Zhonghe–Xinlu line

Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
Zhonghe–Xinlu line
Daqiaotou station platform
Overview
Other name(s)Orange line
StatusIn service
LocaleTaipei and New Taipei, Taiwan
Termini
Stations26
Service
TypeRapid transit
Services
  • Nanshijiao–Huilong (Xinzhuang branch)
  • Nanshijiao–Luzhou (Luzhou branch)
Operator(s)Taipei Rapid Transit Corporation
Depot(s)
  • Zhonghe
  • Luzhou
  • Xinzhuang
Rolling stockC371 (6-car)
History
Opened
  • 24 December 1998 (1998-12-24) (Nanshijiao–Guting)
  • 3 November 2010 (2010-11-03) (Zhongxiao Xinsheng–Luzhou)
  • 5 January 2012 (2012-01-05) (Daqiaotou–Fu Jen University)
  • 30 September 2012 (2012-09-30) (Guting–Zhongxiao Xinsheng)
  • 29 June 2013 (2013-06-29) (Fu Jen University–Huilong)
Technical
Line length29.3 km (18.2 mi)
CharacterUnderground
Track gauge1,435 mm (4 ft 8+12 in) standard gauge
Electrification750 V DC third rail
Operating speed80 km/h (50 mph)
Route map

Luzhou Depot
O54
Luzhou
O53
Sanmin Senior High School
Xinzhuang depot
(Left arrow future )
(Left arrow future )
O21
Huilong
O52
St. Ignatius High School
(Down arrow  Right arrow)
O20
Danfeng
O19
Fu Jen University
O18
Xinzhuang
(Left arrow  Up arrow)
O17
Touqianzhuang
O16
Xianse Temple
Erchong Floodway
O51
Sanhe Junior High School
(Left arrow   Right arrow)
O15
Sanchong
O14
Cailiao
O50
Sanchong Elementary School
O13
Taipei Bridge
O12
Daqiaotou
O11
Minquan West Road
(Left arrow  Right arrow)
O10
Zhongshan Elementary School
O09
Xingtian Temple
O08
Songjiang Nanjing
(Left arrow  Right arrow)
(Left arrow Taiwan Railways Administration West Coast Right arrow)
(Left arrow Taiwan High Speed Rail Right arrow)
O07
Zhongxiao Xinsheng
(Left arrow  Right arrow)
( Right arrow)
O06
Dongmen
(Left arrow )
(Left arrow )
O05
Guting
( Right arrow)
O04
Dingxi
O03
Yongan Market
O02
Jingan
(Left arrow  Right arrow)
Zhonghe Depot
O01
Nanshijiao
Zhonghe–Xinlu line
Traditional Chinese中和新蘆線
Simplified Chinese中和新芦线
Literal meaningCentral and new reed line
Orange line
Traditional Chinese橘線
Simplified Chinese橘线

The Zhonghe–Xinlu or Orange line (code O) is a metro line in Taipei operated by the Taipei Metro, named after the districts it connects: Zhonghe, Xinzhuang and Luzhou. The line starts at Nanshijiao in Zhonghe, passes through central Taipei, then splits into two branches: one to Huilong via Xinzhuang and one to Luzhou.

The southern section between Nanshijiao and Guting opened in 1998. It was then connected to the Tamsui Line. Due to heavy traffic for residents in the districts of Luzhou and Sanchong travelling in and out of central Taipei, a metro line was planned to meet this urgent need.[1] The line would eventually consist of two branches which connects to Guting via central Taipei. The extension fully opened in 2012.

The entire line, with the exception of the maintenance depot, is underground.[2]

History

In June 1992, the construction of the Zhonghe Line began. It was the most difficult to construct among all lines of the Taipei metro. The tunnels running through Zhonghe-Yonghe area had to pass under narrow streets, skyscrapers and crowded blocks, with limited spaces for stations above ground. As a result, the whole neighborhood traffic had its so-called "Dark Ages" when the cut-and-cover method was used for station platforms, concourses and crossovers during the 1990s. Besides the river-crossing section, the work suffered from biogas below the waterfront. After the construction, Zhonghe Line became more costly than all the other lines, NT$6.249 billion per kilometer.[3]

Since the line opened for service on 24 December 1998, it has been the most important access to downtown Taipei for nearly half a million of commuters who live in the district.

On 15 January 2011, Dongmen station was still under construction while the track for the section from Zhongxiao Xinsheng to Guting via Dongmen had already been laid.[4] At the time, Taipei Rapid Transit Corporation Vice Bureau Chief Chang Pei-yi noted that there was a possibility of opening the line for service while skipping both Dongmen and Guting stations, thus allowing for through service on the Orange Line.[4] However, this did not occur. The section opened for service on 30 September 2012 along with Dongmen Station.

On 18 December 2011, the 8.2 km (5.1 mi) Daqiaotou to Fu Jen University section passed final inspections by the Ministry of Transportation and Communications.[5] It opened for service on 5 January 2012.[6] On its first full day of service, the line served 82,000 passengers.[7] The line is expected to serve 100,000 passengers daily.

As of April 2016, the Xinzhuang Depot was still under construction and expected to be finished in January 2018, completing the Xinzhuang Line.[8]

Although the line was called the Luzhou Branch Line during construction, the name was changed to simply the Luzhou Line before it opened for service.

  • 2002: The Luzhou and Xinzhuang lines begin construction as part of Phase II of the Taipei Metro.[9]
  • September 2007: Track laying begins for the Luzhou Line.
  • 25 September 2008: Since track laying has been completed for the Luzhou Line, tracks are laid for the segment of the Xinzhuang Line within Taipei.
  • 1 April 2009: Train testing begins for the Luzhou Line and the segment of the Xinzhuang Line within Taipei.
  • 22 August 2009: It is announced that although the line was to come into operation before the Spring Festival of 2010, due to malfunctions in the Neihu Line, service for the line would be pushed back to September 2010.[10]
  • 24 April 2009: The Department of Rapid Transit Systems (DORTS) denies saying that the line would open before the Spring Festival in 2010. The Executive Yuan sets the line to begin service by 31 December 2010. DORTS says it will push forward with an anticipated September 2010 opening date.[11]
  • 2 March 2010: DORTS says that the line is planned to open by 1 September 2010 in order to coincide with the Flora Expo and will use the Taoyuan Airport MRT's power as backup, so that by November 2010 the Xinzhuang Line can begin train testing through Touqianzhuang.[11]
  • May 2010: Construction for Sanchong Elementary School, Sanhe Junior High School, Luzhou, and Luzhou Depot is completed. Construction for Sanmin Senior High School and St. Ignatius High School is near completion.
  • 30 June 2010: Construction completes on all stations.
  • July 2010: Train testing begins.
  • September 4–5, 2010: The Luzhou Line and Xinzhuang Line Taipei City portion to Zhongxiao Xinsheng undergoes initial public testing.[12]
  • 3 November 2010: The line opens for service with the opening of the Luzhou to Zhongxiao Xinsheng section.[13] A free trial period for the line ran until 2 December 2010.[9]
  • 3 December 2010: The Luzhou to Zhongxiao Xinsheng began revenue service.[9]
  • 5 January 2012: The Xinzhuang Line New Taipei City from Fu Jen University to Daqiaotou Station opened for a free trial period for a month.
  • 5 February 2012: The Fu Jen University to Daqiaotou section began revenue service.
  • 29 September 2012: Last day of the Beitou–Nanshijiao route upon opening of Dongmen station.
  • 30 September 2012: The Guting–Zhongxiao Xinsheng section opened for a free trial period for a month connecting the Zhonghe Line to the Xinlu Line. Zhonghe Line passengers traveling to Tamsui Line had to change trains at Guting and would also get a 30% discount for a month.
  • 30 October 2012: The Guting–Zhongxiao Xinsheng section began revenue service.
  • 29 June 2013: The Xinzhuang Line was extended from Fu Jen University Station to Huilong Station. A free trial period for the Fu Jen University–Huilong began for a month.
  • 29 July 2013: The extension to Huilong began revenue service.

Impact

Since its first three weeks after opening, the line (along with the Xinzhuang Line section) had reached a total ridership of over 3 million passengers, with an average of 157,000 passengers per day.[14] It is expected to cut travel time between Luzhou and Taipei by at least half,[15] with travel time between Luzhou and Taipei Main Station cut down to 17 minutes.[16] The system surpassed an annual ridership of 500 million for the first time on 29 December 2010, widely attributed to the opening of the new line.[17] The line has been effective in relieving congestion, with a 24% increase in average vehicle speed crossing Taipei Bridge (to Taipei) during rush hour since the opening of the line.[18] During the initial one-month trial, bus routes that ran parallel to the metro route experienced a 40% decrease in ridership, although bus ridership is expected to rise again after the end of the free trial.[19]

In anticipation of the opening of the new line, property prices along the route have risen by 36% since 2008.[20] Although small businesses along the line (most notably in Zhongshan and Datong, two older districts) have benefited from increased business during the free trial period, analysts noted that the initial business boon may only be short-lived and it may be years before these areas see real benefits as a result of the new line.[21]

Services

As of December 2017, the typical off-peak service is:

Stations

  • Operation Services
    • X - Xinzhuang Line (Bound for Huilong via Xinzhuang)
    • L - Luzhou Line (Bound for Luzhou)
Services Code Station Name Travel time to previous station (s)[22] Stop time at station (s)[22] Date opened Transfer Districts City
X L English Chinese
O01 Nanshijiao 南勢角 25 1998-12-24 Zhonghe New Taipei
O02 Jingan 景安 103 25 1998-12-24
O03 Yongan Market 永安市場 88 25 1998-12-24 Zhonghe, Yonghe
O04 Dingxi 頂溪 100 25 1998-12-24 Yonghe
O05 Guting 古亭 187 40 1998-12-24 Daan, Zhongzheng Taipei
O06 Dongmen 東門 192 40 2012-09-30
O07 Zhongxiao Xinsheng 忠孝新生 118 40 2010-11-03
O08 Songjiang Nanjing 松江南京 114 35 2010-11-03 Zhongshan
O09 Xingtian Temple 行天宮 75 35 2010-11-03
O10 Zhongshan Elementary School 中山國小 89 35 2010-11-03
O11 Minquan West Road 民權西路 72 45 2010-11-03 Datong, Zhongshan
O12 Daqiaotou 大橋頭 75 35 2010-11-03 Datong
O13 Taipei Bridge 台北橋 115 25 2012-01-05 Sanchong New Taipei
O14 Cailiao 菜寮 93 25 2012-01-05
O15 Sanchong 三重 84 25 2012-01-05
O16 Xianse Temple 先嗇宮 142 25 2012-01-05
O17 Touqianzhuang 頭前庄 105 25 2012-01-05 Xinzhuang
O18 Xinzhuang 新莊 93 25 2012-01-05
O19 Fu Jen University 輔大 130 25 2012-01-05
O20 Danfeng 丹鳳 110 25 2013-06-29 Xinzhuang, Taishan
O21 Huilong 迴龍 159 2013-06-29 (constructing) Guishan, Xinzhuang New Taipei / Taoyuan
O50 Sanchong Elementary School 三重國小 148[a] 30 2010-11-03 Sanchong New Taipei
O51 Sanhe Junior High School 三和國中 104 30 2010-11-03
O52 St Ignatius High School 徐匯中學 82 30 2010-11-03 (constructing) Luzhou
O53 Sanmin Senior High School 三民高中 87 30 2010-11-03
O54 Luzhou 蘆洲 110 2010-11-03

Notes

  1. ^ to Daqiaotou

References

  1. ^ "Introduction to the MRT Luzhou Line". Taipei Rapid Transit Corporation. 2010-11-01. Archived from the original on 2011-08-13. Retrieved 2010-11-24.
  2. ^ "Chronicles". english.metro.taipei. Archived from the original on August 29, 2018. Retrieved July 11, 2021.
  3. ^ 《都市捷運:規劃與設計(下)》,張志榮著
  4. ^ a b "捷運趕通車 蘆洲線擬跳東門接古亭". The Liberty Times. 2011-01-15. Archived from the original on 2011-01-18. Retrieved 2011-01-22.
  5. ^ "MRT Xinzhuang line passes final inspection despite minor flaws". Taiwan News. 2011-12-18. Archived from the original on 2015-06-10. Retrieved 2011-12-18.
  6. ^ "MRT Xinzhuang line begins commercial service". Focus Taiwan News Channel. 2012-01-05. Archived from the original on 2021-06-07. Retrieved 2012-01-05.
  7. ^ "新莊線通車首日旅運8.2萬人次 整體營運順利". 中國廣播公司. 2012-01-06. Archived from the original on 2012-01-06. Retrieved 2012-01-07.
  8. ^ "Network: Second Stage". Department of Rapid Transit Systems, Taipei City Government. 2015-07-09. Archived from the original on 2012-03-02. Retrieved 2016-04-15.
  9. ^ a b c "Taipei MRT's Luzhou Line to start operations Wednesday afternoon". Focus Taiwan News Channel. 2010-11-02. Archived from the original on 2010-11-04. Retrieved 2010-11-02.
  10. ^ "捷運蘆洲支線 延明年9月通車-聯合新聞網". Archived from the original on 24 August 2009. Retrieved 8 February 2009.
  11. ^ a b "北捷蘆洲支線9月通車 新莊線試駛頭前庄站(2010.03.02)". Archived from the original on 5 March 2010. Retrieved 2 March 2010.
  12. ^ "捷運蘆洲支線9月3和4日初勘 台北市政府捷運工程局". Archived from the original on 2012-03-04. Retrieved 2010-09-03.
  13. ^ "MRT Luzhou line to open Nov. 3". Taipei Times. 2010-10-28. Archived from the original on 2010-11-04. Retrieved 2010-10-27.
  14. ^ "蘆洲線試乘 已逾305萬人次". UDN. 2010-11-25. Retrieved 2010-11-25.
  15. ^ "President offers congratulations on opening of MRT Luzhou Line". Focus Taiwan News Channel. 2010-11-03. Archived from the original on 2012-03-17. Retrieved 2010-11-02.
  16. ^ "捷運系統蘆洲線簡介" (PDF). Department of Rapid Transit Systems, Taipei City Government. 2007-12-01. Archived (PDF) from the original on 2014-11-29. Retrieved 2010-02-07.
  17. ^ "Record breaking year for Taipei's MRT network". The China Post. 2010-12-30. Archived from the original on 2011-01-01. Retrieved 2010-12-31.
  18. ^ 張家嘯 (2010-11-26). "蘆洲線試乘破305萬 橘色路線圖沒標錯". CardU 焦點新聞. Archived from the original on 2012-03-15. Retrieved 2010-11-28.
  19. ^ "蘆洲線捷運搶客 公車載量掉四成". The Liberty Times. 2010-12-08. Archived from the original on 2011-11-09. Retrieved 2010-12-08.
  20. ^ "Luzhou Line property value rises through the roof". The China Post. 2010-09-03. Archived from the original on 2011-06-12. Retrieved 2010-09-06.
  21. ^ "Luzhou Line boom may be short-lived: vendors". Taipei Times. 2010-11-27. Archived from the original on 2010-11-29. Retrieved 2010-11-28.
  22. ^ a b "臺北捷運系統相鄰兩站間之行駛時間、停靠站時間 | 政府資料開放平臺". data.gov.tw (in Chinese). Archived from the original on 7 October 2019. Retrieved 4 October 2019.