Taipei Railway Workshop added to heritage list

2015-03-17

Taipei Railway Workshop was named a national historic site by the Ministry of Culture March 15, underscoring the invaluable contribution of trains to the country’s development.

“The facility stands out for its central role in Taiwan’s architectural, economic and industrial progress,” a MOC official said. “Such an important part of history warrants preservation for the benefit of present and future generations.”

Formerly operated by Taiwan Railways Administration, the 16.82-hectare site on Civic Boulevard is the largest and oldest of its kind on the island and was shuttered in 2012. It was constructed in 1930 and features a number of distinctive structures like a 168-meter-long train assembly shed.

“This building is special in that it incorporates leading industrial designs of the day and survived World War II with minimal damage,” the official said.

Equally significant is the workshop’s bathhouse, the official said, adding that its numerous amenities emphasized the importance of employee welfare to the TRA. “After a hard day of toil, the workers would take great delight in scrubbing themselves clean and soaking away their cares.”

The workshop’s listing is set to be promulgated by the MOC in mid-April, with the facility later transformed into a world-class national railway museum.

Source: Taiwan Today (http://taiwantoday.tw/ct.asp?xItem=228310&CtNode=413)