Neihu Line (Taipei Metro)

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Neihu Line
Neihu Line
內湖線
30px
File:Xihu Station platform.jpg
The Xihu Station platform
Overview
Type Rapid transit
Locale Taipei, Republic of China
Termini Songshan Airport
Taipei Nangang Exhibition Center
Stations 12
Operation
Opened July 4, 2009
Operator(s) Taipei Rapid Transit System
Character Elevated and underground
Depot(s) Neihu Depot
Rolling stock Bombardier INNOVIA 256, VAL 256
2 cars per set, 2 sets per train
Technical
Line length 14.8 km (9.2 mi)
No. of tracks 2
Track gauge 1,880 mm (6 ft 2 in)[1]
Electrification Third rail (750 volts DC)
Operating speed 80 kilometres per hour (50 mph)
Route map
Neihu Line
Traditional Chinese 內湖線
Simplified Chinese 内湖线

The Taipei Metro Neihu Line is a medium-capacity rapid transit system and runs on an elevated corridor except near Songshan Airport and Dazhi. The line's service length is 14.8 kilometres (9.2 mi) and it is joined to the Wenshan Line at Zhongshan Junior High School Station, providing direct service through Neihu, Nangang, and Wenshan.

Line Overview

The Neihu Line is a Phase 1 Brown Line extension that brought rapid transit into the Neihu District (the last of Taipei's districts to have rapid transit).[2] The line has 12 stations: 10 elevated and 2 underground stations. Construction was completed in late 2008, and trial operations began in early 2009. The line officially began service on July 4, 2009.[3][4]

History

The long-awaited Neihu Line has had many delays prior to its opening. Since the Neihu Line was planned as an extension to the Wenshan Line, the original plan called for a similar elevated medium-capacity line. However, due to the growth of the Neihu District, many residents and politicians called for an underground, high-capacity line instead (similar to the Blue Line (Taipei Metro)).[5]

The initial cost estimate of the elevated line was NT$42.6 billion, but due to delays the price-adjusted cost estimate rose to over NT$60.3 billion. A shift to underground construction would have increased the cost to as high as NT$134.4 billion. However, the Central Government stated that if construction for the Neihu Line did not start immediately, they would withhold the grant money for the line. In addition, due to the narrow streets and numerous turns in Neihu, construction of an underground high-capacity line would have been infeasible.[6] Thus, the plan to build an elevated line continued after much delay.[5]

There was also significant debate whether Songshan Airport should be included on the route.[6] The addition of the station added an additional 1.9 kilometres (1.2 mi) to the line's length. Because of the inclusion of the station, the final cost of the line reached NT$66.7 billion.[7]

The line was initially planned to begin service in 1996, and after 13 years of delay, the line finally began operations. However, the Neihu Line has been criticized for its frequent malfunctions and safety issues.[6]

Important Dates

  • February 23, 1987: Initial planning of the Neihu Line started.
  • December 15, 1988: Construction of the Wenshan Line begins. At this time, the Neihu Line is planned to open in 1996.
  • September 28, 1993: Because of fires on the trains during trials of the Wenshan Line, all Neihu Line planning was halted.
  • October 9, 1993: The Department of Rapid Transit Systems (DORTS) announced plans to change the Neihu Line to a high-capacity underground line.
  • August 23, 1994: The DORTS announced plans to continue building the Neihu Line as a medium-capacity elevated line. Neihu residents protest the change.
  • September 26, 2001: All 12 stations on the Neihu Line are finalized.
  • May 23, 2002: Construction begins on the Neihu Line.
  • December 24, 2007: The first trial run is conducted between Songshan Airport and Jiannan Road.[8]
  • June 28, 2008: Construction of the Neihu Line is completed.[7]
  • July 4, 2009: The Wenshan Line is converted to the new Cityflo 650 system from the 13-year-old Matra VAL 256 system. Service on the Neihu Line begins.
  • July 10, 2009: Because of system problems, service on the Brown Line is halted at 3:30 PM until 6:30 AM the next day.[9]
  • December 19, 2010: Retrofitted VAL 256 cars begin testing on the Brown Line. It is expected to decrease waits between trains and increase line capacity.[10]

Rolling Stock

When the line began service in July 2009, the line only used the new Bombardier INNOVIA 256 train sets, with the old VAL 256's to be modified to work with the new Bombardier system.

On December 19, 2010, fifty-one pairs of retrofitted VAL 256's (from the Matra rolling stock) will begin testing on the entire line.[11] After over half a year of testing, the additional trains will decrease the time between trains at rush hour from 2 minutes to 72 seconds and bring the total number of trains operating on the line to 152 pairs.[11] The trains are expected to fully enter revenue service after testing by December 26, 2010.[10][12] On December 26, 2010, the line will operate with 6 pairs of the retrofitted VAL 256's and 25-29 pairs of the Innovia 256's. By December 27, the ratio is expected to increase, with 10 pairs of VAL 256's and 40 pairs of the Innovia 256's.[12]

Stations

690px

Code Station Name Transfer Location
English Chinese
B11 Taipei Nangang Exhibition Center 南港展覽館 Bannan-Tucheng Line Nangang Taipei
B10 Nangang Software Park 南港軟體園區
B9 Donghu 東湖 Neihu
B8 Huzhou 葫洲
B7 Dahu Park 大湖公園
B6 Neihu 內湖
B5 Wende
(Bihu Park)
文德
(碧湖公園)
B4 Gangqian 港墘
B3 Xihu 西湖
B2 Jiannan Road
(Miramar)
劍南路
(美麗華)
Circular Line (2015) Zhongshan
B1 Dazhi
(Shih Chien University)
大直
(實踐大學)
BR1 Songshan Airport 松山機場 Songshan
BR2 Zhongshan Junior High School 中山國中 Zhongshan
Songshan
→ Continues through Wenshan Line

Neihu Depot

The depot is located in the northeastern section of Nankang Software Park. The facility is 600 meters long, 120 meters wide, and covers and area of 7.21 hectares. Upon completion of its maintenance facilities, the Neihu Depot will take over as the major maintenance center from the existing Wenshan Depot.[13]

References

  1. 內湖線則採用膠輪/鋼軌系統,中心線間距為1,880mm。此外,木柵線因採膠輪/水泥軌道系統,一般來說並無軌距之分,但其凸出於路面的兩條行車水泥軌枕,中心線間距為1,880mm。
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  4. http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/taiwan/archives/2008/08/05/2003419476
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  9. 內湖線恢復營運 乘客仍擔心再出狀況 (中央通訊社)
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