1. Suspension of the Taichung Line (Mountain Line)

The earthquake caused damage to the railways, bridges, and tunnels of both the North-South Trunk Line and the Taichung Line, resulting in the suspension of train services. This disruption severely impacted travel between northern and southern Taiwan, affecting local residents significantly. It wasn't until 1938 that the Taichung Line resumed operations officially. The North-South Trunk Line spans over 400 kilometers from Keelung to Kaohsiung, with the section most affected by the 1935 earthquake primarily between Hsinchu and Changhua, covering approximately 110 kilometers. After the earthquake, both the Taichung Line (Mountain Line) between Zhunan and Fengyuan, and the Coastal Line between Zhunan and Qingshui, were disrupted, causing unprecedented chaos.

Figure 21 Taiwan Transport Route Map
Source: Taiwan Transport Route Map, Michael H. Finnegan Collection (T0203), Digital Collection of Archives of Institute of Taiwan History, Academia Sinica.
 

Figure 22 Railway Disaster Report in Taiwan Shinminpo
Source: Taiwan Great Earthquake Part 3, Yang Zhao-jia Collection (LJK), 1935, Digital Collection of Archives of Institute of Taiwan History, Academia Sinica.

The earthquake caused severe damage along the Taichung Line, with tunnels collapsing and cracking, bridges sinking, shifting, and being damaged, and tracks sinking, cracking, subsiding, and bending. In total, more than 50 structures collapsed. When Railway Minister Watabe Keinosuke visited for inspection, he found tunnels closed due to collapses, tracks bent into "ㄑ" shapes, and embankments sunken, leaving tracks hanging like suspended iron wires, bearing witness to the terrifying power of nature.

Lin Hsien-tang's diary entry, written over two months after the earthquake, describes the severe impact on transportation from south to north: "Since the earthquake on April 21, the tunnels on the mountain line have collapsed, and repairs are still ongoing. Recently, continuous rain has caused swift currents, and the iron bridge over the Dajia River on the coastal line sank several feet. It is unknown when it will be passable. For those wanting to go to Taipei, they must take a train from Taichung to Holi, then change to a car, and then take a train again from Dajia. Transportation has never been so difficult..."

Figure 23 Damage at Da'an Station (now Taian Station)
The platform at the station cracked, and the wooden station building was damaged and tilted. Nearby warehouses and dormitories were completely leveled. Additionally, on the mountain line near the epicenter and fault line, there was a rare phenomenon where the railway tracks and sleepers shifted horizontally together, causing the entire railway line to bend and snake.
Source: Commemorative Pictorial of the Taiwan Great Earthquake of 1935, Yang Zhao-jia Collection (LJK), 1935, Digital Collection of Archives of Institute of Taiwan History, Academia Sinica.
 

Figure 24 June 19, 1935, The Diary of Lin Lin Hsien-tang
Source: The Diary of Lin Lin Hsien-tang, Taiwan Diary Knowledge Bank.
 

2. Restoration of Bridges and Tunnels

The restoration work on the Taichung Line's mountain section proved extremely challenging, particularly concerning the tunnels and bridges. Not only did it require enormous financial resources, but the transportation of materials for repairs was also difficult due to the mountainous terrain. Within the Government-General of Taiwan, discussions even arose about potentially abandoning the mountain section and instead constructing a new line between Miaoli and Yuanli to Taichung, seen as more suitable for future transportation and operation. However, the proposal to discontinue the Taichung Line would have far-reaching consequences, prompting authorities to heed the advice of experts and initially focus on restoring the existing infrastructure. After overcoming numerous obstacles, including a project cost of over three million yen and spanning three years, the restoration of the mountain line was successfully completed.