Zen and the Art of Commuter Rail Operations: Taiwan Railways Administration’s Design, Operations, and Philosophy
TRB Paper #11-1301 (PDF here) Alex Lu (corresponding), Amanda N. Marsh
Presented at the 90th Annual Meeting of the Transportation Research Board, Washington D.C., January 2011.
Abstract
This paper offers a review of ideas and practices making Taiwan Railways
Administration (TRA) unique and distinctively different to North American
commuter railroads, based on two weeks’ field observation, published
sources, authors’ cultural knowledge, and discussions with locals. Unlike
most transit systems, TRA accommodates different trip purposes and train
types on shared railway infrastructure, covering areas with varying traffic
densities, travel needs, and geographic features. As an importer of railway
technology, to meet diverse requirements, and because of incremental and
stop-gap measures devised in response to capital budget restrictions, TRA
has needed to embrace, operate, and maintain a wide assortment of different
standards and procedures. This willingness to accept outside designs and
consider functionality/cost/simplicity trade-offs when addressing specific
needs resulted in constantly varying daily routines for management, staff, and
customers. In turn, it may have cultivated expectations of learning curves
with new technologies and continuous training requirements, apparently
resulting in higher skill levels and a more nimble workforce that contributes
to overall higher reliability, tolerance of changes, and nuanced operations
tailored to maximize railway effectiveness. These observations suggest
further research needs for commuter rail authorities: Can infrastructure and
schedules be designed with better cost-flexibility tradeoffs? Should train
priorities be explicit in public schedules? What is an appropriate level of
standardization? Is technology better thought of as workplace assistance and
not functional replacement for employees? Embracing diversity in
engineering and operating solutions could reduce investment costs yet
improve effectiveness by requiring humans to think on their feet.
Illustrations
Underground urban trackage and run-through services make efficient use of assets and available track capacity. An Italian Società Costruzioni Industriali Milano (SOCIMI) EMU300 trainset is being prepared at the Qidu carbarn (left).
Taipei Main Station’s less-crowded underground
platform with a British Rail Engineering
Limited (BREL) EMU100, delivered in 1978 for
the original Taiwan West Coast Mainline
Electrification programme (right).
Taoyuan commuters wait for the South African
Union Carriage & Wagon EMU400 to Qidu. To
support metropolitan growth, Banqiao yard
moved west to Shulin, and Nankang yard east
to Qidu, extending through-running operations (left).
TRA purchased six sets of Hitachi 8-car 130
km/h tilting trains, based on JR Kyushu’s 885-
series design, for US$85 million, to provide
accelerated East Coast services. Locally called
“Taroko trains” after the mountain gorge (right).
An empty unit coal train with an American
Electro-Motive Division (EMD) G12 (TRA R20-
class) locomotive is stored on Taoyuan’s bypass
track, likely recently returned from the Linkou
coal-fired power plant (left).
TRA’s infrastructure designs are targeted
towards scheduled movements. The South
Korean Daewoo EMU500 commuter unit is
being prepared on Hsinchu’s middle track while
an intercity train departs (right).
The express train with streamlined orange
E1000 locomotive is passing a blue local train
using outside bypass tracks at Kueishan (Turtle
Mountain) station on the Yilan Line (right).
Train terminations and transfers occur at
interchanges where double island platforms
and full crossovers are provided. The Japanese
Tokyu DR3000 DMU is departing from Shulin
station, using crossovers for yard access (left).
TRA’s operating practices may be labour
intensive, but resulting service quality is high:
stationmasters’ controls feature departure
bells, schedule simplifiers, and “good to go”
plungers (far left); Hsinchu’s stationmaster (left).
Jingtong station is the terminus of the Pingsi
tourist branch. TRA stations often feature
decorative plants that are painstakingly
maintained. Train crews are immaculately
dressed in blue and white uniforms (right).
With the train safely immobilized, the
commuter EMU’s operator and relief operator
exchange pleasantries on Yilan’s departure
track prior to changing ends and returning to
Hsinchu via Taipei (left).
On long distance trains, cleaners move through
the train while in-service to collect trash from
passengers (right); Sandiaoling’s stationmaster
exchanging tokens (movement authorities)
with Pingsi branch’s operator (far right).
TRA’s fare control occurs at origin, destination,
and en-route. Conductors use portable
thermal ticket printers to sell onboard fares.
50% penalty fare applies for those failing to
purchase tickets before arriving at destination (left).
A delay machine prints proof-of-delay receipts
showing recent train delays. Delays are
typically limited to five to ten minutes. Train
1015 was delayed only 27 minutes despite
requiring substitute equipment (right).
Hsinchu’s exit-only control area (unpaid side)
has modern faregates and volunteer customer
assistance staff. TRA volunteers are a mixture
of retired railway employees, student interns,
and members of the public. (left).
Suao (right) and Yilan (far right) on the East Coast
still have traditional slam gate fare control
areas reliant on manual ticket examination.
Nonetheless, electronic noticeboards provide
real-time customer information.
Advance-purchase ticket machines have touch
screens, reservations, and credit card
capabilities (far left); commuter ticket machines
are simple and robust prepaid-card and cashonly
receipt printers (left).
Valid on TRA for local trips, Taipei Metro’s
EasyCard (right) are also accepted at convenience
stores like Family Mart. Smartcard payments
are allowed for low-value non-transportation
items, like Hong Kong’s Octopus Card.
To maximize passenger throughput, separate
ticket windows provide train information,
today’s tickets, and advance/commutation
tickets. The Buddhist monk is purchasing daily
tickets at Hsinchu station, skipping long queues (left).
Like the Long Island Rail Road, Taiwan has its
own versions of the “Dashing Commuters”.
Underpasses are provided for access to island
platforms. TRA had recycled old rails for
constructing station canopies since the 1950s (right).
Rueifang station’s platform showcase a variety
of customer friendly devices: schedule poster
box, dot-matrix displays, lighted bilingual
signage with icons, security cameras, partially sighted
features, and of course potted plants (left).
Onboard information system (top right) from a
newer EMU700 identifies prior stop (Wudu),
next stop (Baifu), and following stop (Qidu);
flexible scrolling display from older push-pull
sets are similar to platform displays (bottom right).
Many principal stations now have bilingual
Solari-type “flippy-flippies” or LCD screen
departure boards. Delays as short as one
minute late are immediately posted (left).
An authentic TRA bento box (駅弁 or 便當),
offered for sale to passing trains. Originated in
Japan but now ubiquitous throughout Asia, each
region offers its own local flavour (right).
Conclusions
Designing to Expect Disciplined Operations: TRA’s infrastructure is not
foolproof. Employees have to “get it right the first time”.
Scheduling for Priority and Reliability: Schedules and plant require en-route
“checkpoints” and absorb uncontrollable disruptions.
Empowering Local Supervision with System Responsibility: Effective use is
made of constrained infrastructure through significant on-site supervision,
teamwork, peer camaraderie, communication, and hands-on operations.
Appropriate Standardization: Standardization efforts are tempered by local
adaptations and procurement policy. Tolerating some diversity and using
off-the-shelf products may reduce costs and improve effectiveness.
Technology as Workplace Assistance, not Functional Replacement: Automation
is accomplished without compromising employees’ skills or flexibility.
Machines enable employees to perform better, faster, or to multi-task.
Prioritizing Investment Based on Technology Characteristics: TRA’s projects are
ranked by each technology’s specific impacts on operations.
Fare Control Automation: Taiwan implemented faregates to improve
passenger throughputs rather than to remove human presence.
Metropolitan Terminals: Taipei’s downtown tunnel offers insight into how
such projects can be environmentally and politically justified.