add site
services
publishers
database
health videos
toolbar
stats
live show
health store
more stuff
JOIN/LOGIN
| advertise add site services publishers database health videos
| | about toolbar stats live show health store more stuff JOIN/LOGIN |
Orlando Dentist, Metro West Dentist, Orlando Cosmetic Dentist, Metro... simmondsdentalcenter.com |
The Taipei Rapid Transit System, also known as the MRT (“Metropolitan Rapid Transit”or“Mass Rapid Transit”) or the Taipei Metro, is a rapid transit system serving a large part of the Taipei metropolitan area, Republic of China. The network includes 92.9 km of rail (90.5 km in revenue service) with 80 stations and includes both underground, at-grade, and elevated routes.[1] The system is operated by the Taipei Rapid Transit Corporation or TRTC. Due to its efficiency and affordability, the Taipei Metro system is a common mode of public transport in metropolitan Taipei, with over 1.3 million trips made in an average weekday.[5] In addition to the rapid transit system itself, the TRTC operates several public facilities such as the Maokong Gondola, underground shopping malls, parks, and public squares. Modifications to existing railway lines to further integrate them into the rapid transit system are underway. The Taipei Metro is one of the most expensive rapid transit systems ever constructed, with the completed Phase One of the system costing US$18 billion, and Phase Two (currently under construction) estimated to cost US$13.8 billion upon completion. Since it first began operations in 1996, the system has reduced travel time from one end of Taipei to the other from up to three hours to less than an hour, and has been effective in relieving some of Taipei's traffic congestion problems. The system has also proved effective as a catalyst for urban renewal, as well as increasing tourist traffic to outlying cities such as Danshui.
[edit] Network 
[edit] Operating style[edit] High-capacity lines
[edit] Medium-capacity lines
[edit] History[edit] Initial proposal In 1967, Taiwan's government researched the possibility of constructing a rapid transit network in the Taipei metropolitan area; however, the plan was shelved due to fiscal concerns and the belief that such a system was not urgently needed at the time. With the increase of traffic congestion accompanying economic growth in the 1970s, the need for a rapid transit system became more pressing.[8] In February 1977, the Institute of Transportation (IOT) of the Ministry of Transportation and Communications (MOTC) produced a preliminary rapid transport system report, with the designs of five lines, including U1, U2, U3, S1, and S2, to form a rough sketch of the planned corridors, resulting in the first rapid transit system plan for Taipei.[9] In September 1981, the IOT invited British Mass Transit Consultants (BMTC - a group of British consulting engineers) and China Engineering Consultants, Inc. to form a team and provide in-depth research on the preliminary report.[9] In 1982, the Taipei City Government commissioned National Chiao Tung University to do a research and feasibility study on medium-capacity rapid transit systems. In January 1984, the university proposed an initial design for a medium-capacity rapid transit system in Taipei City, including plans for Line 1 and Line 2 of the medium-capacity metro system.[9] [edit] Initial NetworkIn March 1, 1985, the Executive Yuan Council for Economic Planning and Development signed a treaty with the Taipei Transport Council, made up of three American consultant firms, to do overall research on a rapid transit system in metropolitan Taipei. Apart from corrections made to the initial proposal, Line 1 of the medium capacity metro system was also included into the network. In 1986, the initial network design of the Taipei Metro by the Council for Economic Planning and Development was passed by the Executive Yuan although the network corridors were not certain. In 1987, the Department of Rapid Transit System (DORTS) was established. Apart from preparing for the construction of the metro system, DORTS also made small corrections on the metro corridor. The 6 lines proposed on the initial network were:[9]
[edit] The 6 linesThe Executive Yuan approved the initial network plan for the system on May 27, 1986. Construction on the TRTS began on December 15, 1988. The growing traffic problems of the time, compounded by road closures due to TRTS construction led to what became popularly known as the "Dark Age of Taipei Traffic". The TRTS was the center of political controversy during its construction and shortly after the opening of its first line in 1996 due to incidents such as computer malfunction during a thunderstorm, alleged structural problems in some elevated segments, budget overruns, and fare prices. The system opened on March 28, 1996 the 10.5 km Wenshan Line (formerly Muzha Line), a medium-capacity line with twelve stations running from Zhongshan Junior High School to Taipei Zoo. The first high-capacity line, the Danshui Line, was opened on March 28, 1997 running from Danshui to Zhongshan Station. On December 24, 1999, a section of the Banqiao/Nangang Line was opened between Longshan Temple and Taipei City Hall. This section became the first east-west line running through the city, connecting the two previously completed north-south lines. On May 31, 2006, the second stage of the Banqiao / Nangang Line and the Tucheng Line began operation. On July 4, 2009 with the opening of the Neihu Line, the last of the six original lines was completed. Due to controversy on whether to construct an elevated or underground line, construction of the line did not start until 2002.[10] [edit] Important EventsOn September 17, 2001, Typhoon Nari flooded all underground tracks, as well as 16 stations, the heavy-capacity system operation control center, the administration building and the Nangang Depot.[11] The elevated Wenshan Line was not seriously affected and resumed operations the next day; however, the heavy-capacity lines were not restored to full operational status until three months later. Following this incident, the TRTS has devoted more resources to flood prevention in the underground system. On July 4, 2007, the Maokong Gondola, a new aerial lift/cable-car system, was opened to public. The system connects Taipei Zoo, Zhinan Temple and Maokong. Service was suspended on October 1, 2008 due to erosion from mudslides under a support pillar.[12] [edit] ImpactDespite earlier controversy, by the time the first phase of construction was completed in 2000, it was generally agreed that the metro project was a success, since becoming an essential part of life in Taipei. Since Taipei Metro joined the Nova International Railway Benchmarking Group and the Community of Metros (Nova/CoMET) in 2002, it has started collecting and analyzing data of the 33 Key Performance Indicators set by Nova/CoMET in order to compare them with those of other metro systems around the world, as a reference to improve its operation. Taipei Metro also has gained keys to success from case studies on different subjects such as safety, reliability, and incidents, and from the operational experiences of other metro systems.[13]. According to a study conducted by the Railway Technology Strategy Centre of Imperial College,[14] and data gathered by Nova/CoMET, the Taipei Metro has ranked number 1 in the world for four consecutive years in terms of reliability, safety and quality standards. [edit] Operations The Taipei Metro serves an average of 1.32 million passengers every day.[5] The metro system operates from 6 am to midnight daily,[15] with extended services during special events. The trains operate at intervals of 1.5 to 15 minutes (depending on time of day and network line).[16][15] Smoking is forbidden in the entire metro system, and eating, drinking, chewing of gum and betel nuts are forbidden within the yellow line of each station.[17] The system operates according to a spoke-hub distribution paradigm, with most rail lines running radially outward from central Taipei. A circle line (Yellow Line) is planned to facilitate passenger movements between lines without having to travel all the way into the central city. The Taipei Metro currently operates within the following districts of metropolitan Taipei:
After future expansion of the network corridor (approved lines), service will be expanded to:[7]
After further expansion of the network corridor (planned lines), service will be expanded to:[18]
 [edit] Automatic fare collection systemRFID IC Tokens and EasyCard smart cards are used to collect fares for day-to-day use, with the exception of group tickets and bicycle access tickets (which use paper tickets).[19] Fares range from NT$20 to NT$65 with most locations accessible for around NT$20-30. Stations are extremely crowded during rush hours, especially downtown stations such as Taipei Main Station. Tourist attractions such as the Shilin Night Market and Danshui quickly fill up nearby stations during evenings and weekends. Automated station announcements are recorded in Mandarin, Taiwanese, Hakka, and English.[20] [edit] FareThe fare for the first 5 km on a one-way ticket is NT$20, and each additional 3 km costs an extra NT$5, up to NT$65. A 20% discount applies on an EasyCard. The table below shows the fare versus the distance.
Senior EasyCard passengers enjoy a 60% discount on the above fares.[19] Easy Card users receive half-price discounts automatically on connecting bus routes from and towards the Metro stations. [edit] Bicycle accessEach passenger is allowed access with one bicycle during weekends at certain stations for NT$80.[19] [edit] One-day ticketAvailable at NT$200 inclusive of an NT$50 deposit, the one-day ticket can be used for travel throughout the entire metro system (excluding the Maokong Gondola) for one person for the duration of the day the card is first used.[19] [edit] Facilities[edit] Stations The Taipei Metro provides an obstacle-free environment within the entire system, all stations and trains are handicapped accessible. Features include:[21][22][23]
To accommodate the increasing numbers of passengers, all metro stations have replaced turnstiles with speedgates since 2007, and single journey magnetic cards have been replaced by RFID Tokens.[25] TRTS provides free mobile phone connection in all stations, trains and tunnels and also provides WiFi WLAN connections at several station hotspots.[26]  [edit] PlatformsMost stations on high-capacity lines have island platform configurations while a few have side platform configurations, and vice versa for medium-capacity lines (Neihu and Wenshan). All high-capacity metro stations have a 150 m (490 ft)-long platform to accommodate all six train cars on a typical metro train. The width of the platform and concourse depends on the amount of transit; the largest stations include Taipei Main Station, Zhongxiao Fuxing Station, and Ximen Station. Each station is equipped with LED displays and LCD TVs which display the time of arrival of the next train. All Brown Line stations are equipped with platform screen doors. Key transfer stations, including the Taipei Main Station and Zhongxiao Fuxing Station, have platform gates to prevent passengers and other objects from falling onto the rails. For safety reasons, additional stations will be equipped with these gates in the future. When the final phase of construction is complete, each platform will serve only one line. However, in the meantime, some platforms serve trains on 2 or more lines. [edit] Shopping centresThe TRTC owns many shopping centres and malls in and around its stations,[27] including:
 [edit] Public artworksIn the initial network, important stations such as intersection stations, terminals and stations with heavy passenger flow were chosen for the installation of public art. The principles behind the locations of public art were visual focus and non-interference with passenger circulation and construction schedules. The artworks included murals, children's mosaic collages, sculptures, hung forms, spatial art, interactive art, and window displays. The selection methods included open competitions, invitational competitions, direct assignments and cooperation with children. Stations with public art displays include: Shuanglian, NTU Hospital, Chiang Kai-Shek Memorial Hall, Guting, Gongguan, Xindian, Xiaobitan, Dingxi, Nanshijiao, Taipei City Hall, Kunyang, Nangang, Haishan, and Tucheng. Stations with art galleries include: Zhongshan, Chiang Kai-Shek Memorial Hall, Zhongxiao Fuxing, and Taipei Main Station. The promotion for artwork continues today - the Department of Rapid Transit is holding a bid on providing public large scale artwork for the interiors of the forthcoming Sanchong Station. The bid is placed at over NTD 9 million. [28] [edit] TransitTransfers to the Taipei Bus System are available at all stations. Connections to Taiwan Railway Administration trains are available at Taipei Main Station, Banqiao Station, and Nangang Station. Connections to Taiwan High Speed Rail are served by Taipei Main Station and Banqiao Station. Taipei Songshan Airport is served by the Songshan Airport Station.[29] [edit] Rolling stockRolling stocks on the Taipei Metro are multiple unit rolling stocks, using a third rail to provide electricity (750 volts DC) for propulsion, and are each equipped with automatic train operation (ATO) for a partial or complete automatic train piloting and driverless functions. [edit] Medium-capacity trains The medium-capacity trains are rubber-tired trains with no onboard train operators but are operated remotely by the medium-capacity system operation control center. The Wenshan Line uses the fixed-block Automatic Train Control (ATC) system. Each train consists of two 2-car Electric Multiple Unit (EMU) sets, with a total of 4 cars. Each car is separate and not interconnected; passengers cannot walk between cars except when the train stops at a station. The Wenshan Line uses the VAL 256 cars, with the two VAL 256 cars in the same set sharing the same road number. As a result of this numbering scheme, the 102 cars of the VAL fleet have car numbers from 1 to 51. In June 2003, Bombardier was awarded a contract to supply the Neihu Line mass transit system, which includes manufacture of 202 cars, installing the communications-based CITYFLO 650 moving-block ATC system to replace the current fixed-block ATC and retrofitting the existing 102 VAL 256 cars with the CITYFLO 650 ATC system. Integration of Bombardier's trains with the existing Wenshan Line has proven to be difficult, with multiple system malfunctions and failures along the Wenhu Line (Wenshan/Neihu lines).[30] [edit] Heavy-capacity trains The heavy capacity trains are steel-tired trains each operated by a train operator on board. These cars are computer-controlled. The operator, who is both motorman and conductor, is responsible for opening and closing the doors and making occasional special announcements. ATC controls all train movements - braking, acceleration and speed control, but can be manually overridden by the operator in the case of an emergency. In each cab there is a fully digital console with train controls. Each train consists of two 3-car Electric Multiple Unit (EMU) sets with a total of 6 cars. Each 3-car EMU set is permanently coupled as DM-T-M, where DM is the motor car with cab, T is a trailer car and M is the motor car without cab. Each motor car has two AC traction motors. The configuration of a 6-car train is DM-T-M-M-T-DM. All cars are interconnected by passage links to allow passengers to pass freely between cars. In Set XXX, the road number of a DM car is 1XXX, the road number of a T car is 2XXX and the road number of an M car is 3XXX. The table below shows the set numbers of the heavy-capacity car types, which include Types C301, C321, C341 and C371. For example, if the car numbers of a C301 train is 1001-2001-3001-3002-2002-1002, two C301 sets 001 and 002 form this train. A single set cannot be in revenue service except C371 single sets 397-399, where their M car is exactly a DM car despite its car number being 3XXX. These single sets run exclusively on Xinbeitou Branch Line and Xiaobitan Branch Line. Before the C371 single sets were in revenue service on July 22, 2006, the M cars of C301 sets 013-014 were converted to temporary cab cars to run the Xinbeitou Branch Line. [edit] Fleet roster
[edit] Future Expansion[edit] Lines Under ConstructionThe following lines are currently under construction:[7][40]
[edit] Planned LinesThe following lines are currently in the planning stages:[18]
[edit] See also
[edit] References and notes
[edit] External links
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ↑ top of page ↑ | about thumbshots |
