Alishan Forest Railway and Cultural Heritage Office

2010

1. In 2010, the Culture and Tourism Bureau, Chiayi County registered the "Alishan Forestry and Railway" as the cultural landscape of Chiayi County according to the "Cultural Heritage Preservation Act". The Alishan Forest Railway has been a legally recognized cultural heritage since then.
2. The Alishan Forestry Machinery Exhibition has been held in the former Chiayi Winery from October 18, 2010.

2011

1. The Chiayi County Government cooperated with Mr. Su Chao-Hsu and National Chiayi University to stage the "Global Top 100 Mountain Railway Photos Exhibition" in Fengqihu Locomotive Garage.
2. The Chiayi County Government and National Chiayi University jointly held the "Alishan Forestry Machinery and Cultural Relics Exhibition" from November 1, 2011 to November 30, 2011.
3. On October 25, 2011, the films, "Hinoki Mountain Forest—One Hundred Years of Story of Alishan Forestry" and "One Hundred Yrars of Memory of Alishan” was released and the exhibition of old photos was held, to make the public more aware of the rich forestry culture of Alishan.
4. Mr. Su Chao-Hsu and the Chiayi County Government jointly published the "Alishan Forest Railway and World Heritage Railway Tour".

2012

1. The Chiayi County Government cooperated with the National Taiwan Museum to hold the "One Hundred Years of Forest Railway--Alishan Railway Special Exhibition" (April 18~July 29, 2012).
2. The "One Hundred Years of Forest Railway--Alishan Forest Farm People's Stories Exhibition" was held at the Forestry Club, Chiayi City.
3. The "One Hundred Years of Forest Railway--Alishan Railway and Commemorative Stamps Exhibition" was held at the Minxung Auditorium from August 17 to September 28, 2012.
4. The Culture and Tourism Bureau, Chiayi County issued the "Guidelines for Establishment of the Chiayi County World Heritage Promotion Committee" by public document on September 25, 2012. The relevant meeting has been held once every six months.
5. The Chiayi County Government cooperated with Mr. Su Chao-Hsu to publish the linked books, "A Century of Grace and Glory--One Hundred Years of Alishan Forest Railway History", "Alishan Forest Railway and One Hundred Top Mountain Railways," and "One Hundred Years of Alishan Forest Railway Records".
6. The civil society "Hongya Association" held lectures about promotion of Alishan Forestry and Railway listed as a World Heritage Site on December 7, 2012.

2013

1. On June 25 and 26, 2013, the Chiayi County Government cooperated with the Bureau of Cultural Heritage, Ministry of Culture and the National Yunlin University of Science and Technology to organize the "2013 Taiwan World Heritage Talent Cultivation Project Workshop". Prioritized participants include public servants working at the Bureau of Culture of city/county governments and county governments responsible for businesses about the World Heritage potential sites and seed teachers in primary and secondary schools. Teachers, students, and groups related to cultural heritage and other people interested in the preservation of cultural heritage were invited to participate. The workshop aimed at instilling the concept of World Heritage and leading them to visit the Alishan Forest Railway and Recreation Area.
2. On April 20, 2013 the Alishan Forest Railway and Japanese Kurobe Gorge Railway forged sister railway relations.
3. On August 27, 2013 the construction of Dolin tunnel was finished.
4. From October 4 to October 5, 2013, Scholar Paul Mahoney from New Zealand invited by the Bureau of Cultural Heritage, Ministry of Culture visited the Alishan Forest Railway and Forest Recreation Area, and presented the report on the Alishan Forest Railway in comparison with other forest railways around the world, rating the Alishan Forestry Railway the top forest railway in the world.
5. On December 12, 2013, the forum on the promotion of Alishan Forest Railway listed as World Heritage Site was held in conjunction with the anniversary celebration of the forest railway. In addition, a forest railway tour was held, with the primary school children of Chiayi City invited to participate and the concept of railway heritage shared with the students.

2014

1. The section from Zhuqi Station to Fenqihu Station was open for operation on January 27.
2. On February, 2014, the Bureau of Culture and Tourism, Chiayi County Government organized the first promotion committee, with the Mayor of Chiayi County as the chairperson, the Deputy Magistrate of Chiayi County, the Director of the Chiayi Forestry District Office, the Director of the Alishan National Scenic Area Administration, and the Director of the Bureau of Culture and Tourism, Chiayi City Government as deputy chairpersons, and ten experts as members included.
3. On March 27, 2014, the reconstruction of the longest tunnel along the Alishan Forest Railway, the Pingzhena Tunnel, was completed, marking the most difficult rehabilitation along the line.
4. The Alishan Forest Railway, Oigawa Railway (which built sister railway relationship with us in 1986) and the Kurobe Gorge Railway carried out reciprocal tickets activities. Passengers from both countries could take trains of the other party by exchanging used train tickets of their own railway.
5. On May 5, 2014, members of the Asia-Pacific Heritage and Tourism Railways Organization (APHTRO) visited the Alishan Forest Railway. The guests included David Morgan(Chairman of the World Association of Tourist Trams & Trains, WATTRAIN), Lord Faulkner of Worcester (Chairman of the British House of Lords/UK Pro-Taiwan Group and Chairman of the British Heritage Railways), Rajesh Agrawal (former special adviser of UNESCO, Director of the National Railway Museum of India and current CEO of Indian Heritage Railway), accompanied by his wife and Al Feihat Mahmound (former director of the Jordanian Public Transport Bureau and current MP), accompanied by his wife. Lord Faulkner of Worcester promised to make every effort to assist in the listing of Alishan Forest Railway as a World Heritage Site.
6. On May 9, 2014, the first Chiayi County World Heritage Promotion Committee meeting was held.
7. On June 19, 2014, the Bureau of Culture and Tourism, Chiayi County Government promulgated the revised "Guidelines for Establishment of the Chiayi County World Heritage Promotion Committee" and changed its name to "Guidelines for Establishment of the Application of Alishan Forest Railway and Cultural Landscape for World Heritage Promotion Committee"
8. On July 15, 2014, Australian World Heritage expert Duncan Marshall, scholar Paul Mahoney from New Zealand, Professor Zhang Zhanhong of the Chinese University of Hong Kong and Macao Cultural Heritage Consultant Mr. Chen Zecheng visited Chiayi County.
9. From October 1 to October 3, 2014, the Director of Japan World Heritage Institute, Mr. Hirohisa Furuta, was invited by the Bureau of Culture and Tourism, Chiayi County Government, to visit the Alishan Forest Railway and Recreation Area and shared his experience in the nomination of Japanese world heritage sites.
10. On October 3, 2014, the third meeting of promotion committee was held, and the Potential Sites as World Heritage International Exchange Workshop was held on the same day.
11. Huang Shijuan, associate professor at Taipei National University of the Arts, was commissioned to complete the investigation, research, and restoration and reuse plans for the county-designated monument, Alishan Pavilion, Dr. Kawai Shitarō Honor Stele, and the Tree Spirit Tower.
12. Chiayi City Government cooperated with Mr. Su Chao-Hsu to publish a brochure entitled "Running for a Century--Stories of Alishan Forest Railway". The brochures have been gifted to elementary schools in Chiayi City for promotion and education.

2015

1. Zhuqi High School established Alishan Forestry Railway Youth Ambassadors Association and held the Alishan Book Fairs (July 2015). The Chiayi County Government cooperated with Zhuqi High School to train youth ambassadors and received youths from Macao to visit Alishan Forest Recreation Area and Forest Railway, enabling local youths to have a deeper understanding of the local culture.
2. On March 12, 2015, the "One Hundred Years Alisha Memory Exhibition" was held in the T25 exhibition hall of Hinoki Village.
3. The Alishan Forest Railway, Kurobe Gorge Railway and Oigawa Railway continued to carry out reciprocal tickets activities (April ~ December 31, 2015).
4. The Office completed the "Arishan Forestry Village--Historic Building Research and Investigation Proposal", "Investigation, Research and Image Recording Proposal for Historic Buildings of Yushan I and II Village in Chiayi City", and issued the "DVD Record of the Rehabilitation of Alishan Forest Railway Damaged by Typhoon Morakot", "Alishan Literature", in the hope of both having a deeper understanding of our own history and humanities and developing "Alishan Discipline" to establish a complete discourse.
5. On May 7, 2015, the third promotion committee meeting was held.
6. Architect Ooi Bok Kim, the writer of the nomination text of Penang, as a World Heritage Site, was invited by the Bureau of Culture and Tourism, Chiayi County Government to share his experience.
7. The Bureau of Culture and Tourism, Chiayi County Government, the Office, the Alishan National Scenic Area Administration and the Cultural Affairs Bureau, Chianti City Government jointly planed and funded the establishment of the World Heritage Planning Center.
8. On December 11, 2015, the fourth promotion committee meeting was held.
9. The Alishan Forest Railway Branch, Taiwan Railway Administration (TRA) completed the interpretation record about the section of Alishan Railway above Fenqihu Station and increased the audio tour along the railway. It also provided cruise-style train itineraries such as "Sakura accompanying with me tour", "Forest Railway FUN summer cruise-style train", "9/12 three-railway joint GO, falling in love with Fenqihu two-day tour", guiding tourists for in-depth travel.
10. The Taiwan Railway Administration (TRA) has transformed five carriages into carriages for passengers with physical disabilities, and each compartment is equipped with a luggage compartment to improve service standards.
11. In December 2015, the Cultural Affairs Bureau, Chiayi City Government exhibited cultural relics of Taiwan Railway, Taiwan Sugar Railways, Forest Railway, and Forestry Historical Materials at the Chiayi Historical Relic Museum.

2016

1. On March 12, 2016, guests from Kurobe Gorge Railway and Japanese Media Group from Toyama County visited us.
2. The Alishan Forest Railway, Kurobe Gorge Railway and Oigawa Railway continued to carry out reciprocal tickets activities (April ~ December 31, 2015).
3. On April 25 and 26, 2016, guests from Slovakia's Cierny Hron Railway (the railway is famous for maintaining steam trains) visited us and observed the Alishan Forest Recreation Area and Forest Railway. Both sides exchange views on the railway's sustainable operation.
4. On May 5 and 6, 2016, Swiss MGB Railway Company (Swiss famous railway company) visited us and signed a letter of intent for cooperation with Alishan Forestry Railway.
5. The Chiayi County Government cooperated with Mr. Su Chao-Hsu to prepare the English version of "Running for a Century--Stories of Alishan Forest Railway".
6. The Alishan Forest Railway Branch, TRA continued to provide cruise-type train tours, including "Traveling with Forest Railway" in January and "Ruili Peak Feeling, Round Pond and Shadows on Water" in March-April, 2016. and "Travel around Fir Lake" from May to June. In this way, more people can learn more about the forest railway and the cultural and human texture along the line.
7. In May, the one-day pass and two-day pass for the Alishan Forest Recreation Area would be launched, in the hope of increasing the railway revenue to achieve the goal of sustainable operation.
8. It is scheduled to purchase 10 new Alishan cars, which are currently being manufactured.
9. After research and development in cooperation with the Industrial Technology Research Institute and private companies, in the future the point rails and frogs on the forest railway will be replaced with those made of high manganese steel. After many tests, it has been proved that this material has higher wear resistance and the service life is extended by one and a half to two years, which will not only reduce material loss, but also save a lot of maintenance manpower.
10. Participation of civil society groups: Chiayi City Business Circle Culture Promotion Association, Chiayi City Hongya Cultural Association, and the preparatory office of the Forest Railway Cultural Heritage Cultural and Educational Foundation have promoted World Heritage in different ways, including counter sign supporting for registering for World Heritage, operating the KANO Story Hall, holding the Forest Railway Photographic Painting Contest, and installing advertising billboards.

2017

1. On February 21 and 22, 2017, the technical Manager of Kurobe Gorge Railway, Mr. Maeyama Masami led the other three technicians to take Alishan Forest Railway and exchange opinions about the gauge and maintenance system.
2. Translate the booklet, "Running for a Century--Stories of Alishan Forest Railway" written by Mr. Su Chao-Hsu into Japanese version to make foreign visitors realize the meaning of Alishan Forest Railway.
3. Invite professional photographer, Mr. Yu Sin-Sian to hold the speech, "The Trip of Swiss Railway" in Hinoki Village on June 25, 2017.
4. Vice-minister of India Railway, Director of World Heritage Division, and Engineering Division visited Taiwan on July 3 to 7, 2017. We arranged the cruise-type train of "Traveling with Forest Railway" to visit Shizilu and Alishan.
5. "International Heritage Railway Visiting Experience Sharing Meeting" was held on August 3. We invited Teacher Huang Shih-Jyuan from Taipei National University of the Arts, ex-president of Taiwan Railway Cultural Association, Hsu Nai Yi and Su Zhao Xu to share their visiting experience and research paper of heritage railways. They looked forward to making public realize the advantages and features of Alishan Forest Railway.
6. Lord Faulkner (Trade Envoy to Taiwan), Steven Fristbrook (Head of Department of Trade in Taiwan, British Office),and Michael Reilly (Visiting Fellow of Academia Sinica) came to visit Chiayi City on November 18 and 19, 2017.
7. Concluded a sister railway with Welshpool & Llanfair Railway on September 27, 2017.
8. Invite Mr. Su Chao-Hsu to hold "Overview of World Mountain Railway and World Heritage Railway Speech" on anniversary activity day, December 23, 2017.
9. On September of 2017, Bureau of Cultural Heritage, Ministry of Culture provided 50% of subsidy to "Cultural Assets Reborn Plan of Chiayi Wooden Factory". The Factory authorized the company to design and plan the engineering. The best one was chosen on December 5, 2017 and reached the agreement on December 25.

2018

1. The Alishan Forest Railway visited British partner railway Welshpool & Llanfair Light Railway and Čierny Hron Forestry Railway, Slovakia on May 30 ~ June 11.
2. "Alishan Forest Railway and Cultural Heritage Office" was established to confirm the mission of the Alishan Forest Railway as a heritage railway.
3. The planning meeting of Alishan Forest Railway International Forum was held by the Bureau of Cultural Heritage, Ministry of Culture on September 11.
4. Aomori Prefecture, Japan visited us to understand our railway promotion and discuss the possibility of railway cooperation.
5. Alishan Forest Railway was awarded the "Japan Railway Awards' overseas special award" by the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism, Japan because of special railway constructions, the large number of passengers, and being welcomed by Taiwanese people on October 15.
6. Four guided tours were held in Chiayi Lumber Factory in November
7. On December 5, Čierny Hron Forestry Railway, Slovakia signed the agreement of the sister railway with Alishan Forest Railway. Guests from Slovakia included the director of the railway, Aleš Bílek, Ján Kosík, Svatopluk Šlechta, and the reporter Tibor Macák.

2019

1. The director of the Čierny Hron Forestry Railway, Aleš Bílek, led a group of staffs to visit the Alishan Forest Railway for the cooperation of the repair of the steam locomotive Shay 17 and the participation of the international forum on June 28~July 6.
2. "The second Forum on Asian Industrial Heritage Conservation" was held by the Bureau of Cultural Heritage, Ministry of Culture and the Forestry and Nature Conservation Agency, the Council of Agriculture, Executive Yuan on July 1 and 2. Railway specialists and scholars from nine countries were invited to Chiayi for the international exchange of industrial railway and railway heritage. Many of our sister railways, including Darjeeling Himalayan Railway in India, W&LLR in Britain, Čierny Hron Forestry Railway in Slovakia, and Kurobe Gorge Railway in Japan, visited us. Visiting scholars included Paul Mahoney from New Zealand, Hasti Tarekat Dipowijoyo from Indonesia, Oda Kyoichi and Matsuura Toshitaka from Japan, Jongsang Sung from South Korea, Parinya Chukaew from Thailand and Timothy North from Australia.
3. The Ministry of Culture announced "Alishan Forest Railway Cultural Landscape" as the first nationwide significant cultural landscape in Taiwan on July 9.
4. The environmental impact assessment of the tunnel 42, the most important reconstruction work along the main line, was passed on August 28.
5. We visited sister railways in Switzerland and the potential partner in Czech, Jindřichův Hradec Local Railways (JHMD) on September 18~27.
6. The manager of JHMD, Ondřej Čajánek, came to visit us on December 8~9 and expressed their interest in signing the agreement of sister railway.
7. To celebrate the 107^th anniversary of Alishan Forest Railway, we held "Shay Shay Photography festival" on December 29. A group of Japanese and Taiwanese railway photographers, i.e. Kamiya Takeshi and Huang Weisheng, participated in this event.

2020