Buses Available to Carry Passengers From Hualien to Taitung 台鐵今起 花東啟動接駁規劃.整點發車

The Taiwan Railway Administration has started to repair railway tracks that have been damaged between Taitung and Hualien during the strong earthquakes on Sept. 17 and 18. Highway buses are now available to carry passengers commuting between Taitung and Hualien in the meantime. MOTC Minister Wang Kwo-tsai arrived to Dongli Station to inspect the damages.  

The 6.8 magnitude earthquake on Sept. 18 caused the canopy to collapse at the Taitung Dongli Station and the 6th car of the Tzechiang Express Train no.420 to derail. Several sections of the railway tracks in Taitung got twisted as well and trains could no longer pass. The Taiwan Railway Administration has formed an emergency task force to repair the tracks and damages.

Feng Hui-sheng, Deputy Director, TRA: “The tracks were buckled and warped. We will repair the tracks and in the meantime arrange re-routing services for passengers during this period of time. Everything seems to work together nicely so far since the morning. ”

Wang Kwo-tsai, Minister of Transportation and Communications: “Repairing the eleven warped track sections should be straightforward, but fixing the three bridges is a bit complicated since safety concerns are involved. Preliminary evaluation showed that full bridge repair would take over a month.”

The TRA announced that starting on the 19th, highway buses are available to carry passengers traveling from Hualien to Taitung. Buses leave at the start of each hour from 6 in the morning until 8 in the evening. Many people lined up at Yuli Station in Hualien early in the morning.

Reporter: “Is it inconvenient for you?”

Student: “Yes, a little bit. I just apply for late attendance to class in the afternoon.”

Reporter: “How long does it take to get to Hualien Station now? How much time in addition?”

Bus Driver: “It depends, since we have to stop at each station. About half an hour more.”

Repair has been going on at Yuli Bridge in Hualien as several huge cracks also appeared across the bridge.

花蓮東里火車站月台雨棚掉落，水泥塊散落一地，420次自強號6節車廂出軌傾斜。台東18日發生芮氏規模6.8強震，多處鐵路軌道扭曲變形、無法通行。台鐵指出，已經成立一級緊急應變小組，將由技師會勘後擬定修復計畫。

鐵路局副局長馮輝昇指出：「軌道有挫屈，所以我們剛才講的推進，就是把軌道挫屈的這個部分路段把它修復，（接駁規劃）持續配合工作進行的情形來安排。早上到現在目前整個接駁狀況都還算是良好。」

交通部長王國材表示：「11處軌道這個比較容易，就軌道的處理，但3座橋梁有牽涉到安全的課題，所以要經過鑑定，他們現在初步估計要一個月以上的時間。」

由於軌道受創，台鐵深夜緊急宣布自19日起，花蓮到台東間啟動「類火車」接駁，採整點發車，一早玉里車站前聚集許多民眾前往排隊搭乘。

搭車學生說：「有一點不方便，早上只好請假，下午再上課。」

類火車駕駛預估：「大概會比搭火車的時間再多半個小時。」

台東大地震陸續傳出災情，花蓮玉里大橋路面變形龜裂，工程人員進駐搶修，以人工管制引導交通，預計中午南下側單線雙向通車。