TAIWAN RAILWAY - PLANS FOR IMPROVEMENT

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP80-00926A003800030010-8
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: C
• Document Page Count: 4
• Document Creation Date: December 15, 2016
• Document Release Date: June 8, 2004
• Sequence Number: 10
• Publication Date: August 30, 1951
• Content Type: REPORT

pp ~~9977~~ 25X1
Approf?IFft 2C~1~E"ID~ - - 010-8
'CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY REPORT
INFORMATION REPORT CD INO.
PLACE
ACQUIRED
DATE
ACQUIRED
Taiwan Railway - Plans for'Improvement
THIS DOCUMENT CONTAINS INFORMATION AFFECTING THE NATIONAL DEFENSE
OF THE UNITED STATES WITHIN THE MEANING OF THE ESPIONAGE ACT
U. S. C.. 91 AND 92. AS AM N.DED. ITS TRANSMISSION OR THE REVELATION
OF ITS CONTENTS IN A,NY ANNER TO AN UNAUTHORIZED PERSON IS PRO-
HIBITED BY LAW. RE RO C,TION OF THIS FORM IS PROHIBITED.
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DATE DISTR. U Ave 51
NO. OF PAGES J`UL
NO. OF ENCLS.
(LISTED BELOW)
SUPPLEMENT TO
REPORT NO.
t
THIS IS UNEVALUATED INFORMATION
1
1. The Taiwan Railway in 1951 approaches the point where rehabilitation is nearing
completion. There has been a gradual increase in the freight traffic but any ef-
fort to increase the economy through industrial expansion must be accompanied by
further improvement in transportation facilities.
2. It seems that recently the decision has been made to concentrate money and effort*
on a large scale expansion of industry to the point of possible sacrifice of every-
ting else. Unless there is a parallel increase in transportation facilities, the
products of the expanded industry will require stockpiling. Another important
factor that will affect the future traffic volume is the sudden increase of mili-
tary traffic. It is a great possibility but no military traffic other than normal
quantity is included in the proposed program.
3.
PRODUCTION VOLUME OF PRINCIPAL COMMODITIES
Quantity
Item 1914.5
1948
19
1951*
1952*
1. Sugar 320
365
631
612
314.0
800
.12. Rice 585
1,068
1)211+
1,413
1,520
1,600
3. Sweet Potato 1,165
2,003
1,975
2,209
4. Salt 132
398
241
175
300
300
5o Timber 87
301
300
337
57Q
600
6. Cement 79
236
291
332
11.50
600
7. Banana 32
110
128
128
--
8. coal 795
1,629
1,1614.
1,1+00
1,500
1,500
9. Fertilizer --
118
178
318
14.00
1+50
NOTES: * These figures are estimates
Dry potato sticks in weight 1/3 of sweet potatoes
Production and import
All figures are Mks with the exception of Timber which
is given in CuMs
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(NOTE: Add
(000 to all fig
(urea to get
(correct amount)
CLASSIFICATION C01WIDENTIA1
F
STATE
NAVY
NSRB
DISTRIBUTION
- _
__
H
ARMY
AIR
FB I
~4
FT_
i
v
e ea
se
- -
A003
800030010-8
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CO1 IDE t
40
Commodity
Sugar
Rice
Coal
salt
Timber
Fertilizer
Sand & Stone
Milit Cargo
Ry Materials
Cement
Bricks
Charcoal
Live stock
Banana
Others
LCL
Total
TRAFFIC VOLUME
1
1950
IMI
1
Year
Peak
Mts Ts
Peak
tits Ts
Year
Peak
is Ts
M
P
Year Mt
eak Peak
s Ts Year Its Ts
g
581
62
786
91
420
63
1,000
150 1,200
180
216
12
266
19
1,320
21
400
28 400
28
888
90
70
71
700
70
800
80 850
85
190
15
35
200
35
200
38 350
38
290
26
244
300
30
350
35 4,00
40
318
20
411
6
500
70
600
80 600
80
228
21
294
41
300
4.0
300
440 300
40
767
86
971F
57
1,000
60
1,000
60 1,200
75
495
32
566
43
boo
50
boo
50 600
50
163
12
.182
15
200
20
200
20 200
20
112
12
47
7
50
5
6 60
6
60
5
58
7
60
8
60
8 60
8
44
3
44
3
50
4
50
4 50
4
37
3
30
2
40
5
40
3 40
3
016
1
98
1,090
95
1,100
1.1
1,200
130 1,250
160
,
6
6
22
24
oco
280
0 280
0
20
1
-
'
-
57
5,61-0
515
595
57
9
;
19
TIM
762 7.790
514.7
(NOTE.- Add 000 to all figures to
get correct amount. A11. figures are NTs with the
exception of Timber which is given in CuMs0)
NOTES,
Sugar
aTotal traffic volume is usually 20% more than total production due to back and
forth shipments. During Japanese occupation, sugar movement was evenly distributed
over twelve months of the year because of steady market in Japan. Nov sugar has to be
rushed for exportation whenever a contract is signed,
Rice
(b) Only about 20% of rice produced is moved by railway. However, rapid increase of
rice and sweet potato production will provide greater volume of export rice
Coal
(c) Coal used to be the biggest item of railway freight Due to decrease of bunker
coal and export, there will be no appreciable increase of coal traffic in the near
future except some increase, mainly for sugar refineries in Southern Taiwan
Bait
3 Salt traffic is expected to increase since the Production Board has decided to in-
crease its production and has obtained a market in Japan.
Timber
Te-T-T-imber traffic will be increased from 1951 because of (1) a 70% increase of pro-
duction according to the Forestry Bureau's plan and (2) large import of Douglas
fir and Lausn timber by RCA
Milit Care.
(f) Military cargo is the most difficult to estimate
5. TRAIN DENSITY
K
(a) Increase of trains to meet heavier traffic volume is possible with increase of
rolling stock in all but one section,"Changhua to an Shin
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(b) Changhua toH aSb h i ff the "bottleneck" because:
It carries the heaviest freight traffic
It is the only single track section of the trunk line
The bridges of this section have the lowest load carrying capacity.
(c) Starting from 1918, the Railway has been strengthening and repairing bridges of
the whole system especial