Takao Railway Museum

Takao Railway Museum
舊打狗驛故事館
Map
Former name
Takow Station
Established24 October 2010[1]
LocationGushan, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
Coordinates22°37′18″N 120°16′35″E / 22.62167°N 120.27639°E / 22.62167; 120.27639
Typerailway museum
WebsiteOfficial website

The Takao Railway Museum (traditional Chinese: 舊打狗驛故事館; simplified Chinese: 旧打狗驿故事馆; pinyin: Jiù Dǎ Gǒu Yì Gùshìguǎn) is a museum in Gushan District, Kaohsiung, Taiwan.

History

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The former Kaohsiung Harbor Station

The museum was formerly the Kaohsiung Harbor Station, built during the Japanese period. Then called the Takow Station (Japanese: 打狗停車場), the station was the first railway station in Kaohsiung. In 2003, the station building was designated a historical building by the Kaohsiung City Government.

On 9 November 2008, the last train departed from the station at 5.30 p.m.[2] After the station closure, the Railway Culture Society managed the station as the Takao Railway Museum. The museum is currently part of the Kaohsiung Museum of History.

Architecture

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The museum building was built in a classic Japanese style with a Chinese hip style roof. Area in front of the station was planted in huge coconut trees.

Exhibition

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The museum provides books about railroads and exhibitions of relics from the age of rail.

Locomotives

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The following locomotives are on static display outdoors.

● Steam Passenger Locomotive CT259, which is a Pacific-type (4-6-2 Whyte classification) tender locomotive. It was made in Japan circa 1935, during the Japanese colonial period of Taiwan. It is an example of the Japanese National Railway (JNR) Class C55.

● Steam Freight Locomotive DT609, which is a Consolidation-type (2-8-0 Whyte classification) tender locomotive. It was made in Japan circa 1920s, during the Japanese colonial period of Taiwan. It is an example of the Japanese National Railway (JNR) Class 9600.

● Taiwan Power Company (TaiPower) diesel locomotive number L02, previously used at LinKou Power Station.

● Taiwan Power Company (TaiPower) diesel locomotive number L03.

Transportation

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The museum is accessible within walking distance east from Sizihwan Station of the Kaohsiung MRT Orange Line.[citation needed]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "Taiwan Culture Portal - Takao Railway Museum: Where Living Antiques Tell Stories". culture.tw. Archived from the original on 26 April 2015. Retrieved 22 August 2014.
  2. ^ "Takao Railway Museum is now open in Kaohsiung | Travel Kaohsiung". travelkaohsiung.com. Retrieved 22 August 2014.
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