Waishae Light Rail Station Introduction
As early as 1911, Waishe Village in Luzhu was the terminus of a narrow-gauge railway! This railway was once an important transportation hub for the rural area, but with the development of passenger transport, the section from Nankan to Waishe was dismantled in 1957, and the station disappeared along with it. Today, the Waishe Community Development Association has decided to revive this precious history by redesigning the "Waishe Narrow-Gauge Railway Station" at the end of 2011, allowing people to experience that simple and memory-filled era firsthand. The narrow-gauge railway era in Taoyuan opens a chapter in the history of Taoyuan's bus transportation development, tracing back to a century ago. At that time, the Governor-General of Taiwan loaned the official railway tracks to the "Taokan Narrow-Gauge Railway Co.," the predecessor of today's Taoyuan Bus Company, to construct the narrow-gauge railway, primarily responsible for transporting rice and agricultural products from the Waishe area and connecting the flow of goods between Taoyuan, Linkou, and Xinzhuang. This railway was once a vital lifeline for rural development and a key connection between residents and the outside world. In an effort to revive history, the "Waishe Rural Regeneration Course Students" initiated a reconstruction project and successfully obtained a grant of 200,000 NTD from the Soil and Water Conservation Bureau of the Council of Agriculture to create a simplified version of the narrow-gauge railway station and tracks in front of the Waishe Community Activity Center. This is not only a cultural revival project but also aims to drive the regeneration and development of Waishe village, allowing more people to understand the stories of this land. Walking through time, the reconstructed narrow-gauge railway station first appears like a bicycle station, but once you step into the station area, you will discover the laid tracks and the vintage station design that perfectly restore the transportation scene of the rural area in those days. The most unique design is the winding tracks, which even circle around a pond, with the water surface reflecting the surrounding houses and blue sky, creating a beautiful rural scene. A rendezvous with history, the current Waishe Narrow-Gauge Railway Station has become a local characteristic attraction, suitable not only as a field for local education but also a great place for tourists to experience the glory of early railways. If you want to take a time travel, this station will take you back a hundred years to feel the glory of the narrow-gauge railway that once rushed through the countryside!
