HOME | DD

Description
This time I put all steam locomotives I know that used to work for or still exist on Alishan Forest Railway (阿里山森林鐵路) in one paper.

Information about Alishan Forest Railway on Wiki:
Alishan Forest Railway is an 86 km network of 2 ft 6 in (762 mm) narrow gauge railways running up to and throughout the popular mountain resort of Alishan in Chiayi County, Taiwan. The railway, originally constructed for logging, has become a tourist attraction with its rare Z-shaped switchbacks, and over 50 tunnels and 77 wooden bridges. Taiwan's Ministry of Culture has listed the forest railway as a potential World Heritage Site.
Its main line Includes several steep gradients (max. 6.26%), a spiral and four switchbacks, known as the Dulishan Spiral. The longest line with most dramatic climate change.

Introduction of the locomotives in the picture:
LIMA No. 2001 - A 13-ton Shay locomotive built in 1907. Its name and number in Taiwan are unknown. "2001" is its serial number given by the builder LIMA. It's the first locomotive on this railway brought by the railway's first developer Fujita (藤田組). LIMA No. 2001 was soon moved to Tsugaru Railway, Japan, after Fujita broke up in 1908, but in 1911 this loco was brought back to Taiwan soon after Government of Formosa (a colonial government) decided to continue the construction of this railway. LIMA No. 2001 kept running on the mountain until being sold to Yanase Forest Railway, Japan, in 1919. It was scrapped in 1925.

H. K. Porter No. 4095 & 4096 - Two 0-8-0 saddle tank locomotives built in 1908. Again, "4095" and "4096" are their serial numbers given by the builder H. K. Porter. They were soon moved to Kosaka Raiway, Japan, after Fujita broke up. Their later stories are unknown.

Imperial Taiwan Railway LCK22 - A 0-6-0 side tank locomotive built in 1910 by Vulcan Iron Works. It originally worked on Taitung line of Imperial Taiwan Railway (known as Taiwan Railways nowaday), but came to Alishan Forest Railway as a "part-time job". It was returned to Taitung line in 1912, and was scrapped a few decades later.

Now in 1910, this railway was still under construction. Its main line would be finished four years later. However, the real "No. 1" locomotive of Alishan Forest Railway finally arrived!

Alishan Forest Railway No. 1 & 2 - Two 0-6-0 side tank locomotives pulling freight and passenger trains, built in 1910 by Andrew Barclay Sons & Co.
No. 1 stayed until it was moved to Luodong Forest Railway in 1933 as its No. 5; No. 2 was moved to Tainan as a switcher in some year, and then moved to Luodong Forest Railway in 1951 as its No. 14. Both locos' fate is unknown.

Alishan Forest Railway No. 3 - A 0-6-0 side tank locomotive built in 1914 by Kawasaki Shipyard. (yes, a shipyard)
Like No. 2, it pulled freight and passenger trains before being moved to the same place in Tainan as a switcher, then being moved to Luodong Forest Railway in 1933 as its No. 6. Its current location is unknown.

Unfortunately, these five classes are either scrapped or gone without people's notice. Good thing is, the next two classes still exist today. There are still 16 of them in total.

Alishan Forest Railway SL-11 to 18 - Eight Class-A 18-ton Shay locomotives built in 1911 to 1913 by LIMA. SL-11 and 15 were scrapped after accidents; SL-14 was given to Puffing Billy Railway, Australia, in 1972; the rest of them are saved in Chiayi or Hualien, Taiwan.

Alishan Forest Railway SL-21 to 32 - Twelve Class-B 28-ton Shay locomotives built in 1912 to 1917 by LIMA. SL-27 was scrapped after an accident; SL-30's fate is unknown (this number can be saved for a locomotive falling into a valley); SL-21, 25, 26, 31 are restored; the rest of them are saved in Chiayi or Nantou, Taiwan.

Note: I was unable to find photos of some of them, or maybe they don't even have a photo. For those locomotives, I took similar locomotives' images as the reference to draw.

Description
This time I put all steam locomotives I know that used to work for or still exist on Alishan Forest Railway (阿里山森林鐵路) in one paper.

Information about Alishan Forest Railway on Wiki:
Alishan Forest Railway is an 86 km network of 2 ft 6 in (762 mm) narrow gauge railways running up to and throughout the popular mountain resort of Alishan in Chiayi County, Taiwan. The railway, originally constructed for logging, has become a tourist attraction with its rare Z-shaped switchbacks, and over 50 tunnels and 77 wooden bridges. Taiwan's Ministry of Culture has listed the forest railway as a potential World Heritage Site.
Its main line Includes several steep gradients (max. 6.26%), a spiral and four switchbacks, known as the Dulishan Spiral. The longest line with most dramatic climate change.

Introduction of the locomotives in the picture:
LIMA No. 2001 - A 13-ton Shay locomotive built in 1907. Its name and number in Taiwan are unknown. "2001" is its serial number given by the builder LIMA. It's the first locomotive on this railway brought by the railway's first developer Fujita (藤田組). LIMA No. 2001 was soon moved to Tsugaru Railway, Japan, after Fujita broke up in 1908, but in 1911 this loco was brought back to Taiwan soon after Government of Formosa (a colonial government) decided to continue the construction of this railway. LIMA No. 2001 kept running on the mountain until being sold to Yanase Forest Railway, Japan, in 1919. It was scrapped in 1925.

H. K. Porter No. 4095 & 4096 - Two 0-8-0 saddle tank locomotives built in 1908. Again, "4095" and "4096" are their serial numbers given by the builder H. K. Porter. They were soon moved to Kosaka Raiway, Japan, after Fujita broke up. Their later stories are unknown.

Imperial Taiwan Railway LCK22 - A 0-6-0 side tank locomotive built in 1910 by Vulcan Iron Works. It originally worked on Taitung line of Imperial Taiwan Railway (known as Taiwan Railways nowaday), but came to Alishan Forest Railway as a "part-time job". It was returned to Taitung line in 1912, and was scrapped a few decades later.

Now in 1910, this railway was still under construction. Its main line would be finished four years later. However, the real "No. 1" locomotive of Alishan Forest Railway finally arrived!

Alishan Forest Railway No. 1 & 2 - Two 0-6-0 side tank locomotives pulling freight and passenger trains, built in 1910 by Andrew Barclay Sons & Co.
No. 1 stayed until it was moved to Luodong Forest Railway in 1933 as its No. 5; No. 2 was moved to Tainan as a switcher in some year, and then moved to Luodong Forest Railway in 1951 as its No. 14. Both locos' fate is unknown.

Alishan Forest Railway No. 3 - A 0-6-0 side tank locomotive built in 1914 by Kawasaki Shipyard. (yes, a shipyard)
Like No. 2, it pulled freight and passenger trains before being moved to the same place in Tainan as a switcher, then being moved to Luodong Forest Railway in 1933 as its No. 6. Its current location is unknown.

Unfortunately, these five classes are either scrapped or gone without people's notice. Good thing is, the next two classes still exist today. There are still 16 of them in total.

Alishan Forest Railway SL-11 to 18 - Eight Class-A 18-ton Shay locomotives built in 1911 to 1913 by LIMA. SL-11 and 15 were scrapped after accidents; SL-14 was given to Puffing Billy Railway, Australia, in 1972; the rest of them are saved in Chiayi or Hualien, Taiwan.

Alishan Forest Railway SL-21 to 32 - Twelve Class-B 28-ton Shay locomotives built in 1912 to 1917 by LIMA. SL-27 was scrapped after an accident; SL-30's fate is unknown (this number can be saved for a locomotive falling into a valley); SL-21, 25, 26, 31 are restored; the rest of them are saved in Chiayi or Nantou, Taiwan.

Note: I was unable to find photos of some of them, or maybe they don't even have a photo. For those locomotives, I took similar locomotives' images as the reference to draw.