Taipei Air Station - 1966 - - - " What you have in the end are memories"......... Photo Courtesy of Richard Reesh.

Friday, January 6, 2017

Alishan Forest Railway in the late 1950s - Updated 6 Jan 2017

More wonderful photographs from Tom Morgan.

A few weeks ago we had a story that Tom Morgan sent over which included many interesting photographs of his home and sites around Taipei, all taken in the 1950s.

You can view that story HERE 


Today, two more wonderful photos of the Alishan Forest Railway area from Tom.

I wrote to Loren Aandahl earlier this week inquiring about the Alishan Forest Railway.

Loren wrote back with some interesting information about the railway engine seen below.
 
"These pictures are remarkable."

"The train one is from the Alishan Forest Railway. I cannot identify the station but the locomotive is #26, a 28-ton 3-cylinder Shay type locomotive manufactured in Lima, Ohio in 1914. Plus I have never seen a passenger car with canvas for covering the open window space. 
"Rare photo!" 
#26 has been preserved in operating condition."

"The tree picture is from Alishan." 


Tom's Mother added a note to the photo as seen above.
"Logging Train stop - 5 min for all necessities."


Look closely, I'm seeing what appears to be a building just above the tree, possibly up on a hill. 

Loren Aandahl grew up in Taiwan of Missionary parents.

We published a number of posts in the old Taipei Air Station Web Pages with photographs taken during Loren's early years.

Please take a look at some of the beautiful photographs taken in and around Hsinchu during 1954 to 1977.

HERE are those stories <->  You'll like these stories and pictures. 

If you're interested in Taiwan Railroading, you should checkout Loren's two beautiful Taiwan Railway books.

 


















You can find these two books on Amazon.com  


** UPDATE - 5 January 2017 **

Tom Morgan found additional photographs relating to the Alishan Forest Railway.

  
Above, Chuchi (竹崎) Station, Alishan Forest Railway, Chiayi County, April 1960.

Heading toward Alishan, Chuchi station was the first station stop, after departure from  Chiayi.

Cars are not close to station platform.


No identification on station name.  The cars are close to platform here.

This photo identified as "Rudolph Boys"
This station probably the same station as the photo just above.


A young man hangs out the door; excitement and fresh air.


Bend in tracks ahead.

At first glance, it appears engine is headed for a drop-off!


High in the mountains, an overlook.
Clouds hang over mountains below.

Perhaps someone could translate the sign.







 
 
 

Another look at Triple Tree at Alishan 
 
Thank you Tom Morgan for sharing these remarkable photographs.  

6 comments:

Unknown said...

Mr. Mathieu.

The large horizontal Chinese characters says:「護林協會」

「護」means「protect」.

「林」means「forest」or「woods」

「協會」means「association」or「society」

Altogether the large horizontal Chinese characters mean 「Association of Forest Protection」

The vertical Chinese larger characters says:「護林注意事項」

「護林」means「to protect forest」

「注意」means「notice」

「事項」means「items」or「things」

Altogether those Chinese characters mean:「Things to be noticed for forest protection」

In the photo, there six ''things'' written in vertical Chinese characters which are too blurry to identify.


Chris Wang

Unknown said...

Mr. Mathieu.

The large horizontal Chinese characters says:「護林協會」

「護」means「protect」.

「林」means「forest」or「woods」

「協會」means「association」or「society」

Altogether the large horizontal Chinese characters mean 「Association of Forest Protection」

The vertical Chinese larger characters says:「護林注意事項」

「護林」means「to protect forest」

「注意」means「notice」

「事項」means「items」or「things」

Altogether those Chinese characters mean:「Things to be noticed for forest protection」

In the photo, there six ''things'' written in vertical Chinese characters which are too blurry to identify.


Chris Wang

Unknown said...

There is somthing to explain about the triple tree photo as well.

In front of the tree, there is a sign says:「三代木」

「三」means three

「代」means generation

「木」means wood

altogether, the sign says 「wood of three generations」

on the lower right-hand side of the tree, there is a sign says 「第一代」. This means 「the first generation」.

In the center part of the tree, there is sign which says 「第二代」. This means 「the second generation」.

On the left top of the tree, there is a sign says「第三代」. This means 「the third generation」.

Chris Wang

moongeegee said...

Would anyone please let me know if Tom Jones is still alive? Thank you.

ktgkd said...

Pertaining to the updated post,
The unidentified station in photos 2 and 3 is probably also Chuchi, the platform has since been elevated by wooden planks for ease of boarding. In the first photo, the bit of space from the train to the waiting area is the notably lower platform. Since no records exist saying the tracks were changed in Chuchi, it isn't possible for another track to exist in that space. Also, the space is leveled, in contrast to the trackbed.

Also note that the carriages has two steps, the higher one is probably for use in Chiayi station, and the lower for use in the uphill stations since the platforms were lower.

Interestingly, the train is bound for Alishan, but there is no locomotive engine in photo 3, this is because prior to ascension from Chuchi, all trains would change from a 18-ton to a 28-ton steam locomotive, such has the #26 Shay identified by Mr. Aandahl.

The photo with the "Logging Train stop - 5 min for all necessities." note was probably taken in Dulishan station. Because (i)it has a water crane, and (ii) it is situated on a bend. The locomotives required a refill after climbing the slope of Dulishan from Jhangnaoliao (the previous station).

These are based on my experiences and photos when taking the railway as it is today. The main line still exists, but direct trains to Alishan could probably take more years as a vulnerable part (Shihtzulu to Erwanping) is still under maintenance.



Yours truly,
A railfan from Malaysia. :)

Unknown said...

Thank you so much for posting these photos. They are very useful for my research. The open coach with canvas side curtains is one i have not seen before.

Paul