:HSR Taichung station
Stations:18 in operation
7 planned
Character:Elevated
Depot:Beitun Depot
Stock:18 two-car fully automated trains
Linelength:16.711NaN1
Tracks:2
Speed Km/H:75
Signalling:Alstom Urbalis 400 moving block CBTC ATC under ATO GoA 4 (UTO), with subsystems of ATP, Iconis ATS and Smartlock CBI
Map State:collapsed

The Green line is a Medium capacity rapid transit line in Taichung as part of Taichung Metro.[1] [2] The line was briefly opened to the public on 16 November 2020, but closed on 22 November due to faulty couplers on the trains.[3] The line officially re-entered service on 25 April 2021, becoming Taiwan's fifth rapid transit system in operation.[4] Two extensions, one heading east to Dakeng and the other reaching south into Changhua, are also planned.[5] [6]

Route overview

The current line is known as the Wuri-Wenxin-Beitun Line (烏日文心北屯線). It begins in Beitun District at Beitun Main Station and runs westward, crossing the TRA Taichung Line at Songzhu station. Then, it follows Wenxin Road along Taichung's 7th Redevelopment Zone, passing through Xitun and Nantun districts and forming a wide semicircle around the city center. At Daqing station, the line runs parallel to the TRA Taichung Line until its western terminus at Taichung HSR Station in Wuri. The line is fully elevated except for small sections at both termini.[7]

Planned extensions

There are two planned extensions to the line. The first, known as the Dakeng Extension, branches east from Jiushe station and runs along Songzhu Road to the base of Dakeng. The second, known as the Changhua Extension, runs west past Taichung HSR Station and crosses the Dadu River to Changhua. The extensions add two and five more stations respectively, and will cost an additional $25 billion NTD.[5] [6]

History

Planning and construction

A metro system in Taichung was discussed since 1990, which would connect various suburbs including Caotun, Zhongxing New Village, and others. The plan was dropped due to high cost and low projected ridership. A new proposal was renewed and approved in 2004, but construction did not begin immediately because of costs exceeding estimates and disagreements over where stations would be.[8] [9] [10]

In 2010, preliminary work began by relocating trees on the median and rerouting the utilities that run under those roads.[11] Progress was plagued by various delays, including conflicts between the city and electrical contractors, problems with land acquisition, and the bankruptcy of a major utilities contractor. Because of the delays, mayor Jason Hu and his administration were heavily criticized by rivaling political parties.[12] [13]

Formal construction began in May 2013.[14] [15] Two separate incidents occurred during construction. On 19 August 2014, a crane malfunctioned and broke off its arm, falling on top of a restaurant. No injuries were reported.[16] [17] Then, on 10 April 2015, a crane's arm snapped while lifting a 209-ton I-beam, causing the beam to fall and crushing a car underneath. Workers atop the beam were also thrown off. The driver of the car and three workers lost their lives, while four other works sustained heavy injuries.[18] [19] Construction was halted for three months following the incident.[20] On 30 June 2016, construction of the line was completed, and testing began soon after.[21] [22]

Initially, the stations numbers were numbered sequentially from G1 to G20, with the "G" representing green. However, since G8 is pronounced similar to chi-bai, which is considered profane in Hokkien, the "G" prefix was changed to "1", which represents how the Green line is the first line completed.[23] The station's English names were initially written in a mix of Tongyong Pinyin and Hanyu Pinyin, and the lack of standardization drew criticism.[24] On 24 August 2020, the Taichung City Council decided to use Hanyu Pinyin for all stations except for Sihwei Elementary School.[25]

Operations

Beginning on 16 November 2020, the Green line was opened to the public for testing and was free to ride until its formal opening ceremony planned for on 19 December. On the first day, 70,977 passengers used the line.[26] However, on 21 November, the couplers on one of the trains snapped in half; the line was closed to the public the next day.[3] Then, on 27 November, another coupler was found to be broken.[27]

Trial runs resumed on 25 March 2021. A opening ceremony was held on 25 April 2021.[28]

On 10 May 2023, a construction crane fell from a construction site of Highwealth Construction Corp onto a moving Taichung Metro Green Line train south of Feng-le Park metro station, Taichung, Taiwan, killing 1 and injuring 8 passengers onboard.

Rolling stock

See main article: Taichung Metro Green Line EMU. The line runs eighteen EMU trains equipped with automatic train operation. The trains are powered by a direct current, 750 V third rail. Each train has a capacity of roughly 536 people divided into two cars, each car having ten doors and two air conditioning units. Of the eighteen trains, nine are built by Kawasaki Heavy Industries in Kobe, Japan, while the remaining nine are built by Taiwan Rolling Stock Company.[29] [30] [31]

Station list

Wuri-Wenxin-Beitun Line

CodeStation NameConnectionsLocation
EnglishChineseDistrictCity
北屯總站BeitunTaichung
舊社 Dakeng Extension (planned)
松竹 Taichung Line
四維國小
文心崇德 Red Line (planned)
文心中清 Orange Line (planned)North
文華高中Xitun
文心櫻花
市政府 Blue Line (planned)
水安宮Nantun
文心森林公園
南屯 Red Line (planned)
豐樂公園
大慶 Taichung LineSouth
九張犁Wuri
九德
烏日 Taichung Line (out of station transfer)
HSR Taichung station高鐵臺中站 Taichung Line (via Xinwuri railway station)
Taichung HSR station
Changhua Extension (planned)

Dakeng Extension

CodeStation NameTransfersLocation
EnglishChineseDistrictCity
Yuanshan New Village圓山新村 BeitunTaichung
Jungongliao軍功寮 

Changhua Extension

CodeStation NameTransfersLocation
EnglishChineseDistrictCity
Chenggongling成功嶺 WuriTaichung
Xialaoxu下勞胥 
Duchuantou渡船頭 Changhua CityChanghua County
Kulingjiao苦苓腳 
Jinma金馬 Taichung Line (via Jinma Station, planned)

Accidents and Incidents

On 10 May 2023, a construction crane fell 30 floors from a construction site of Highwealth Construction Corp onto a moving Green Line train south of Feng-le Park metro station, Taichung, Taiwan, killing 1 and injuring 10 passengers onboard.

Notes and References

  1. News: 劉朱松 . 台中捷運綠線 拚明年全線通車 . October 12, 2019 . . April 23, 2019 . zh-tw.
  2. Web site: 台中捷運綠線試營運16日起1個月免費搭 市民興奮終於等到了[影]]. 2020-11-15. 中央通訊社. 郝雪卿、蘇木春.
  3. News: 趙麗妍 . 台中捷運重大故障 22日起暫停試營運 . 5 December 2020 . . 22 November 2020 . zh-tw.
  4. Web site: 中捷通車/台中捷運綠線大事記 . udn.com . 中央社 . 25 April 2021.
  5. News: 洪敬浤 . 台中捷運延伸彰化、大坑 中市府再送中央審查 . October 12, 2019 . . September 30, 2019 . zh-tw.
  6. News: 黃鐘山 . 〈中部〉捷運綠線延伸大坑 交通部年底審查 . 12 October 2019 . . September 11, 2018 . zh-tw.
  7. Web site: 蘇木春 . 台中捷運目前規劃哪3條 一次看懂 . . October 12, 2019 . zh-tw . December 5, 2018.
  8. Web site: 烏日文心北屯線. Rapid Transit System Office of Taichung City. zh-tw. October 15, 2019.
  9. News: 唐在馨 . 〈中部〉新增3站…台中捷運綠線確定設18站 . October 15, 2019 . . April 1, 2009 . zh-tw.
  10. Web site: 黃如萍 . 臺中捷運烏日文心北屯線---綠線 . . . October 15, 2019 . zh-tw . April 22, 2008.
  11. Web site: 第拾玖章 中區工程處 . . October 15, 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20180523011541/http://www2.dorts.gov.taipei/tech/annual/an101/HT0008-ch19.pdf . May 23, 2018 . 109–111 . zh-tw.
  12. News: 唐在馨 . 〈中部〉捷運機電標三度流標 市府信誓旦旦工期不會受到影響 . October 15, 2019 . . December 8, 2010 . zh-tw.
  13. News: 曾鴻儒 . 唐在馨 . 中捷徵地受阻動不了工 通車延定了 . October 15, 2019 . . December 31, 2012 . zh-tw.
  14. Web site: 賴淑禎 . 中市捷運綠線將展開工程 文心路5月1日設施工圍籬 . Now News . October 15, 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20180630105513/https://www.nownews.com/news/20130425/286373 . June 30, 2018 . zh-tw . April 25, 2013.
  15. News: 陳世宗 . 捷運綠線5路段 5月1日起架圍籬 . October 15, 2019 . . April 26, 2019 . zh-tw.
  16. News: 台中捷運首傳意外 大吊車翻覆砸餐廳 . October 15, 2019 . . August 19, 2014 . zh-tw.
  17. News: 黃進恭 . 盧金足 . 捷運工程吊臂墜落 毀餐廳 . 15 October 2019 . . August 20, 2014 . zh-tw.
  18. News: 許國楨 . 台中捷運工程驚傳鋼樑掉落砸車 4死4傷 . October 15, 2019 . . April 10, 2015 . zh-tw.
  19. News: 【更新】台中捷運工程驚傳橫樑砸車 至少四死四傷 . October 15, 2019 . . April 10, 2015 . zh-tw . February 24, 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20180224062835/https://tw.news.appledaily.com/local/realtime/20150410/590368/ . dead .
  20. News: 盧金足 . 中捷停工近3月 大陸工程低調復工 . October 15, 2019 . . July 6, 2015 . zh-tw.
  21. News: 賴淑禎 . 中市捷運綠線最後吊梁作業完成 全線高架橋串連 . October 15, 2019 . Now News . June 30, 2016 . zh-tw.
  22. News: 李鴻典 . 林佳龍:台中捷運綠線年底試運轉、2020年全線通車 . October 15, 2019 . . March 15, 2018 . zh-tw.
  23. Web site: 張菁雅. April 7, 2020. 不再「G」了! 台中捷運綠線站名更新編號 - 生活 - 自由時報電子報. July 30, 2020. Liberty Times. zh-Hant-TW.
  24. Web site: 張菁雅 . 台中捷運綠線部分站名英文拼音與路名牌不同 外國旅客恐混淆 . . October 12, 2019 . zh-tw . June 2, 2019.
  25. News: 趙麗妍 . 台中捷運綠線年底通車 18站名初步審議通過 . 2020-12-05 . . 2020-08-24. zh-tw. 台中市議會交通地政委員會今天初步審議通過捷運綠線18站的站名,其中4站有副名,英文名則依據原來道路指示牌擬定。.
  26. News: Everington . Keoni . Taichung MRT Green Line draws 70,000 on first day of free rides . 5 December 2020 . . 17 November 2020.
  27. News: 蘇孟娟 . 台中捷運列車連結器軸心斷2支 市議員:無法拆卸檢查的6支成隱憂 . 5 December 2020 . . 2 December 2020 . zh-tw.
  28. News: Keoni Everington . Taiwan's Taichung MRT line gets rid of China-made couplers, launch set for April 25 . Taiwan News . 11 March 2021 . 10 March 2021. en.
  29. Web site: 交通局長親赴川崎重工神戶工廠 正組裝的捷運綠線車廂首度曝光 . Taichung City Government . October 15, 2019 . zh-tw . April 3, 2016.
  30. News: 張菁雅 . 台中捷運18列電聯車 預計年底全數交車 . October 15, 2019 . . May 14, 2017 . zh-tw.
  31. Web site: 車輛介紹 . . July 30, 2020 . zh-tw.