TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — The Taipei MRT Red Line eastward extension project has reached 87% completion, according to city officials, marking major progress in what has been described as the most technically challenging construction project in the system’s history.
The 1.4-kilometer extension, which runs from Xiangshan Station to the new Guangci/Fengtian Temple Station faced difficult tunneling conditions, including a shallow ground layer with high water content that required cement reinforcement before excavation. At deeper levels, tunnel boring machines had to cut through solid rock.
City engineers said all underground and track installation work has now been completed, allowing the project to enter its final stage, dynamic testing, which began in July. Remaining work includes minor civil engineering tasks at the road level and finishing touches on the new MRT station.
Because the Red Line remains in regular daytime operation, track testing is conducted after hours, beginning once the last train departs Xiangshan Station. Teams from the Department of Rapid Transit Systems and its Systemwide Electrical and Mechanical Project Office perform safety checks each night with power switched off.
After visually inspecting the track, engineers conduct low-speed test runs at 10 kph to confirm the route is clear. Subsequent tests verify braking performance at 40 kph and ensure that communication between trains and the dispatch center, including the transmission of speed codes, functions correctly.
The final test confirms that trains automatically stop at the precise platform position to align with the doors. Each round of testing takes two hours, and trains must return to Xiangshan Station by 4:30 a.m. to allow normal service to resume before 6 a.m.
Once completed, the extension, including a track to Yucheng Park (玉成公園) capable of housing four parked trains overnight, is expected to increase operational efficiency and improve connectivity along the MRT Red Line. Officials said the project will enhance safety, convenience, and overall service for passengers.
