Kaohsiung Launches Taiwan's First Light Rail Service／台灣首輛輕軌列車 從高雄出發
Kaohsiung Launches Taiwan's First Light Rail Service
◎English translation: Peng Hsin-yi
◎Photo by Pao Chung-hui
Kaohsiung is Taiwan's first city to construct a light rail system. The fast, comfortable and environmentally friendly trains will run on an electric system, so are very quiet and have zero emissions. They have also been designed to effectively recycle the electricity they use and therefore will consume minimal energy. There are no cable lines, as it operates on a NVC System (Non Visual Catenary), leaving Kaohsiung's beautiful skyline undisturbed. Each train has the capacity to carry 250 passengers with 60 seats and room for 186 standing passengers. The trains are 34 meters (37 yards) in length and will pull 5 cars each. The carriages will have four doors, which open at 1.3 meters (4.26 feet), straight onto the platform, making it wheelchair friendly and easily accessible for all passengers.
Light rail construction will cost approximately 16.5 billion TWD (539,105,938 USD and run 22.1 km (17.3 miles) around the city. The project has been organized into two stages and will include 36 stations. Stage one, will run 8.7 km (5.4 miles) along Kaishuan and Yisin Roads. It will transport passengers to various landmarks such as the Dream Mall, Kaohsiung Exhibition Center (in the Asia New Bay Area), the Maritime Cultural & Popular Music Center, the Kaohsiung Main Public Library, Kaohsiung Port Terminal and Pier-2 Art Center. Stage two, will run 13.4 km (8.32 miles), commencing in 2017, construction will be synchronized with that of Kaohsiung's Underground Railway. These projects are scheduled for completion in 2019. The light rail will intersect with both Red and Orange MRT (Mass Rapid Transit) lines and comprehensively integrate all of Kaohsiung's transportation systems. It will also include connections with the high speed rail, TSR trains and bus routes, providing residents a more convenient and comprehensive transportation network.
The light rail's first test run took place on November 9, 2014, with public service commencement scheduled for the end of next year. During the test, Mayor Chen Chu boarded the train at station C2 and was excited about the success of this important milestone. She hopes all tests will be expedited quickly and all safety measures are in place before the light rail begins its regular service. She believes Kaohsiung's monumental public transportation systems will provide the residents a greater quality of life.
台灣首輛輕軌列車 從高雄出發
◎文／黃大維
◎攝影／鮑忠暉
輕軌由於具有快速、舒適 、無污染、低噪音、能源消耗低等特性，因此有著「綠色運具」的美名，高雄更是全台第一個建構輕軌的城市，高雄輕軌列車自11月9日起展開上線測試，預計明年底試營運，逐步實現民眾乘輕軌、賞遊高雄街景的願望。結合現有捷運紅 、橘二線，與之呈十字型基礎路網相交之內環線，透過整合二大捷運系統構成交通路網，並配合高鐵、台鐵、公車等轉運站與轉乘設施規劃 ，提供民眾更完善便捷的市區交通網路。
高雄環狀輕軌路線全長約22.1公里，總工程經費約165億元 ，設置36座候車站，輕軌列車全長約34米長、採用5節車廂之編組，車廂間走道連通，約可搭載250人（座位64人、立位186人），分兩階段建置，現正進行的是第一階段長8.7公里，路線沿著凱旋路、一心路、夢時代、亞洲新灣區的高雄展覽館、流行音樂文化中心、新圖書總館、旅運中心、駁二藝術特區等多樣化的生活據點規劃。第二階段長度13.4公里，配合2017年市區鐵路地下化完工時程，預定於2019年全線完工通車。
高雄環狀輕軌是全亞洲首條全線採用無架空線系統的輕軌，其優點為去除破壞景觀的電車線，保留完整美麗開闊的天際線，更可有效回收煞車電力再使用，節省能源消耗；高雄輕軌並採用100％低地板的車廂設計，車門入口處地板與月台齊平，提供無障礙乘車環境，方便乘客上下車，列車每側設置四扇出入口，每扇門開啟淨寬1.3米，方便乘客快速進出。再者輕軌運輸車輛採電力驅動系統，並無廢氣排放，不會增加都會區空氣污染。
市長陳菊11月9日出席C2車站啟動輕軌靜態測試時，表示這是輕軌建設重要的里程碑，陳市長期勉團隊在輕軌營運前加速完成所有檢測與後續千項的線上動態測試，儘早確認系統安全無虞，期盼跨時代的公共運具如期誕生，承載高雄進步幸福，運轉下個百年風華。