Taiwan’s Push Car Railways
Did you know that the first push car railway was Taiwan’s first transportation system? Yes, you heard (well, read) me right. The push car railways were a historic transportation system of Taiwan.
It started to be used in Taiwan after the country was considered an independent country. When they were ceded from Japan, the car system was brought to Taiwan and went into service since 1895 to the late 1940s. It initiated the development of the steam locomotion system in Taiwan.
The car doesn’t have powertrain parts nor fuel parts as it is manually propel using human strength. It is also operated in narrow gauge railways that measure up to 18 to 20 inches.
The foundation of the car is made up of a platform where railway wheels are attached. There are raised poles attached to the platform where the operator uses it to propel the vehicle. The vehicle can accommodate 4 passengers but mostly, these vehicles only accept two people especially on passenger cars. The car is only capable of carrying 450 pounds max.
Push cars railways were first seen on Tainan to Kaohsiung and this line was completed in December of 1895. The car was at peak between 1920s to mid-1930s. It ran on areas like western, coastal Taiwan, running from Taipei to Kaohsiung. The car is made to travel across waterways and ran across inclined terrain. But the push car suddenly disappears after modern cars were discovered.
Now, you can only see these historical push cars in museums in Taiwan. And it is also quite interesting to take a look at them.
