Taichung Depot in the Age of Steam
Photography was not permitted at the Taichung （台中） depot, so I had to take photos secretly from the station platform. Since I could only photograph from there, the images are limited. There was no roundhouse, and the turntable was located at the far end. Unfortunately, I do not have many good photos. (Taken in December 1977)
View Toward Taichung Depot from the Station
This is the Taichung depot as seen from the Taipei end of the station platform. At that time, Taichung Station was at ground level, but in 2016, the section between Fengyuan and Daqing (approx. 21 km) was elevated, and a new station building was opened. The old station building has been preserved as a cultural heritage site and repurposed as part of a railway cultural park. As a result, the Taichung depot was gradually reduced and relocated. Today, all of these facilities have completely disappeared.
CT270 and S300 Class Diesel Locomotives
The shed had a sawtooth roof designed to let in natural light—a common architectural style in factory buildings. Inside the shed, an S300 class locomotive can be seen, while a CT270 class locomotive is visible outside next to it.
Diesel Railcars Outside the Shed
Outside the shed, there were diesel railcars used for express and ordinary passenger services. The express railcar is a stainless-steel DR2700 type built by Tokyu Car Corporation in 1966. It served as the "Guanghua （光華號）" express and was affectionately known as "White Steel Boy （白鐵仔）." It remained in express service until the completion of electrification in 1979. Later used for regular services, all units were retired by 2006 and are now preserved at Taichung Station. The rear railcar, used for ordinary services, is believed to be either a DR2600 or DR2650, also built by Tokyu based on the Japanese KiHa 10 series in 1957.
Warehouses and S311 (S300 Class) Diesel Locomotive
There were many sidings and warehouses for freight use. A small S300 series diesel locomotive, used for short-distance operations and shunting, was stationed there. Although S200, S300, and S400 classes share similar appearances, they differ in size and performance. As of 2025, all have been officially retired, but S318 remains unregistered and is still used for switching within the Changhua depot area.
Freight Mover DL1503 and Freight Cars
Ahead of the freight mover, freight cars and warehouses can be seen. The warehouse complex at Taichung Station was repurposed in 2000 as the "Railway Art Village," serving as a space for artists to create and exhibit their work. However, this project ended in 2018. As of 2025, the site is not open to the public, though discussions on reopening it are ongoing.