Once a lifeline for transporting lumber during Japan’s colonial rule in Taiwan, the Alishan Forest Railway has since become a breathtaking mode of slow travel. In part two of our five-part series “Where’s the Chiayi County Chief Taking Us?” Andrew Ryan boards the iconic Alishan Forest Railway and uncovers the story behind Taiwan’s best-known train station meal. He also encounters the goddess Mazu, an unlikely passenger on one of the first trains to the summit after a 15-year hiatus for renovations.
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00:00The ultimate mode of slow travel, a century-old Taiwanese train route known as one of the
00:22most beautiful high mountain railways in the world.
00:26This is the Alishan Forest Railway, built during the Japanese occupation of Taiwan to
00:31transport lumber down from the mountains.
00:34It entered service in 1912.
00:37But after they put an end to logging in 1963, the railway became a popular tourist attraction.
00:56The unique way the railway was built is a huge draw for train nerds like me.
01:08There are spiral-shaped tracks and curved alignments that hug the mountains, in addition
01:14to the zigzagging switchbacks.
01:17Together, these help the train climb 2,400 meters over a 78-kilometer journey.
01:23The railway is not only one of Taiwan's most renowned cultural landmarks, it's also the
01:28highest narrow-gauge train route in all of Asia.
01:32But the high altitude also makes the railway vulnerable to the elements.
01:36In 2009, Typhoon Morakot brought the worst flooding in 50 years, washing out sections
01:42of the track.
01:44The only way to get to the top was by bus.
01:47After 15 years of repairs, they've finally restored service to the entire line, with
01:53some new options for train buffs.
02:15One of the first new trains bringing travelers to the top had a very unusual passenger on board.
02:21This is incredible.
02:22This is the first time that I've ever seen anything like this, and they tell me it's
02:26the first time they've ever done this.
02:28Basically, it's the goddess Matu, who is one of the most popular goddesses in all of Taiwan,
02:33the goddess of the sea.
02:34She's come down from Jiayu City, and she's come up to the top of this most popular tourist
02:39destination of all of Taiwan, bringing blessings and good wishes for all the people on the way.
02:44I've never seen a goddess take a train before.
02:47I guess she has to fit into a seat as well.
02:51One of the biggest draws for visitors to this train station, Fenqi Hu, is the bento box lunches
03:00called biandang in Taiwan.
03:02In the old days, the early morning train from Jiayu City would arrive here by midday.
03:07Lumberjacks and tourists would hop off and grab lunch while workers changed the engines
03:12on the train.
03:13At its peak, this diner sold thousands of biandang every day.
03:19Now, the fourth generation owner has given each biandang a special name.
03:49One of the most popular offerings is called the engine driver.
03:56It contains chicken, rice, several fresh local veggies, and plums pickled with tea grown
04:03right here in these mountains.
04:05These days, you can buy Fenqi Hu boxed lunches at convenience stores all across Taiwan.
04:11But that doesn't stop people from making tracks back up the mountain for the taste of days
04:17gone by.
04:18Devin Tsai, Joseph Wu, Peachy Zhuang, and Andrew Ryan for Taiwan Plus.
04:26Coming up in part three of our series, we're going to take a look at the most popular
04:30Here's a hint.
04:31It's a condiment that packs a punch.