Alishan Forest Railway and Cultural Heritage

In 1899, the Japanese planned and constructed the Alishan Railway to transport timber. It features a gauge of 762 millimeters, a maximum gradient of 6.25%, and a minimum curve radius of 40 meters. In 1912, the 66.6-kilometer section from Chiayi to Erwanping was opened. In 1914, it was extended to Alishan, and branch lines were gradually added, bringing the total length to 71.4 kilometers. The entire line ascends from Chiayi, at an elevation of 30 meters, all the way to Alishan, at 2,216 meters, passing through 47 tunnels and 72 bridges. Along the route, visitors can appreciate the changing plant species across different forest zones (tropical, subtropical, and temperate), as well as beautiful mountains and valleys. The Alishan Forest Railway is divided into two sections: the plains section from Chiayi to Zhuqi (14.2 kilometers) and the mountain section from Zhuqi to Alishan (57.2 kilometers). When the train operates in a pushing manner to Dulishan (Independent Mountain), it must spiral around the mountain three times (approximately five kilometers long and two hundred meters high) to reach its summit, accommodating the steep terrain. As the train winds its way up, passengers can see the Camphor Tree Station (Zhangnaoliao) below them thrice, appearing alternately on the left and right, before the railway leaves Dulishan in a figure-eight shape. From Pingzhena Station to the first switch, the railway zigzags forward in a Z-shape. As it passes through three switches, the train sometimes pulls forward and sometimes pushes backward, eventually reaching Alishan, thus earning it the nickname “Alishan train hitting the wall” (Alishan train switchback). The Alishan Forest Railway, once built for collecting timber and transporting daily necessities, has now transformed into a scenic railway for forest tourism. In 1984 (Minguo 73), after the introduction of the “Alishan Express,” a fast train with a travel time of only 3 hours and 15 minutes, the original steam locomotives and decommissioned carriages were renovated into uniquely themed carriage hotels and an old steam locomotive exhibition area, located next to Zhaoping Station, offering visitors accommodation and a chance to admire them. In 1986 (Minguo 75), the Zhushan Branch Line, independently developed by Taiwanese engineers, opened. It is 6.25 kilometers long, starting from Alishan New Station and winding through high mountains at an altitude of 2,216 to 2,451 meters, passing through Shizi (Cross) Switch and then towards Duigaoyue to Zhushan. This was the first high-mountain railway built by the Taiwanese, specifically for viewing the sunrise at Zhushan. The Mianyue Branch Line, which is 9.2 kilometers long, opened in 1983 (Minguo 72). The train winds through towering mountains at altitudes above 2,000 meters. When you see a giant rock over ten meters high, shaped like a monkey, you have reached the terminal station, the “Stone Monkey Recreation Area.” The White Wood Forest is a unique spectacle of the Stone Monkey Recreation Area. After a forest fire, the short vegetation was burned away, leaving only tall, dead pine and fir trunks. These fire-damaged trees, exposed to wind, sun, rain, and frost, turned white, creating a striking landscape. Arrange a one-hour scenic hike to explore the old-fashioned camphor stills, bamboo shoot kilns, and charcoal kilns within the recreation area, and learn about their production processes through interpretive signs. Pavilions such as Lingfeng Pavilion, Wangxiang Pavilion, and Qixia Pavilion are excellent spots for listening to the rustling pines or admiring the distant Caoling scenery. Additionally, the “Taiwan Pleione Orchid Exhibition Area” showcases the ecological history of Taiwan’s precious and rare wild orchids. The Pleione orchid (Pleione formosana) grows in the Alishan area, blooming annually from February to April, and is named for having only one leaf beneath its flower.