Circular_light_rail

Circular light rail

Circular light rail

Light rail loop line in Kaohsiung, Taiwan

The Circular light rail (Chinese: 環狀輕軌) is a light rail loop line in Kaohsiung, Taiwan, operated by the Kaohsiung Rapid Transit Corporation.[7] The line stretches over a length of 22.1 kilometers and has 38 stations. The southern part of this line makes use of the defunct tracks of the Kaohsiung Harbor Railway Line. Construction cost was forecasted to be 16.5 billion New Taiwan dollars.[8]

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C1 Station (9 March 2015)
C3 station (27 August 2016)
C11 station (22 July 2017)
LRT C8 Station and the 85 Sky Tower

Phase I consists of the section of the line from Station C1 to Station C14, of which Stations C3 and C14 are transfer stations to the KMRT Red line and Orange line, respectively. Construction of Phase I began on 4 June 2013.[9] Stations C1 to C14 were open on a test-basis (free for the public[10]) from August 2015, and commenced formal operations in September 2017.[11][12] From November 2014 onwards, the CAF Urbos trams used in these tracks were tested in this line parked on multiple occasions.[citation needed]

Phase II construction of the northern section partially began on 12 January 2021[13] after the underground relocation of the Kaohsiung urban railway. The northern part of Phase II was scheduled to be opened in June 2021 along with the rest, but was delayed until 1 January 2024 due to local opposition.[14][15]

History

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Stations

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Rolling stock

CAF Urbos
Citadis 305

The line's fleet consists of nine CAF Urbos trams that are powered by supercapacitor banks.[16] The tramway cars are 34 meters (112 ft) in length, and are able to transport a total of 250 passengers (seated, and standing).[8]

15 Alstom Citadis 305 tramway cars entered service in November 2020.[17]

Ticket

Unlike the Kaohsiung Metro Red and Orange Lines, the Kaohsiung Light Rail is charged at a lower rate. As of January 2019, the fare for each light rail is NT$30. There is special rate of NT$10 by using a digital wallet (such as iPass, EasyCard, icash, etc.). Card readers are available at each station and inside of tramway. When paying the fare by the e-ticket (digital wallet), passengers are only charged one of them at each time. When paying by cash, passengers can purchase tickets at the ticket vending machines at each station for the ticket inspector to check.

Previous light rail demonstration project

The Siemens Combino vehicle was used for light rail demonstration at Central Park, Kaohsiung in 2004.

In 2004, the Kaohsiung City Government and Siemens built a temporary two-station circular light rail line in Central Park, operated by a single trainset, to demonstrate the feasibility of building a light rail system in Kaohsiung City.[citation needed] It was meant to alleviate some residents' concerns that light rail would negatively impact their surroundings by producing excessive noise and hindering normal traffic flow.[citation needed] This Siemens Combino vehicle would later become the D2 Class operated in Melbourne, Australia.

See also

References

  1. [1]
    "Kaohsiung Light Rail". urbanrail.net. Retrieved 2024-01-01.
  2. [2]
    "Kaohsiung picks CAF to build catenary-free trams". Railway Gazette International. 7 January 2013. Retrieved 2013-07-23.
  3. [3]
    "The 1st tram for Kaohsiung arrives in Taiwan". 4 September 2018. Retrieved 2020-12-19.
  4. [4]
    "Transport statistics". stat.motc.gov.tw (in Chinese). Retrieved 2019-11-10.
  5. [5]
    "領先全台 高雄輕軌4日正式通車 | 社會". 新頭殼 Newtalk (in Chinese (Taiwan)). 4 July 2016. Retrieved 2019-11-10.
  6. [6]
    "KAOHSIUNG LRV". CAF. Retrieved 2013-07-23.
  7. [7]
    "Light Rail System - Project Content". Mass Rapid Transit Bureau, Kaohsiung City. 17 August 2012. Retrieved 2013-07-23.
  8. [8]
    "Trams: Kaohsiung Launches Taiwan's First Light Rail Service". Kaohsiung City Government. 8 January 2015. Archived from the original on 2015-01-28. Retrieved 2015-01-25.
  9. [9]
    "Kaohsiung begins circular light rail construction". Focus Taiwan News Channel. 4 June 2013. Retrieved 2013-07-23.
  10. [10]
    Tim Berge (16 October 2015). "Kaohsiung LRT Opens to Public". ICRT FM.100. Retrieved 2016-02-27.
  11. [11]
    "About Taiwan". Info Taiwan. 17 March 2014. Archived from the original on 14 April 2014. Retrieved 2014-03-20.
  12. [12]
    James Chuang (8 June 2015). "Kaohsiung light rail line set to go full circle". International Railway Journal. Retrieved 2016-02-27.
  13. [13]
    "New light rail stop - Focus Taiwan". focustaiwan.tw (in Chinese). Retrieved 12 January 2021.
  14. [14]
    "Kaohsiung light rail system to be completed by 2023: mayor - Focus Taiwan". focustaiwan.tw (in Chinese). Retrieved 2021-01-02.
  15. [15]
    "New Kaohsiung circular light rail section to go into service Jan. 12 - Focus Taiwan". focustaiwan.tw (in Chinese). Retrieved 2021-01-08.
  16. [16]
    "Trams: KAOHSIUNG TRAMWAY". CAF. Retrieved 2014-03-20.
  17. [17]
    "Alstom Citadis X05 trams enter service on South Circular LRT in Taiwan". Railway Technology. 13 January 2021. Retrieved 2021-02-03.
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