The Maokong Gondola ( traditional Chinese : 貓空纜車 ; simplified Chinese : 猫空缆车 ; pinyin : Māokōng Lǎnchē ) is a gondola lift transportation system in Taipei , Taiwan . Opened on 4 July 2007, the Maokong Gondola operates between Taipei Zoo and Maokong . The 4.3 km (2.7 mi) line has four passenger stations. The facilities of the gondola were contracted to the French company Poma .
114-574: The line has four stations: On leaving Zhinan Temple or Maokong Stations, regular and frequent minibus services can ferry visitors to destinations around the Maokong area. Minibus services can also deliver passengers directly back to the Taipei Zoo MRT station. When operating, the fares are based on the number of stations traveled: Concessional fares are available to disability and seniors aged over 65. Fares can be paid by either purchasing
228-420: A cross-platform interchange : Chiang Kai-Shek Memorial Hall, Guting, Dongmen and Ximen. Both lines' tracks in one direction use the lower floor, while both lines' tracks in the other direction use the upper floor. Dongmen station is unique in that the directions of travel on each floor are reversed, so that there's a cross-platform interchange when travelling between the city center and the suburbs. Each station
342-444: A third rail at 750 volts direct current. Each train is equipped with automatic train operation (ATO) for a partial or complete automatic train piloting and driverless functions. The medium-capacity trains of Wenhu line are 1,880 mm ( 6 ft 2 in ) broad gauge rubber-tired trains with no onboard train operators but are operated remotely by the medium-capacity system operation control center. It initially used
456-736: A tunnel can be regionally called a subway , tube , metro or underground . They are sometimes grade-separated on elevated railways , in which case some are referred to as el trains – short for "elevated" – or skytrains . Rapid transit systems are railways , usually electric , that unlike buses or trams operate on an exclusive right-of-way , which cannot be accessed by pedestrians or other vehicles. Modern services on rapid transit systems are provided on designated lines between stations typically using electric multiple units on railway tracks . Some systems use guided rubber tires , magnetic levitation ( maglev ), or monorail . The stations typically have high platforms, without steps inside
570-508: A 150 m (490 ft) long platform to accommodate all six-train cars on a typical metro train (with the exception of Xiaobitan ). The width of the platform and concourse depends on the volume of transit; the largest stations include Taipei Main Station , Taipei City Hall , and Ximen . Some other transfer stations, including Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall , Guting , and Songjiang Nanjing , also have wide platforms. Several stations have
684-425: A body of water), which are potential congestion sites but also offer an opportunity for transfers between lines. Ring lines provide good coverage, connect between the radial lines and serve tangential trips that would otherwise need to cross the typically congested core of the network. A rough grid pattern can offer a wide variety of routes while still maintaining reasonable speed and frequency of service. A study of
798-454: A code for its stations. Unlike that of Singapore's MRT, it is mostly numbers. Based on the line number, for example Sinyongsan station, is coded as station 429. Being on Line 4, the first number of the station code is 4. The last two numbers are the station number on that line. Interchange stations can have multiple codes. Like City Hall station in Seoul which is served by Line 1 and Line 2. It has
912-651: A code of 132 and 201 respectively. The Line 2 is a circle line and the first stop is City Hall, therefore, City Hall has the station code of 201. For lines without a number like Bundang line it will have an alphanumeric code. Lines without a number that are operated by KORAIL will start with the letter 'K'. With widespread use of the Internet and cell phones globally, transit operators now use these technologies to present information to their users. In addition to online maps and timetables, some transit operators now offer real-time information which allows passengers to know when
1026-419: A computer managed ticketing system, instructing passengers to enter the queue at a specified time. Currently, the price for taking a crystal cabin is the same as that of regular cabins. The cost of each cabin modification was NT$ 200,000. Taipei Metro Taipei Metro (also known as Taipei Mass Rapid Transit ( MRT ) and branded as Metro Taipei ) is a rapid transit system operated by
1140-583: A conventional track is often provided in case of flat tires and for switching . There are also some rubber-tired systems that use a central guide rail , such as the Sapporo Municipal Subway and the NeoVal system in Rennes , France. Advocates of this system note that it is much quieter than conventional steel-wheeled trains, and allows for greater inclines given the increased traction of
1254-405: A dedicated right-of-way are typically used only outside dense areas, since they create a physical barrier in the urban fabric that hinders the flow of people and vehicles across their path and have a larger physical footprint. This method of construction is the cheapest as long as land values are low. It is often used for new systems in areas that are planned to fill up with buildings after the line
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#17327725699811368-465: A driverless, medium-capacity line with twelve stations running from Zhongshan Junior High School to Taipei Zoo . The first high-capacity line, the Tamsui–Xinyi line , began service on 28 March 1997, running from Tamsui to Zhongshan , then extended to Taipei Main Station at the end of the year. On 23 December 1998, the system passed the milestone of 100 million passengers. On 24 December 1999,
1482-494: A few times. Violent thunderstorms returned the next day and operation was suspended for a few hours. At 4:50 p.m. on 21 July 2007, the service on the gondola system was suspended for approximately 2 hours due to a mechanical glitch, trapping 323 people on the cable cars. The evacuation took place from 5:50 p.m. through 6:55 p.m. TRTS personnel reimbursed passengers by giving them NT $ 1,058 and free tickets worth NT$ 100 each. The system resumed normal operations at noon
1596-405: A fixed-block automatic train control (ATC) system. Each train consists of two 2-car electric multiple unit (EMU) sets, with a total of 4 cars. The Wenhu line is the only line on the system to have no open-gangway carriages, meaning that passengers cannot move between carriages when the train is moving. The Wenhu line was initially operated with VAL 256 trains cars, where two VAL 256 cars in
1710-418: A large number of factors, including geographical barriers, existing or expected travel patterns, construction costs, politics, and historical constraints. A transit system is expected to serve an area of land with a set of lines , which consist of shapes summarized as "I", "L", "U", "S", and "O" shapes or loops. Geographical barriers may cause chokepoints where transit lines must converge (for example, to cross
1824-652: A large part of the network, for example, in outer suburbs, runs at ground level. In most of Britain , a subway is a pedestrian underpass . The terms Underground and Tube are used for the London Underground . The North East England Tyne and Wear Metro , mostly overground, is known as the Metro . In Scotland , the Glasgow Subway underground rapid transit system is known as the Subway . In Ireland ,
1938-452: A line is obtained by multiplying the car capacity, the train length, and the service frequency . Heavy rapid transit trains might have six to twelve cars, while lighter systems may use four or fewer. Cars have a capacity of 100 to 150 passengers, varying with the seated to standing ratio – more standing gives higher capacity. The minimum time interval between trains is shorter for rapid transit than for mainline railways owing to
2052-615: A metro. In Spain, such systems are present in Madrid , Barcelona , Bilbao and Valencia . In Portugal, Lisbon has a metro. The Italian cities of Catania , Genoa , Milan , Naples , Rome and Turin also have metro lines. In Germany and Austria they rapid transit is known as U-Bahn , which are often supported by S-Bahn systems. In Germany, U-Bahn systems exist in Berlin , Hamburg , Munich and Nuremberg , while in Austria such
2166-465: A mudslide and earthquake eroded pillar T16, which now hung 2.5 meters above ground. The System was then closed for repairs and was reopened before April 2010 after inspectors found that the design, construction method, and engineering quality all met with requirements. Rains associated with Typhoon Jangmi caused erosion around a pillar on the Corner 2 Station. As a result, on 1 October 2008 operations of
2280-553: A rapid transit system became more pressing. In February 1977, the Institute of Transportation (IOT) of the Ministry of Transportation and Communications (MOTC) released a preliminary rapid transport system report, with the designs of five lines: U1, U2, U3, S1, and S2, to form a rough sketch of the planned corridors, some of which would be converted from single-tracked Taiwan Railways Administration (TRA) branch lines, resulting in
2394-609: A section of the Bannan line was opened between Longshan Temple and Taipei City Hall . This section became the first east–west line running through the city, connecting the two previously completed north–south lines. On 31 May 2006, the second stage of the Banqiao–Nangang section and the Tucheng section began operation. The service was then named Bannan after the districts that it connects ( Ban qiao and Nan gang). On 4 July 2007,
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#17327725699812508-537: A small archeological museum. The promotion for artwork continues today – the Department of Rapid Transit held a bid on providing public large scale artwork for the interiors of Sanchong . The bid is placed at over NT$ 9 million. In addition to the rapid transit system itself, Taipei Metro operates several public facilities such as underground shopping malls , parks, and public squares in and around stations, including: As of 2022 there are 229 shops within
2622-565: A specialized transit police may be established. These security measures are normally integrated with measures to protect revenue by checking that passengers are not travelling without paying. Some subway systems, such as the Beijing Subway , which is ranked by Worldwide Rapid Transit Data as the "World's Safest Rapid Transit Network" in 2015, incorporates airport-style security checkpoints at every station. Rapid transit systems have been subject to terrorism with many casualties, such as
2736-608: A system exists in Vienna . In addition, the small, car-free town of Serfaus in the Austrian state of Tyrol also features a short U-Bahn line. There are no U-Bahn systems in the German-speaking part of Switzerland, but the city of Lausanne has its own, small metro system. In Zurich, Switzerland's largest city, a project for a U-Bahn network was stopped by a referendum in the 1970s and instead its S-Bahn system
2850-502: A total capacity of 368 passengers, 60 of which seated. Their design maximum speed is 90 km/h (56 mph), which is limited to 80 km/h (50 mph) in service. The first digit of a DM car is 1, while that of a T car is 2 and that of an M car is 3. This digit then follows the three digits of the set number. For example, C301 set 001/002 consists of carriages 1001-2001-3001+3002-2002-1002. A single set cannot be in revenue service except C371 single sets 397–399, where their M car
2964-490: A treaty with the Taipei Transit Council (TTC), composed of three American consultant firms, to do overall research on a rapid transit system in metropolitan Taipei. Apart from adjustments made to the initial proposal, such as the move to standard gauge track and wider and longer rolling stock for the high-capacity lines, Wenhu line of the medium-capacity metro system was also included into the network. In 1986,
3078-589: Is a trailer car and M is the motor car without cab . Each motor car has four 3-phase AC traction motors . The configuration of a 6-car train is DM–T–M+M–T–DM, not interchanged with other car types. Like many contemporary metro rolling stock designs such as the MOVIA by Bombardier , each train features open gangways , allowing passengers to move freely between cars. All carriages of the heavy-capacity trains are 3.2 metres (10 ft 6 in) wide by 3.6 metres (11 ft 9 + 3 ⁄ 4 in) high, and have
3192-801: Is a shortened reference to a metropolitan area . Rapid transit systems such as the Washington Metrorail , Los Angeles Metro Rail , the Miami Metrorail , and the Montreal Metro are generally called the Metro . In Philadelphia , the term "El" is used for the Market–Frankford Line which runs mostly on an elevated track, while the term "subway" applies to the Broad Street Line which is almost entirely underground. Chicago 's commuter rail system that serves
3306-608: Is a single corporate image for the entire transit authority, but the rapid transit uses its own logo that fits into the profile. A transit map is a topological map or schematic diagram used to show the routes and stations in a public transport system. The main components are color-coded lines to indicate each line or service, with named icons to indicate stations. Maps may show only rapid transit or also include other modes of public transport. Transit maps can be found in transit vehicles, on platforms , elsewhere in stations, and in printed timetables . Maps help users understand
3420-534: Is accessible from Taipei Zoo . Taipei Songshan Airport is served by the Songshan Airport station. A metro system to connect Taipei to Taoyuan International Airport has also been available since March 2017. Connections with New Taipei Metro is also avalaible, specially with Circular line and Danhai LRT . All rolling stocks on the Taipei Metro are electric multiple units , powered by
3534-465: Is both driver and conductor , is responsible for opening and closing the doors and making (not all) announcements. Most announcements are pre-recorded in Mandarin, English, Hokkien and Hakka, with Japanese and Korean at busy stations. The ATC provides the functions of ATP, ATO and ATS and controls all train movements, including braking, acceleration and speed control, but can be manually overridden by
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3648-506: Is built. Most rapid transit trains are electric multiple units with lengths from three to over ten cars. Crew sizes have decreased throughout history, with some modern systems now running completely unstaffed trains. Other trains continue to have drivers, even if their only role in normal operation is to open and close the doors of the trains at stations. Power is commonly delivered by a third rail or by overhead wires . The whole London Underground network uses fourth rail and others use
3762-516: Is equipped with LED displays and LCD TVs both in the concourse and on the platforms which display the time of arrival of the next train. At all stations, red lights on or above automatic platform gates at stations flash prior to a train arrival to alert passengers and an arrival melody would play (except on the Wenhu line and certain elevated and at-grade stations). Similarly, before platform screen doors were retrofitted, stations would have lights on
3876-566: Is exactly a DM car despite its first digit being 3. These single sets run exclusively on the Xinbeitou and Xiaobitan branch lines . Before the C371 single sets were in revenue service on 22 July 2006, the M cars of C301 sets 013/014 were converted to temporary cab cars to run the Xinbeitou branch. In 2010, the new C381 was built for Taipei Metro to cope with increasing passenger ridership and
3990-505: Is given for 11–20 rides; 20% discount is provided for 31–40 rides; the highest discount is 30% off for more than 50 rides. The discount is considered a rebate and is deposited to the user's card on the first of each month from the previous month. Those with welfare cards issued by local governments could receive 60% off per ride. Children aged 6 or over pay adult fares. Other ticket types include passes, joint tickets with other services and tickets for groups and discounts for YouBike rentals at
4104-416: Is necessary, rolling stock with a smaller loading gauge from one sub network may be transported along other lines that use larger trains. On some networks such operations are part of normal services. Most rapid transit systems use conventional standard gauge railway track . Since tracks in subway tunnels are not exposed to rain , snow , or other forms of precipitation , they are often fixed directly to
4218-555: Is referred to simply as "the subway", despite 40% of the system running above ground. The term "L" or "El" is not used for elevated lines in general as the lines in the system are already designated with letters and numbers. The "L" train or L (New York City Subway service) refers specifically to the 14th Street–Canarsie Local line, and not other elevated trains. Similarly, the Toronto Subway is referred to as "the subway", with some of its system also running above ground. These are
4332-412: Is serviced by at least one specific route with trains stopping at all or some of the line's stations. Most systems operate several routes, and distinguish them by colors, names, numbering, or a combination thereof. Some lines may share track with each other for a portion of their route or operate solely on their own right-of-way. Often a line running through the city center forks into two or more branches in
4446-748: Is the most commonly used term for underground rapid transit systems used by non-native English speakers. Rapid transit systems may be named after the medium by which passengers travel in busy central business districts ; the use of tunnels inspires names such as subway , underground , Untergrundbahn ( U-Bahn ) in German, or the Tunnelbana (T-bana) in Swedish. The use of viaducts inspires names such as elevated ( L or el ), skytrain , overhead , overground or Hochbahn in German. One of these terms may apply to an entire system, even if
4560-627: The Dublin Area Rapid Transit is despite the name considered a commuter rail due to usage of mainline railways. In France, large cities, such as Paris , Marseille and Lyon , feature a Métro . Also the smaller cities of Lille Rennes have a light metro. Furthermore, Brussels in Belgium, and Amsterdam and Rotterdam in the Netherlands have metro systems in place. Several Southern European contries also have
4674-561: The EasyCard and the iPASS ), as well as NFC -based mobile payments (only Google Wallet and Samsung Wallet ) are used to collect fares for day-to-day use. A 20% off discount was given to all IC card users, but it was canceled at the start of February 2020. The discount program was instead switched to an intensity-based scheme. The more times passengers take the MRT, the higher the level of discount they could receive. For example, 10% discount
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4788-752: The Hudson and Manhattan Railroad K-series cars from 1958, the New York City Subway R38 and R42 cars from the late-1960s, and the Nagoya Municipal Subway 3000 series , Osaka Municipal Subway 10 series and MTR M-Train EMUs from the 1970s, were generally only made possible largely due to the relatively generous loading gauges of these systems and also adequate open-air sections to dissipate hot air from these air conditioning units. Especially in some rapid transit systems such as
4902-429: The London Underground . In 1868, New York opened the elevated West Side and Yonkers Patent Railway , initially a cable-hauled line using stationary steam engines . As of 2021 , China has the largest number of rapid transit systems in the world – 40 in number, running on over 4,500 km (2,800 mi) of track – and was responsible for most of the world's rapid-transit expansion in
5016-547: The Maokong Gondola , a new aerial lift/cable-car system, was opened to the public. The system connects the Taipei Zoo , Zhinan Temple , and Maokong . Service was suspended on 1 October 2008 due to erosion from mudslides under a support pillar following Typhoon Jangmi . The gondola officially resumed service as of 31 March 2010, after relocation of the pillar and passing safety inspections. On 4 July 2009, with
5130-740: The Metropolitan Railway opened publicly in London in 1863. High capacity monorails with larger and longer trains can be classified as rapid transit systems. Such monorail systems recently started operating in Chongqing and São Paulo . Light metro is a subclass of rapid transit that has the speed and grade separation of a "full metro" but is designed for smaller passenger numbers. It often has smaller loading gauges, lighter train cars and smaller consists of typically two to four cars. Light metros are typically used as feeder lines into
5244-451: The Ministry of Transportation and Communications announced its plans to begin researching the possibility of constructing such a network in the Taipei metropolitan area ; however, the plan was shelved due to financial concerns and the belief that such a system was not urgently needed at the time. With the increase of traffic congestion accompanying economic growth in the 1970s, the need for
5358-578: The Montreal Metro (opened 1966) and Sapporo Municipal Subway (opened 1971), their entirely enclosed nature due to their use of rubber-tyred technology to cope with heavy snowfall experienced by both cities in winter precludes any air-conditioning retrofits of rolling stock due to the risk of heating the tunnels to temperatures that would be too hot for passengers and for train operations. In many cities, metro networks consist of lines operating different sizes and types of vehicles. Although these sub-networks may not often be connected by track, in cases when it
5472-589: The Prague Metro . The London Underground and Paris Métro are densely built systems with a matrix of crisscrossing lines throughout the cities. The Chicago 'L' has most of its lines converging on The Loop , the main business, financial, and cultural area. Some systems have a circular line around the city center connecting to radially arranged outward lines, such as the Moscow Metro 's Koltsevaya Line and Beijing Subway 's Line 10 . The capacity of
5586-685: The Singapore MRT , Changi Airport MRT station has the alphanumeric code CG2, indicating its position as the 2nd station on the Changi Airport branch of the East West Line. Interchange stations have at least two codes, for example, Raffles Place MRT station has two codes, NS26 and EW14, the 26th station on the North South Line and the 14th station on the East West Line. The Seoul Metro is another example that utilizes
5700-495: The Tucheng , Xinzhuang, Luzhou , Xinyi and Songshan lines. Key components of the system include impedance bond, 4-foot loops, marker coils, alignment antennae and two-aspect light signals for the wayside as well as automatic train supervision which utilises centralized traffic control . In the initial network, important stations such as transfer stations, terminal stations, and stations with heavy passenger flow were chosen for
5814-436: The Wenhu line in 2007, allowing passengers to access the internet and watch live broadcasts. Several stations are also equipped with mobile charging stations. Most underground stations have island platform configurations while a few have side platform configurations. Most elevated and at-grade stations have side platform configurations, while a few have island platform configurations. All high-capacity metro stations have
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#17327725699815928-450: The deep tube lines . Historically, rapid transit trains used ceiling fans and openable windows to provide fresh air and piston-effect wind cooling to riders. From the 1950s to the 1990s (and in most of Europe until the 2000s), many rapid transit trains from that era were also fitted with forced-air ventilation systems in carriage ceiling units for passenger comfort. Early rapid transit rolling stock fitted with air conditioning , such as
6042-409: The linear motor for propulsion. Some urban rail lines are built to a loading gauge as large as that of main-line railways ; others are built to a smaller one and have tunnels that restrict the size and sometimes the shape of the train compartments. One example is most of the London Underground , which has acquired the informal term "tube train" due to the cylindrical shape of the trains used on
6156-419: The "dark age of Taipei traffic". The TRTS was the center of political controversy during its construction and shortly after the opening of its first line in 1996 due to incidents such as computer malfunction during a thunderstorm, alleged structural problems in some elevated segments, budget overruns , and fare prices. The system opened on 28 March 1996, with the 10.5 km (6.5 mi) elevated Wenhu line ,
6270-432: The 15 world largest subway systems suggested a universal shape composed of a dense core with branches radiating from it. Rapid transit operators have often built up strong brands , often focused on easy recognition – to allow quick identification even in the vast array of signage found in large cities – combined with the desire to communicate speed, safety, and authority. In many cities, there
6384-488: The 1995 Tokyo subway sarin gas attack and the 2005 " 7/7 " terrorist bombings on the London Underground. Some rapid transport trains have extra features such as wall sockets, cellular reception, typically using a leaky feeder in tunnels and DAS antennas in stations, as well as Wi-Fi connectivity. The first metro system in the world to enable full mobile phone reception in underground stations and tunnels
6498-621: The 2010s. The world's longest single-operator rapid transit system by route length is the Shanghai Metro . The world's largest single rapid transit service provider by number of stations (472 stations in total) is the New York City Subway . The busiest rapid transit systems in the world by annual ridership are the Shanghai Metro, Tokyo subway system , Seoul Metro and the Moscow Metro . The term Metro
6612-532: The 21st century, most new expansions and systems are located in Asia, with China becoming the world's leader in metro expansion, operating some of the largest and busiest systems while possessing almost 60 cities that are operating, constructing or planning a rapid transit system . Rapid transit is used for local transport in cities , agglomerations , and metropolitan areas to transport large numbers of people often short distances at high frequency . The extent of
6726-552: The Control Centre to ensure safety of the line and were positioned on the guideway. Among such coils included the PD loop, safety frequency loop, stopping program loop, vehicle station link and station vehicle link; these loops were cross-arranged to produce electromagnetic induction with the interval between two cross points being 0.3 seconds to both monitor the train and control its speed. However this fixed-block ATC system used on
6840-484: The Gondola were suspended for one month to allow a full safety inspection to be carried out. On December 1, investigators recommended the relocation of pillar T16, the foundation of which had been eroded by the rainfall of four typhoons and was very unlikely to withstand future earthquakes. Relocating T16 and neighboring pillars took two years. The gondola officially resumed service as of 31 March 2010, after relocation of
6954-522: The Maokong Gondola was closed to public every Monday for maintenance servicing, in accordance to an agreement with Taipei City Hall . In July 2008, a full week of maintenance was also done. On 2 October 2008 the Maokong Gondola was closed pending structural repair after mudslides left a 2.5 meter gap beneath a support pillar. Local environmental protection groups such as Green Party Taiwan and Homemaker's Union have discouraged people from using
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#17327725699817068-649: The Muzha Line was plagued with problems in its early years of operation and was replaced with the new moving-block Cityflo 650 CBTC that was supplied by Bombardier Transportation of Canada for the Neihu Line . On the other hand, the heavy-capacity lines use the traditional fixed block system design, which were initially supplied by General Railway Signal of Rochester, New York , for the Tamsui , Xindian , Zhonghe , and Bannan lines; and later by Alstom for
7182-659: The Taipei Main Station. The Taipei Metro provides an obstacle-free environment within the entire system; all stations and trains are handicap accessible . Features include: handicap-capable restrooms, ramps and elevators for wheelchairs and strollers, tactile guide paths, extra-wide faregates, and trains with a designated wheelchair area. Beginning in September 2003, the English station names for Taipei Metro stations were converted to use Hanyu pinyin before
7296-594: The Taipei Rapid Transit Corporation serving the capital Taipei and New Taipei City in Taiwan . It was the first rapid transit system to be built on the island. The initial network was approved for construction in 1986 and work began two years later. It began operations on 28 March 1996, and by 2000, 62 stations were in service across three main lines. Over the next nine years, the number of passengers had increased by 70%. Since 2008,
7410-478: The beginning of rapid transit. Initial experiences with steam engines, despite ventilation, were unpleasant. Experiments with pneumatic railways failed in their extended adoption by cities. In 1890, the City & South London Railway was the first electric-traction rapid transit railway, which was also fully underground. Prior to opening, the line was to be called the "City and South London Subway", thus introducing
7524-552: The cabin may become extremely hot and humid, especially in the midday sun. This has been largely mentioned when the Maokong Gondola began operating with several "halts" during service hours, trapping the mid-day heat within the cabins. Recommendations have been made to equip cable cars with solar panels to generate power for ventilation or fans. On the first day of operation, a faulty door lock left Mayor Hau Lung-pin and former Mayor Ma Ying-jeou suspended for 10 minutes in mid-air. Later, bad weather also caused operations to shut down
7638-414: The display of the transit network. Often this has the effect of compressing the distance between stations in the outer area of the system, and expanding distances between those close to the center. Some systems assign unique alphanumeric codes to each of their stations to help commuters identify them, which briefly encodes information about the line it is on, and its position on the line. For example, on
7752-548: The earlier heavy capacity train types have largely retained the same design, the C381 sets are more distinctive with double blue stripes and the re-positioning of the logo from the driver's door to well below the passenger's windows, right on the stripe. Also placed were the more "sleeker" cab and the new advertising screens (as seen in newer Japanese commuter trains such as the E233 series ) to improve energy efficiency, although it retains
7866-772: The edges of platforms which would flash upon a train's arrival. This can still be seen on other metro systems such as the Washington Metro . As of September 2018, all stations have automatic platform gates. Before 2018, all the stations on the Wenhu line and most stations on the Zhonghe–Xinlu line , as well as a few stations on other lines, were equipped with platform screen doors . A Track Intrusion Detection System had also been installed to improve passenger safety at stations without platform doors. The system uses infrared and radio detectors to monitor unusual movement in
7980-854: The end of December, with brackets for Tongyong Pinyin names for signs shown at the station entrances and exits. However, after the conversion, many stations were reported to have multiple conflicting English station names caused by inconsistent conversions, even for stations built after enactment of the new naming policy. The information brochures (臺北市大眾捷運系統捷運站轉乘公車資訊手冊) printed in September 2004 still used Wade–Giles romanizations. To accommodate increasing passenger numbers, all metro stations have replaced turnstiles with speed gates since 2007, and single-journey magnetic cards have been replaced by RFID tokens. TRTS provides free mobile phone connections in all stations, trains, and tunnels and also provides WiFi WLAN connections at several station hotspots. The world's first WiMAX -service metro trains were introduced on
8094-611: The entire metropolitan area is called Metra (short for Met ropolitan Ra il), while its rapid transit system that serves the city is called the "L" . Boston's subway system is known locally as "The T". In Atlanta , the Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority goes by the acronym "MARTA." In the San Francisco Bay Area , residents refer to Bay Area Rapid Transit by its acronym "BART". The New York City Subway
8208-731: The existing 102 VAL 256 cars with the CITYFLO 650 CBTC system. Integration of Bombardier's trains with the existing Wenhu line proved to be difficult in the beginning, with multiple system malfunctions and failures during the first three months of operation. Retrofitting older trains also took longer than expected, as the older trains must undergo several hours of reliability tests during non-service hours. The VAL 256 trains resumed operations in December 2010. The heavy-capacity trains have steel wheels and are operated by an on-board train operator. The trains are computer-controlled. The operator, who
8322-645: The expansion of its network route. Upon entering service on 7 October 2012, three C381 trainsets are servicing the Beitou ;– Taipower Building segment of the Tamsui and Xindian Lines, with the remaining fleet being put into service on 20 October 2012. These trains provided much-needed capacity increase when the Xinyi and Songshan extensions opened in late 2013. After November 2014, the C381 trains are serving both Tamsui–Xinyi line and Songshan–Xindian line . Whereas
8436-556: The first rapid transit system plan for Taipei. In 1981, the IOT invited British Mass Transit Consultants (BMTC) and China Engineering Consultants, Inc. [ zh ] to form a team and provide in-depth research on the preliminary report. In 1982, the Taipei City Government commissioned National Chiao Tung University to do a research and feasibility study on medium-capacity rapid transit systems. In January 1984,
8550-516: The floor rather than resting on ballast , such as normal railway tracks. An alternate technology, using rubber tires on narrow concrete or steel roll ways , was pioneered on certain lines of the Paris Métro and Mexico City Metro , and the first completely new system to use it was in Montreal , Canada. On most of these networks, additional horizontal wheels are required for guidance, and
8664-444: The following day. On 24 July 2007, the service on the gondola system was suspended twice. Service was suspended at noon for around two hours due to a thunderstorm , and again at 3:10 p.m. due to mechanical problems. No passengers were trapped on the gondola cars. Consumers' Foundation, Taiwan recommended that the Maokong Gondola should shut down completely, and only re-open after evaluating and repairing all systems. Originally
8778-695: The gondola lift. Local residents have complained about excessive noise during operation, increased garbage and the danger of mudslides. Tests conducted by the Environmental Protection Administration under the Executive Yuan and the TCG Department of Environmental Protection have shown that noise levels are within regulations. To mitigate environmental damage, construction pillars and excavation were minimized. On 2 November 2008, concerns were legitimized when
8892-695: The initial network design of the Taipei Metro by the CEPD was passed by the Executive Yuan , although the network corridors were not yet set. A budget of NT$ 441.7 billion was allocated for the project. On 27 June 1986, the Preparatory Office of Rapid Transit Systems was created, which on 23 February 1987 was formally established as the Department of Rapid Transit Systems (DORTS) for the task of handling, planning, design, and construction of
9006-855: The installation of public art. The principles behind the locations of public art were visual focus and non-interference with passenger circulation and construction schedules. The artworks included murals, children's mosaic collages, sculptures, hung forms, spatial art, interactive art, and window displays. The selection methods included open competitions, invitational competitions, direct assignments, and cooperation with children. Stations with public art displays include: Shuanglian , NTU Hospital , Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall , Guting , Gongguan , Xindian , Xiaobitan , Dingxi , Nanshijiao , Taipei City Hall , Kunyang , Songshan Airport, Nangang , Haishan , and Tucheng . Stations with art galleries include Zhongshan , Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall , Zhongxiao Fuxing , and Taipei Main Station . Beimen station contains
9120-439: The interconnections between different parts of the system; for example, they show the interchange stations where passengers can transfer between lines. Unlike conventional maps, transit maps are usually not geographically accurate, but emphasize the topological connections among the different stations. The graphic presentation may use straight lines and fixed angles, and often a fixed minimum distance between stations, to simplify
9234-552: The island, all active MRT trains were suspended for safety checks to be conducted. All Taipei Metro routes have resumed operations on the same day. The system is designed based on the spoke-hub distribution paradigm , with most rail lines running radially outward from central Taipei. The MRT system operates daily from 06:00 to 00:00 the following day (the last trains finish their runs by 01:00), with extended services during special events (such as New Year festivities). Trains operate at intervals of 1:30 to 15 minutes depending on
9348-545: The line and time of day. Smoking is forbidden in the entire metro system, while eating, drinking, and chewing gum and betel nuts are forbidden within the paid area. Stations become extremely crowded during rush hours, especially at transfer stations such as Taipei Main Station , Zhongxiao Fuxing , and Minquan West Road . Automated station announcements are recorded in Mandarin , English , Taiwanese , and Hakka , with Japanese at busy stations. Japanese coverage across
9462-602: The lines of the Lyon Metro includes a section of rack (cog) railway , while the Carmelit , in Haifa, is an underground funicular . For elevated lines, another alternative is the monorail , which can be built either as straddle-beam monorails or as a suspended monorail . While monorails have never gained wide acceptance outside Japan, there are some such as Chongqing Rail Transit 's monorail lines which are widely used in
9576-557: The main rapid transit system. For instance, the Wenhu Line of the Taipei Metro serves many relatively sparse neighbourhoods and feeds into and complements the high capacity metro lines. Some systems have been built from scratch, others are reclaimed from former commuter rail or suburban tramway systems that have been upgraded, and often supplemented with an underground or elevated downtown section. Ground-level alignments with
9690-465: The network has expanded to 131 stations and the passenger count has grown by another 96%. The system has been praised by locals for its effectiveness in relieving growing traffic congestion in Taipei and its surrounding satellite towns, with over eight million trips made daily. The idea of constructing a rapid transit system on the island was first put forth at a press conference on 28 June 1968, where
9804-418: The network map "readable" by illiterate people, this system has since become an "icon" of the system. Compared to other modes of transport, rapid transit has a good safety record, with few accidents. Rail transport is subject to strict safety regulations , with requirements for procedure and maintenance to minimize risk. Head-on collisions are rare due to use of double track, and low operating speeds reduce
9918-412: The network was expanded on 24 August 2023. Select stations also received Korean announcements to accommodate for the high influx of South Korean tourists to the capital . Subsequently, announcement order was changed to Mandarin, English, Japanese, Korean, then Taiwanese and Hakka. km Fares range between NT$ 20–65 per trip as of 2018. RFID single journey tokens and rechargeable IC cards (such as
10032-402: The next vehicle will arrive, and expected travel times. The standardized GTFS data format for transit information allows many third-party software developers to produce web and smartphone app programs which give passengers customized updates regarding specific transit lines and stations of interest. Mexico City Metro uses a unique pictogram for each station. Originally intended to help make
10146-465: The number names were replaced by colour names. Today, on-board announcements in Chinese use full official names, whereas in English, colour names are used instead. In June 2023, due to an increasing number of South Korean tourists, the metro announced the addition of Korean announcements at stations where there are high amounts of tourists. On 3 April 2024, following a magnitude 7 earthquake hitting
10260-958: The occurrence and severity of rear-end collisions and derailments . Fire is more of a danger underground, such as the King's Cross fire in London in November 1987, which killed 31 people. Systems are generally built to allow evacuation of trains at many places throughout the system. High platforms , usually over 1 meter / 3 feet, are a safety risk, as people falling onto the tracks have trouble climbing back. Platform screen doors are used on some systems to eliminate this danger. Rapid transit facilities are public spaces and may suffer from security problems: petty crimes , such as pickpocketing and baggage theft, and more serious violent crimes , as well as sexual assaults on tightly packed trains and platforms. Security measures include video surveillance , security guards , and conductors . In some countries
10374-496: The only two North American systems that are primarily called "subways". In most of Southeast Asia and in Taiwan , rapid transit systems are primarily known by the acronym MRT . The meaning varies from one country to another. In Indonesia , the acronym stands for Moda Raya Terpadu or Integrated Mass [Transit] Mode in English. In the Philippines , it stands for Metro Rail Transit . Two underground lines use
10488-729: The opening of the Neihu segment of Wenhu line , the last of the six core segments was completed. Due to debate on whether to construct a medium-capacity or high-capacity line, construction of the line did not begin until 2002. Zhonghe–Xinlu line was extended from Guting to Luzhou and Huilong in 2012. The Xinyi section of Tamsui–Xinyi line and Songshan section of Songshan–Xindian line were opened on 24 November 2013 and 15 November 2014 respectively. Prior to 2014, only physical lines had official names; services did not. In 2008, all full-run and short-turn services were referred to by termini while Bannan and Wenhu services were referred to by
10602-521: The operator in case of an emergency. Newer trains also use a Train Supervision Information System (TSIS) supplied by Mitsubishi Electric that allows the operator to monitor the conditions of the train and identify any faults. Each train consists of two 3-car Electric Multiple Unit (EMU) sets, with a total of 6 cars. Each 3-car EMU set is permanently coupled as DM–T–M, where DM is the motor car with full-width cab , T
10716-587: The outset. Budapest , Chicago , Glasgow , Boston and New York City all converted or purpose-designed and built electric rail services. Advancements in technology have allowed new automated services. Hybrid solutions have also evolved, such as tram-train and premetro , which incorporate some of the features of rapid transit systems. In response to cost, engineering considerations and topological challenges some cities have opted to construct tram systems, particularly those in Australia, where density in cities
10830-506: The physical lines on which they operated. Following the completion of the core sections of the system in 2014, the naming scheme for services was set and 'lines' started to referred to services. Between 2014 and 2016, lines were given alternative number names based on the order of the dates the lines first opened. Brown, Red, Green, Orange and Blue lines were named lines 1 to 5 respectively. The planned Circular, Wanda–Shulin and Minsheng–Xizhi lines were to be lines 6 to 8 respectively. In 2016,
10944-442: The pillar and passing safety inspections. These and other problems have contributed to the system's consistent financial losses. Since 30 March 2010, thirty cabins have been retrofitted with 48mm thick glass bottoms, each weighing 213 kg. They operate with a service interval of three minutes. The capacity is limited to five persons per cabin. Crystal cabins, also called “Eyes of Maokong Gondola”, have their own waiting queue and
11058-908: The rapid transit system varies greatly between cities, with several transport strategies. Some systems may extend only to the limits of the inner city, or to its inner ring of suburbs with trains making frequent station stops. The outer suburbs may then be reached by a separate commuter rail network where more widely spaced stations allow higher speeds. In some cases the differences between urban rapid transit and suburban systems are not clear. Rapid transit systems may be supplemented by other systems such as trolleybuses , regular buses , trams , or commuter rail. This combination of transit modes serves to offset certain limitations of rapid transit such as limited stops and long walking distances between outside access points. Bus or tram feeder systems transport people to rapid transit stops. Each rapid transit system consists of one or more lines , or circuits. Each line
11172-542: The rubber tires. However, they have higher maintenance costs and are less energy efficient. They also lose traction when weather conditions are wet or icy, preventing above-ground use of the Montréal Metro and limiting it on the Sapporo Municipal Subway, but not rubber-tired systems in other cities. Some cities with steep hills incorporate mountain railway technologies in their metros. One of
11286-526: The same propulsion as the C371s. Taipei Metro also uses a fleet of specialised trains for maintenance of way purposes: The system currently has 9 depots, with more under construction. Rapid transit Rapid transit or mass rapid transit ( MRT ) or heavy rail , commonly referred to as metro , is a type of high-capacity public transport that is generally built in urban areas . A grade separated rapid transit line below ground surface through
11400-517: The same set would share the same road number. As a result of this numbering scheme, the 102 cars of the VAL fleet have car numbers from 1 to 51. In June 2003, Bombardier was awarded a contract to supply the Wenhu line with 202 INNOVIA APM 256 train cars, to install the CITYFLO 650 moving-block communications-based train control (CBTC) system to replace the fixed-block ATC system and also to retrofit
11514-551: The stations themselves. Transfers to city bus stations are available at all metro stations. In 2009, transfer volume between the metro and bus systems reached 444,100 transfers per day (counting only EasyCard users). Connections to Taiwan Railway Administration and Taiwan High Speed Rail trains are available at Taipei Main Station , Banqiao and Nangang . Connections to Taipei Bus Station and Taipei City Hall Bus Station are available at Taipei Main Station and Taipei City Hall stations, respectively. The Maokong Gondola
11628-663: The suburbs, allowing a higher service frequency in the center. This arrangement is used by many systems, such as the Copenhagen Metro , the Milan Metro , the Oslo Metro , the Istanbul Metro and the New York City Subway . Alternatively, there may be a single central terminal (often shared with the central railway station), or multiple interchange stations between lines in the city center, for instance in
11742-586: The system. Apart from preparing for the construction of the metro system, DORTS also made small changes to the metro corridor. The 6 lines proposed on the initial network were: Tamsui line and Xindian line (Lines U1 and U2), Zhonghe Line (Line U3), Nangang Line and Banqiao Line (Line S1), and Muzha (now Wenhu) line (Wenhu line medium-capacity), totaling 79 stations and 76.8 km (47.7 mi) route length, including 34.4 km (21.4 mi) of elevated rail, 9.5 km (5.9 mi) at ground level, and 44.2 km (27.5 mi) underground. The Neihu Line corridor
11856-714: The term subway . In Thailand , it stands for Metropolitan Rapid Transit , previously using the Mass Rapid Transit name. Outside of Southeast Asia, Kaohsiung and Taoyuan, Taiwan , have their own MRT systems which stands for Mass Rapid Transit , as with Singapore and Malaysia . In general rapid transit is a synonym for "metro" type transit, though sometimes rapid transit is defined to include "metro", commuter trains and grade separated light rail . Also high-capacity bus-based transit systems can have features similar to "metro" systems. The opening of London's steam-hauled Metropolitan Railway in 1863 marked
11970-530: The term Subway into railway terminology. Both railways, alongside others, were eventually merged into London Underground . The 1893 Liverpool Overhead Railway was designed to use electric traction from the outset. The technology quickly spread to other cities in Europe , the United States, Argentina, and Canada, with some railways being converted from steam and others being designed to be electric from
12084-623: The tickets at the stations or using EasyCard or stored-value card . Each adult ticket can bring 2 children for free. Discounts are available for group travelling. Groups of 10 or above will receive 20% off their ticket price while groups of 40 or above will receive 30% off. Tourists can also purchase the Maokong Gondola version of the one-day Taipei Pass for unlimited rides on Taipei buses and MRTs , and up to 3 gondola rides in one day. This special one-day Taipei Pass costs NT$ 350. Ventilation in each passenger cabin has been criticized as being inadequate so that passengers should be forewarned that
12198-599: The track area. When the Muzha Line first opened in 1996, the line was initially equipped with automatic train operation (ATO) and automatic train control (ATC), which in turn comprised automatic train protection (ATP) and automatic train supervision (ATS); in particular the ATP relied on transmission coils and wayside control units whereas the ATO relied on dwell operation control units. The transmission coils are controlled by
12312-511: The trains, requiring custom-made trains in order to minimize gaps between train and platform. They are typically integrated with other public transport and often operated by the same public transport authorities . Some rapid transit systems have at-grade intersections between a rapid transit line and a road or between two rapid transit lines. The world's first rapid transit system was the partially underground Metropolitan Railway which opened in 1863 using steam locomotives , and now forms part of
12426-650: The university proposed an initial design for a medium-capacity rapid transit system in Taipei City, including plans for Wenhu line and Tamsui–Xinyi line of the medium-capacity metro system. The pre-1985 plans would have retained the 3 ft 6 in gauge of the TRA lines and the rolling stock design would have to be conform to TRA and Japanese narrow-gauge standards. On 1 March 1985, the Executive Yuan Council for Economic Planning and Development (CEPD) signed
12540-601: The use of communications-based train control : the minimum headway can reach 90 seconds, but many systems typically use 120 seconds to allow for recovery from delays. Typical capacity lines allow 1,200 people per train, giving 36,000 passengers per hour per direction . However, much higher capacities are attained in East Asia with ranges of 75,000 to 85,000 people per hour achieved by MTR Corporation 's urban lines in Hong Kong. Rapid transit topologies are determined by
12654-559: Was Singapore's Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) system, which launched its first underground mobile phone network using AMPS in 1989. Many metro systems, such as the Hong Kong Mass Transit Railway (MTR) and the Berlin U-Bahn, provide mobile data connections in their tunnels for various network operators. The technology used for public, mass rapid transit has undergone significant changes in the years since
12768-526: Was approved later in 1990. On 27 June 1994, the Taipei Rapid Transit Corporation (TRTC) was formed to oversee the operation of the Taipei Metro system. The Executive Yuan approved the initial network plan for the system on 27 May 1986. Ground was broken and construction began on 15 December 1988. The growing traffic problems of the time, compounded by road closures due to TRTS construction led to what became popularly known as
12882-899: Was developed further. Other Central European countries also have metro lines, for example in the cities of Budapest (Hungary), Prague (Czech Republic) and Warsaw (Poland). In Eastern Europe , metro systems are in operation in Minsk (Belarus), Kyiv (Ukraine), Riga (Latvia), Vilnius (Lithuania) and Moscow (Russia). In Southeastern European countries, there are metro systems in Athens and Thessaloniki (Greece), Belgrade (Serbia), Sofia (Bulgaria) and Istanbul (Turkey). In Northern Europe , rapid transit systems exist in Copenhagen (Denmark), Oslo (Norway), Stockholm (Sweden) and Helsinki (Finland). Various terms are used for rapid transit systems around North America . The term metro
12996-702: Was low and suburbs tended to spread out . Since the 1970s, the viability of underground train systems in Australian cities, particularly Sydney and Melbourne , has been reconsidered and proposed as a solution to over-capacity. Melbourne had tunnels and stations developed in the 1970s and opened in 1980. The first line of the Sydney Metro was opened in 2019. Since the 1960s, many new systems have been introduced in Europe , Asia and Latin America . In
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