From Kenting, the southernmost point of Taiwan, Taiwan, along Taiwan Highway 9 to Hualien, the distance is about 300 kilometers. Because this coastal highway is not a high-speed road, the driving time is more than five hours. But because the scenery along the Taitung Highway 9 is very beautiful, you will not feel very tired when you drive and stop. After entering Taitung County from Pingtung County where Kenting is located, Duoliang Railway Station is a beautiful scenic spot.
Duoliang Railway Station, known as "the most beautiful train station in Taiwan" by the outside world, is located in Duoliang Village, Taimali Township, Taitung County. The place name Duo Liang was named after a Japanese surname "Duo Duo Liang" when the Japanese occupied Taiwan. In the 1980s, because of the construction of the "Southern Circuit Railway", "Duo Duo Liang" was simplified as "Duo Duo Liang".
Duoliang Village is composed of aboriginal people such as Shangduoliang, Shangdasi, and Xintribe. The village is located on the cliff of the east coast. In the past, Duoliang Village was most famous for "Duoliang Driftwood Production", which is the traditional woodcarving craft, but Duoliang woodcarving is mostly daily necessities. It’s just that the current Duoliang Village is overwhelmed by a small abandoned railway station. Many people will go to this railway station built on the mountainside to see its beauty.
Taiwan's east coast along the Pacific Ocean has been in an undeveloped stage because of underdeveloped transportation. In 1980, the Taiwan Railway Management Department began to build the South Circuit Railway from Pingtung County in the south to Taitung County. kilometer. Due to the complex terrain, a total of 158 large and small bridges were built on this railway line of less than 100 kilometers, and 35 tunnels were excavated in the mountains, and the longest tunnel was 8 kilometers. 11 years later, the Southern Circuit was officially opened to traffic.
Taiwan's railways use a gauge that is lower than the international standard. For example, the gauge of the Southern Circuit is only 1067mm, while the international standard is 1435mm. Therefore, the trains running on the Southern Circuit have relatively narrow carriages and the speed is not very fast. The speed limit on many road sections is 60 yards. Because of the need to continuously climb and descend, the traction locomotives of the trains on the South Circuit are all diesel locomotives.
A total of 14 stations have been set up on the entire South Circuit, and this station in Duoliang Village is relatively large. When Duoliang Station was designed and built, it can be said that it was well-intentioned. Because most of the South Circuit is a single-track track, in order to allow the passing trains to have a place where they can rendezvous, two turnouts, two rails, platforms, station buildings and other facilities were specially built at Duoliang Station.
Maybe Duoliang Station was not at the right time. A few days after the official opening of the South Circuit in October 1992, the management department of Taiwan Railways suddenly discovered that there were no trains that needed to meet at Duoliang Station. In addition, Duoliang Station is located in two places Between tunnels, communication signals are deeply affected. So within a few days after the opening to traffic, a railway line on the back of the mountain was completely demolished. Now when tourists arrive at Duoliang Station, there is only one turnout under the platform.
Fourteen years after Duoliang Station was put into operation, that is, in 2006, the Taiwan Railway Department found that there was almost no passenger traffic in Duoliang Station. According to Taiwan Railway's annual report statistics, Duoliang Station has just over 400 passengers a year, with an average of just over one person a day, making it the most deserted station in Taiwan. So in October of this year, Duoliang Station was withdrawn by Taiwan Railways, and since then the station facilities have become waste.
The Phoenix Nirvana at Duoliang Station was five years later in 2011. In order to expand tourism, Duoliang applied for a fee from the superior and invested in the renovation of the station. A new railway sightseeing platform, a trail around the mountain, and a combination of original wood carvings were built. Craftsmanship, on the hillside of the station, restored the Xiangyang Passion Carpentry Workshop and became a new tourist spot on the South-Circle Railway Line.
Duoliang Station is connected to Taiwan Highway No. 9 with two floors above and below. It hangs on the cliff facing the Pacific Ocean. The geographical location is very dangerous. The Taiwan Line 9 highway is located on the coast below the station, and the railway station is halfway up the mountain. When people go to the station for sightseeing, they can park their cars on both sides of the road, and then walk along the trail around the mountain and walk about 600 to 700 meters on the hillside, and then they can board the railway sightseeing platform.
Looking from this platform, you can see a narrow railroad track and the original platform protective net painted red. Below the hillside is the winding Taiwan-9 Route Highway. On the side of the highway is the boundless Pacific Ocean. In fine weather, when seen from the sightseeing platform, the colors are very rich, with rust-colored rails, red protective nets, greenery on the hillside, and blue sea and sky. No wonder people say that this is the most beautiful station when they arrive here.
Since the South Circuit Railway is still in operation, from time to time there will be an orange locomotive pulling a green leather carriage and passing under the sightseeing platform. In the past, in order to make it easier for tourists to watch the trains, there was a board on the viewing platform to post the timetable of the trains passing through the station. Only this time when I arrived at Duoliang Station, I found that the notice board had become blank. I asked the merchant nearby, and the merchant said that because the time for the train to pass has changed too much now.
There are many merchants on the side of the sightseeing platform of Duoliang Station. They sell local delicacies. There is also a postcard shop. If you buy postcards, you can put them directly into the station mailbox next to it. Because it happens to be the New Year holiday, there are still many tourists who buy postcards. The banner of the store is "Send yourself a postcard during the New Year, so you can start again."
From an abandoned station, Huatuo has become one of the most beautiful sightseeing spots. It should be said that Duoliang Station is a bit lucky. If you also have the opportunity to pass by the Taiwan Highway 9, I suggest you also visit this station, because not every abandoned station will become beautiful in the end. About the author: Lu Jianhua Photography (photographer, traveler, self-media person)