Railroads at Night: Secret Lives of Rail Workers - The Railway Romances Ep6

Reporter/Provider - TaiwanPlus
Publish Date -
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What happens when trains derail? Find out how railway workers speed to the rescue to get trains back in commission after earthquakes and other natural disasters throw them off track. When the evening’s last train leaves the station and most of the city is asleep in their beds, a new set of rail workers comes out onto the train tracks to begin their day’s work. In the middle of the night, railroad track inspectors, repairmen and engineers check the tracks for damage and perform construction, sometimes while night trains continue to run! During the day, even more rail workers perform their duties in the shunting and marshaling yards. Shunters put carriages in order for the day’s runs and move non-operational carriages out of the way. The job of a shunter requires a strong memory and lots of advanced planning. Marshaling, on the other hand, involves cleaning and processing incoming carriages so they are prepared to return promptly to service on the rails. Although most railway crossings in Taiwan are no longer designed to accommodate foot traffic, three railroad crossings on the island still require crossing guards! One of the busiest is located on Chenggong Road in the northern city of Keelung. This bustling shopping street stays safe thanks to the hard work of TRA crossing guards. Safety is a number one priority for the TRA, but despite rigorous emergency training, train crashes and accidents cannot always be prevented. When natural disasters like earthquakes strike the island, they can cause train derailments and damage to TRA facilities. Thankfully, TRA employees spring to action when disaster strikes, working efficiently to get all trains back in working order.

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The Railway Romances

This six-episode series introduces unique aspects of the Taiwanese railway. Jump aboard as host Andrew Chau reveals the often-overlooked romance of Taiwan’s railroad. From the beauty of the Western Trunk line to the famous TRA bentos, uncover some hidden railway secrets right here.