By KHT Staff
KAOHSIUNG — Taiwan Railway Corporation (台灣鐵路公司) plans to seek construction bids in October for the replacement of Lujhu Station (路竹車站), according to a Sept. 16 post by local community outlet Kaohsiungdian.
The existing station building, which marks its 60th anniversary this month, was found in a 2020 structural assessment to fall short of current earthquake-resistance standards. The replacement is expected to become fully operational by mid-2029.
Additional reporting indicates that Taiwan Railway completed structural reinforcement work in 2024 and will construct the new station on vacant land immediately north of the existing building. The current station will remain open during construction and be demolished only after the replacement is ready, allowing passenger service to continue.
The company has obtained a building permit for the project and expects the new station to open in June 2029, according to a Liberty Times report.
The replacement will be constructed on vacant land immediately north of the existing building. Taiwan Railway will follow a “build first, demolish later” schedule, allowing the current station to remain open until the new facility is ready. The company said passenger services should therefore continue without interruption.
A structural assessment conducted in 2020 found that the station building did not meet current seismic standards. Taiwan Railway completed reinforcement work in 2024 while preparations for a full replacement continued.
The present station building was completed on Sept. 30, 1966. It has a flat concrete roof, wooden lattice windows, and exposed-aggregate walls characteristic of several Taiwan railway stations built or reconstructed during the same period.
The station itself is considerably older. It opened in 1902 as Banluzhu Station (半路竹驛), taking its name from the area’s former place name. It became Lujhu Station in 1920.
News of the demolition has prompted concern among local residents and railway-history advocates. Cultural historian Ho Lai-mei (何來美) told the United Daily News that eight stations of a similar architectural type once existed in Taiwan. Seven remain following the demolition of the former Tamsui station.
The surviving examples include stations at Zaociao, Tongxiao, Tai’an, Cingshuei, Ershuei, Lujhu and Ciaotou. Ciaotou’s former station building was registered as a Kaohsiung historical structure in 2024 and is being restored, while Lujhu’s has not received similar protection.
Members of the Lujhu Jhudong Community Development Association (路竹區竹東社區發展協會) have been collecting oral histories and other material connected to the station. The group plans to preserve those memories through an illustrated book or local history publication.
The area around the station was once closely connected to agriculture and the salt industry. Salt produced near Yong’an was transported to warehouses beside the station before being shipped elsewhere by rail.
Taiwan Railway said specialists in architecture, railway operations and public works were consulted during the design process for the replacement. Detailed architectural plans and passenger facilities are expected to become clearer after the construction contract is awarded.
