By KHT Staff
KAOHSIUNG — Taiwan Railway Corporation (台灣鐵路公司) plans to redesign the exterior of its Puyuma Express TEMU2000 (普悠瑪號), marking the end of the train’s long-running red-and-white livery after more than a decade in service.
According to a procurement notice published online, the company is seeking contractors for a new exterior design under the “TEMU2000 EMU Puyuma Express Livery Design Project.” The tender is open through April 7. A prototype train with the new design is expected to enter trial operations by the end of this year, the company said. Budget and timeline details will be finalized following the tender process.
The Puyuma Express, introduced in late 2012 and entering service in 2013, is a tilting electric multiple unit designed to improve speeds on curved tracks along Taiwan’s east coast. The trains can operate at speeds of up to 130 km/h and are fully reserved-seat services. Nineteen sets were originally deployed, primarily serving the eastern trunk line.
In 2018, one train was withdrawn following a major derailment that left 18 people dead and 215 injured. Eighteen trainsets remain in operation.
The name “Puyuma” (普悠瑪) comes from the Puyuma language, meaning “unity” or “togetherness.” The train’s red-and-white color scheme was also designed to reflect Indigenous cultural elements, including similarities to traditional Amis (阿美族) attire.
The redesign follows the operator’s restructuring in 2024, when the former Taiwan Railways Administration (台灣鐵路管理局) was corporatized and rebranded as Taiwan Railway Corporation. The English abbreviation on trains is expected to change from “TRA” to “TRC” as part of the update.
Via Wiki: Taiwan Railway (TR) is a state-owned conventional railway in Taiwan. It is operated by the Taiwan Railway Corporation under the supervision of the Ministry of Transportation and Communications, responsible for managing, maintaining, and running conventional passenger and freight railway services on 1,097 km (682 mi) of track in Taiwan. Passenger traffic in 2018 was 231,267,955. The railway was previously operated by Taiwan Railways Administration (TRA). On 1 January 2024, Taiwan Railway Administration became a state-owned corporation, Taiwan Railway Corporation.
Source: United Daily News
