More Taiwan Railway Administration construction accidents and issues again raise alarm on rail system safety. The Transportation and Communications Minister Wang Kwo-tsai was outraged and ordered that the construction department head be removed.
One passenger shared on social media a video of the Tze-chiang Express train ride heading north to Taipei from Changhua on Nov. 30. The train ride was very shaky and the passenger cars shook like they were about to disintegrate. The Taiwan Railway Administration (TRA) said the shakiness was caused by worn-out train wheels and they have been replaced.
Cheng Kuo-hsi, Deputy Director, Transportation Dept., TRA: “We did inspection afterwards and discovered that there are eight wheels that are worn out. We will get the wheels reprofiled at the factory. ”
Two more incidents occurred on Dec. 1. One being a Taroko Express train getting hit by a falling steel pile while the other being the passenger cars of the Fuxing local trains separating from each other. Lawmakers questioned the TRA's efforts on improving operational safety. They said all kinds of resources have been given but accidents still happen frequently.
Chiu Chen-yuan, Legislator (TPP): “Official TRA figures show that there have been 33 train accidents this year up till August. 23 of these accidents involve people running across the tracks and six derailment incidents. ”
Lee Kun-tse, Legislator (DPP):＂The head of the TRA's construction department has been removed from his post. Being upset can't solve any problem. The construction department head was new to his post.＂
Hung Meng-kai, Legislator (KMT): “It's been half a year since (the Taroko Express derailment). The government did nationwide inspections on TRA construction sites, but it seems like we have not improved on safety and protection. ”
Wang Kwo-tsai, MOTC Minister: “A lot of problems occur on the site. I am requiring all heads to the four major TRA units overseeing train travel safety to further delve into what's actually going on at every construction site. ”
Transportation and Communications Minister Wang Kwo-tsai said TRA has been working quite hard these months but more effort needs to be done. He has requested all management heads to personally oversee issues going on at TRA construction sites. Besides handling the latest train accidents and issues and removing related officials from their posts, Wang will also roll out an investigation on all contractors involved.
旅客在社群網站分享影片，在11月30日搭乘台鐵自強號，從彰化北上前往台北，結果車廂一路劇烈搖晃，就像開車在石子路面的感覺，抖到像是車廂就要解體。對此台鐵證實，這是車輪磨耗不均導致，目前已經進行更換。
台鐵機務處副處長鄭國璽說：「經過我們返段檢查之後，我們發現他的8個車輪都有磨耗的現象，所以車輪我們都會重新進廠，去做一個旋削。」
台鐵接連出狀況，打擊旅客信心，12月1日當天，就連續發生太魯閣號被鋼軌樁砸中車頭，復興號開車開到車廂分離，被立委質疑，台鐵揚言改革，要錢給錢要車給車，但還是事故不斷，每次都要等發生事情，才來檢討，看不出有改善的跡象。
民眾黨立委邱臣遠表示:「今年台鐵事故的統計資料，截至8月為止已經發生至少33件一般的事故，其中包含23件民眾誤闖軌道事件，跟6起火車的出軌事故。」
民進黨立委李昆澤也指出:「工務處的處長也換了，震怒能夠解決事情嗎，這個處長剛上來也沒多久。」
國民黨立委洪孟楷則說：「（太魯閣出軌）事件之後到現在，過去這半年，檢視了所有全台灣的工地，我們的防護沒有做到到位嘛。」
交通部長王國材說：「運工機電4個處長，我覺得現在問題很多都在第一線，所以我要求4個處長要深度地方來了解每一個工地的狀況。」
交通部長王國材坦言台鐵改革中儘管同仁非常努力，但明顯還有許多機制要加強，要求未來，主管都要到第一線，掌握狀況。對於12月1日太魯閣被砸中，差點釀成4月出軌翻版，已經要求台鐵的工務處長、宜蘭工務段長處理完後續，1週內調職處分。另外也將調查廠商、監造商是否有疏失。