Azalea Typhoon Wrecks Six Years of Waiting – Dream of Full Operation of Alishan Forest Railway by Year-End Shattered

▲ Affected by Typhoon Dujuan, the originally planned opening section of the Alishan Forest Railway was destroyed by heavy rains. (Photo / from FUN Taiwan Railways fan page)

Tourism Center / Comprehensive Report

The Alishan Forest Railway, originally set to open its full line on December 25 this year, has been confirmed to miss the target due to two major damages discovered in the 58-kilometer unbuilt section after the impact of Typhoon Dujuan.

The Chiayi Forest District Office stated that after Typhoon Dujuan, forest railway staff from the Fenchihu maintenance area conducted inspections of the unbuilt section on the 1st, discovering a major hazard around the 58-kilometer, 710-meter mark that rendered the area impassable. After two inspections by the Chiayi Forest District Office and the Alishan Forest Railway Management Office, it was initially found that there were two hazards near Tunnel 42: approximately 40 meters of roadbed loss starting 200 meters from the east portal, and about 15 meters of damage starting 240 meters inside the west portal. The combined damage spans roughly 55 meters, and the surrounding slopes remain unstable with ongoing landslides.

▲ Heavy rains from Typhoon Dujuan destroyed the section of the Alishan Forest Railway that was set to open. (Photo / from FUN Taiwan Railways fan page)

The Chiayi Forest District Office further noted that experts who inspected the site again on the 3rd found that the typhoon's torrential rains had washed away rock formations, leaving overhanging boulders. Rainwater seeped into the rocks, weakening their structural integrity, which led to the collapse of large boulders above and damaged the original open-cut tunnel.

The office stated that the preliminary estimate is that it will take two years to repair the damage. As a result, the goal of full-line operation by December 25 is now certain to be unachievable. In the near future, they will assess the feasibility of extending the railway from Fenchihu Station to Shizilu Station, with a car shuttle service to follow — the distance is about 10 kilometers, and the ride takes approximately 25 minutes.

% and ⒗锷缴???咄ǔ翟ぜ谱钌僭俚炔年。（图／取自阿里山森铁粉丝专页）