2023/12/21
To launch a new era for the Alishan Forest Railway, the Alishan Forest Railway and Cultural Heritage Office, under the Forestry and Nature Conservation Agency (FANCA), brought together modern designers and rolling stock manufacturers to modify the old train carriages of the Alishan Forest Railway, and finally completed the “Vivid Express” after two years and two months. The trial run was completed on December 20 and 21, 2023. The official unveiling took place on December 25, 2023, which coincided with the 111th anniversary of the opening of the Alishan Forest Railway.
The Harmonious Coexistence of the Ecosystem and Alishan Forest Railway
The collared bush robin is endemic to Taiwan and can generally be found in low to medium altitude mountainous areas. Visitors can frequently see these birds around small forest trails and paths in Alishan as they are very common in the area. Since the male birds are quite territorial, they often perch on high branches to monitor the area, and will chirp loudly to assert their dominance if something encroaches upon their territory. Therefore, the collared bush robins are also known as the “Alishan Welcome Bird” because their calls sound as if they were welcoming travelers to Alishan.
The design concept of the Vivid Express is based on the collared bush robin. The male bird’s dark blue plumage and scarf-like orange markings on the neck were incorporated into the exterior of the carriage, giving it a touch of liveliness in the otherwise subdued color scheme. The female bird’s light yellow plumage was integrated into the interior of the carriage, giving it a brighter color scheme that breaks away from the existing red and yellow. From the vibrant railway design based on the ecological resources of Alishan, to the Alishan Forest Railway ride taking visitors on a train journey to explore the rich biodiversity of Alishan, the entire experience is bound to be one-of-a-kind.
Lively and Vibrant—Vivid Express
The name of the train in Chinese means “a lively and vibrant train, full of joy and happiness,” while the English name “Vivid Express” is a derivative of that. It signifies that visitors can joyfully experience the beautiful scenery and biodiversity that the forests have nurtured. It is also hoped that together with the Alishan Forest Railway, visitors will welcome a new and joyful future.
The Design that Stood Out from the Competition
To revitalize and reuse the old trains of the Alishan Forest Railway, as well as to offer passengers an opportunity to experience the charms of Alishan that is different from what they have seen in the past, the Alishan Forest Railway and Cultural Heritage Office held a carriage design competition in February 2021, inviting design teams from all over the world to participate in the competition. The Vivid Express stood out from the competition with its focus on biodiversity, as well as the various ingenious design elements that have created a distinct and unique train experience for the Alishan Forest Railway.
Feature 1: Breaking away from the traditional closed cab, the Vivid Express uses a large piece of glass as a partition so that passengers can enjoy the natural scenery in front of them and imagine what it is like to drive a train. Feature 2: The train is divided into seated compartments and observation seats, with the compartments offering families and groups of visitors a shared, semi-private space; the observation seats are swivel seats that passengers can adjust to their preferred angle to admire the scenery outside the windows. There are a total of 60 seats. Feature 3: A wireless emergency call system was installed inside the carriages, with both call and video functions, so that in the event of an emergency, the driver and the train master can quickly determine how to handle the situation and provide the necessary assistance, as well as maintain the safety of the train. This system will be installed on other Alishan Forest Railway trains in the future. Feature 4: An eight-channel speaker stereo was installed allowing passengers to not only be able to appreciate the sights with their eyes, but also experience being surrounded by the sounds of nature. Feature 5: Inside the carriages, there are compact vending machines selling cultural and creative merchandise and beverages. These exquisitely designed vending machines are full of the unique features and cultural elements related to the narrow-gauge trains of the Alishan Forest Railway.
Starting a Journey Together with the Alishan Forest Railway
To develop diversified operations for the Alishan Forest Railway trains and enhance the overall operational efficiency, the Alishan Forest Railway and Cultural Heritage Office held leasing tenders for the Vivid Express, Formosensis, and Beimen station. The related information was announced online on December 14, 2023, and the bidding was scheduled to be opened on January 30, 2024, with operations expected to begin in April 2024. Please visit the following website for more details.