Wenshan Line

Wenshan Line 文山線
VALs at reverse siding at Zhongshan Junior High School station, as of 2008.
Info
Type	People mover system
System	Taipei Metro
Status	Operational
Locale	Taipei, Taiwan
Termini	Zhongshan Junior High School Taipei Zoo
Stations	12
Daily ridership	91,400 (December 2008)[1]
Operation
Opened	March 28, 1996
Owner	DORTS
Operator(s)	Taipei Rapid Transit System
Rolling stock	CITYFLO 650 VAL 256
Technical
Line length	10.9 km (6.8 mi)
Track gauge	Rubber-tired, 1,435mm
Electrification	1500V Third-rail DC
Route map Muzha Depot Taipei Zoo Transfer to Maokong Gondola  Circular Line to National Chengchi University  Muzha Wanfang Community Wanfang Hospital Xinhai Fuzhou Mountain Tunnel Linguang  Yellow Line to Y38  Liuzhangli  Yellow Line to Y40  Technology Building  Xinyi Line to Anhe Road  Daan  Xinyi Line to Daan Forest Park   Nangang Line to Zhongxiao Xinsheng  Zhongxiao Fuxing  Nangang Line to Zhongxiao Dunhua   Songshan Line to Taipei Stadium  Nanjing East Road  Songshan Line to Songjiang Nanjing  Zhongshan Junior High School  Neihu Line to Songshan Airport  This route map:  view • talk • edit

The Taipei Metro Wenshan Line (pastly called Muzha Line before October 8, 2009) is an elevated, medium-capacity line in Taipei, Taiwan. It was the first line on the Taipei Rapid Transit System, consisting of 12 stations over 10.9 km.^[2] Opened in March 28, 1996 after construction delays compounded with legal tussles, the fully-elevated people mover system is driverless and fully automated.^[3] A full-length journey on the line takes 22 minutes, and it is labelled as part of the Brown Line on the Taipei Metro. Currently, services are operated using 4-car Bombardier CITYFLO 650 rolling stock and directly connect to the Neihu Line.

History

Construction of the Wenshan Line began in December 1988 at a cost of NT$42.6 billion.^[3] It was plagued by controversy, cost overruns and technical problems from its development up to a few years after its opening.^[4] Originally slated to commerce passenger service in December 1991, its revenue operation was repeatedly delayed up to 28 March 1996 owing to numerous accidents. Public confidence was shakened as incidents of lightning strikes, computer failures, two instances of rolling stock derailment and catching fire each were reported during the testing phase.^[3][2] In 1999, cracks were found on the elevated pillars forcing the line to shut down temporarily.^[4]

One of the largest suppliers for the system, Matra, which supplied the VAL 256 rolling stock and electrical systems for the line sued the Department of Rapid Transit Systems of the Taipei City Government for costs overruns claiming to have resulted from the latter failing to provide the necessary infrastructure to build the line.^[3][5] Subsequently, the company pulled out of the operation of the line in 1994.^[3] Chen Shui Bian, then Mayor of Taipei declared that progress and operation of the line would continue despite the walkout in the now-popular catchphrase "馬特拉不拉，我們自己拉" (lit: If Matra doesn't pull, we'd pull it ourselves). After a 12-year long legal tussle, in 2005, Matra was awarded NT$1.6 billion (approx. US$50 million) in damages by the Supreme Court of the Republic of China.^[6][7]

Services on the Wenshan Line began with two-car operation of the VAL 256 coupled together. Eventually, increasing patronage on the system led to operation in four-car configurations. The opening of Maokong Gondola in 2007 have also boosted passenger numbers travelling on the line to Taipei Zoo for transfer.

The Wenshan Line is connected to the Neihu Line, which opened in July 2009. It connects to Neihu and Taipei Songshan Airport, which currently has no rapid transit access.^[2] Since an alternative contractor Bombardier was awarded to supply the rolling stock and the signaling system for the new line, the Wenshan Line's signaling system was converted to suit the new communication-based train control (CBTC) CITYFLO 650 to allow both the old Matra rolling stock and the new Bombardier rolling stock to run in co-existence.^[2]

Rolling stock

The line is operated by the 2-car driverless VAL 256 built in 1993. A total of 102 cars were built with a maximum capacity of 114 passengers each. The fleet runs on rubber-tyred track at a maximum speed of 80 km/h.

Stations

All stations are fully equipped with platform screen doors and disabled-accessible facilities.

Station Name			Area	Transfer
Hanyu Pinyin	Tongyong Pinyin	Chinese
Muzha Line
← Continues through to the ■Neihu Line
Zhongshan Junior High School	Jhongshan Junior High School	中山國中	Zhongshan, Taipei Songshan, Taipei
Nanjing East Road		南京東路		■Songshan Line (2013)
Zhongxiao Fuxing	Jhongsiao Fusing	忠孝復興	Daan, Taipei	■Nangang Line
Daan	Da-an	大安		■Xinyi Line (2012)
Technology Building		科技大樓
Liuzhangli	Lioujhangli	六張犁	Daan, Taipei Xinyi, Taipei
Linguang		麟光
Xinhai	Sinhai	辛亥	Wenshan, Taipei
Wanfang Hospital		萬芳醫院
Wanfang Community		萬芳社區
Muzha	Mujha	木柵
Taipei Zoo		動物園		■Circular Line Maokong Gondola

References

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Taipei MRT#Brown Line: Muzha Line and Neihu Line