Alishan Forest Railway and Cultural Heritage Office

The Alishan Forest Railway and Cultural Heritage Office, Forestry and Nature Conservation Agency (FANCA), Ministry of Agriculture, organized the completion ceremony for Tunnel No. 42 today (May 17). Dignitaries and representatives from various sectors of society witnessed this historical moment together. These included Chen Chien-Jen, President of the Executive Yuan; Tu Wen-Jane, Deputy Minister of the Ministry of Agriculture; Lin Hwa-Ching, Director General of the FANCA; Huang Miao-Hsiu, Director of the Alishan Forest Railway and Cultural Heritage Office; Chang Tai, Director of the Chiayi Branch of the Forestry and Nature Conservation Agency; Weng Chang-Liang, Magistrate of Chiayi County; Lin Chien-Hung, Executive Officer of the Chiayi County Government; Kao Rui-Fang, Mayor of Alishan Township; Lin Ching-Liang, Chairperson of the Alishan Township Representative Association; Tsou Chieftain Avai ‘e Peongsi from the Tfuya Tribal Community; Avayi‧Yatauyagana, Tsou Elder from the Tfuya Tribal Community and Director of the Alishan Township Hunter’s Association; Wang Chi-De, Chieftain of the Tapang Tribal Community; Cheng Hsiu-Chin, Chairperson of the Pnguu Tribal Community; and Hsu Rui-Wen, Village Head of Toeuana Village.
The Alishan Forest Railway completed the reconstruction of 421 damaged sites caused by Typhoon Morakot in 2015. In September of the same year, due to the intensity of Typhoon Dujuan passing through, two large-scale collapses totaling 55 meters occurred in Tunnel No. 42 between Shitzulu Station and Pingzhena Station, causing train services to be stopped. After a comprehensive assessment, it was decided that a new 1,106-meter tunnel should be built, and construction began on January 8, 2021. It took three years for the entire line to be fully completed.

Focusing on Every Detail, Balancing Environmental Conservation and Cultural Heritage Preservation
The design concept of this project was centered around the natural environment and environmental sustainability, thus adopting a subtractive construction approach and choosing hard rock surfaces to avoid unstable landslide prone areas. It also connected to the existing Tunnel No. 43 to minimize the excavation work; in addition, only one tunnel opening was set up to reduce the disturbance to the surrounding environment. Inside the tunnel, a refuge chamber was established every 40 m as well as an emergency lane every 200 m for emergency evacuation.
1.3 km of the existing railway was temporarily removed to serve as a transportation access path for machinery and materials to deal with the lack of access roads in the remote mountainous area, and to avoid creating a new 3-km construction access road in the riverbed, minimizing topographical and landscape disturbances. The 32,000 cubic meters of soil and rock generated from tunnel excavation were used as stabilizing platform backfills and replanted with native grasses for restoration. This offered several advantages, including protecting slopes and minimizing the effects on air, noise, and traffic caused by the outward transport of soil and rock.
In addition, the east and west entrances of the existing Tunnel No. 42 have been preserved, and will be used as environmental and cultural education sites in the future. Themed train journeys will be organized from time to time to explore a different side of Alishan.

Tsou Traditional Blessing Ceremony, Praying to the Spirit of the Mountains for a Smooth Journey
Before the completion ceremony began, a blessing ceremony was performed by Chieftain Avai ‘e Peongsi, Elder Chen Ming-Chuan, Elder Shi Ming-Hua, and Elder Avayi‧Yatauyagana of the Tfuya Tribal Community, as well as former Chairperson Liang Chung-Hsiao of the Pnguu Tribal Community. The participants faced towards the east from the tunnel opening, and in the Tsou mother tongue, they explained to the Spirit of the Mountains that the construction work had been completed smoothly and train services would soon be resumed. During the ceremony, people were invited to raise a cup of wine to the Spirit of the Mountains. Offering items such as pork, millet wine, and glutinous rice cakes presented in the ceremony were shared among the guests to pray for the safety of the Alishan Forest Railway trains and smooth journeys ahead.

Praise and Recognition from the President of the Executive Yuan for Diligently Overcoming Obstacles to Finish the Construction Work
For the completion ceremony, Technical Specialist Lien Hsiang-Yi and Site Manager Lee Chi-Kuan of the Alishan Forest Railway and Cultural Heritage Office project organizer unit were specially invited to share their experiences on the challenges faced during the construction process. Some of these challenges included the transportation of machines and materials, air supply, slump pumping, water surging in the tunnel excavation face, manpower shortages due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, and explosive shortages in the domestic market due to the Russian-Ukrainian war, and so on. They also shared their experience using the railway as a transportation access path, reducing the size of the materials, creating cross headings, strengthening the support, carrying out waterstop grouting, and improving the work efficiency. Through sheer effort and determination, these measures allowed them to overcome the various inherent limitations of the tunnel, away from the outside and in the dark, successfully completing the construction according to the quality standards and on schedule.
Chen Chien-Jen, President of the Executive Yuan, mentioned in his speech how the construction workers were away from their hometowns and worked day and night shifts in a tunnel that did not see the light of day, situated in cold and humid remote mountainous areas. Sometimes they would have to go for months without a chance to see their families. He thanked all of the personnel who participated in this project for their hard work. He also recognized the innovative thinking of the Alishan Forest Railway and Cultural Heritage Office for combining environmental protection and cultural preservation, as well as the efforts of the Alishan Forest Railway Office to actively deal with the many emergencies encountered during the construction period, thus completing the Tunnel No. 42 project with a strong focus on environmental protection and the highest level of quality and efficiency. The long-awaited full opening of the Alishan Forest Railway finally saw the light at the end of the tunnel, both in the figurative and literal sense. Holding a cordless phone in hand, President Chen announced, “Tunnel No. 42 is officially inaugurated.” After the driver received the instruction and replied, “Received,” the DL-42 locomotive in the tunnel immediately turned on its lights and sounded the horn, which was warmly applauded by the guests.

“120,000 Happiness” iPASS for Smooth Passage
At the completion ceremony, Tsou artists from the Pnguu Tribal Community were invited to share stories of their cross-border paintings of love and warmth at the tunnel entrance. Afterwards, participants were invited to ride the train together to experience the new Tunnel No. 42 in person, witnessing the old and the new tunnels. This was also a foretaste of the un-opened “Shitzulu - Erwanping” section of the Alishan Forest Railway that will soon be connected. The line will pass through the famous “Zig-Zag” route of the first division (commonly referred to as “train bumping into the wall”). Therefore, the “120,000 Happiness” iPASS has been launched, which allows visitors to simply top up their card for smooth traveling around Alishan, helping them create memories filled with happiness.