Qidong Tunnel Introduction
Walking along the railway to the tunnel entrance, you can see that the design of the tunnel door is quite unique, made of concrete bricks. The shape is simple yet impressive, and with the wide opening of the double-track tunnel, many early promotional photos of trains in Taiwan were taken here. Inside the tunnel, the upper half of the arch is lined with red bricks, while the lower half's side walls continue to use concrete bricks. As you proceed towards the south entrance of Tunnel No. 1, you will notice small pockmarks scattered across the walls, resembling machine gun fire or bomb shrapnel. Local elders say that these are remnants of history from the end of World War II during the Pacific War, when Allied planes flew over Taiwan, targeting trains. The weathered Qiding Ancient Tunnel bears witness to Taiwan's difficult journey in railway history and records the development changes in the Zhunan area. Qiding Tunnel Brief: 1. Constructed in 1928 (the 17th year of the Republic of China) due to the diversion between Xiangshan and Zhunan, the south end of Tunnel No. 2 has a Qiding Signal Station responsible for train meeting control. 2. Starting in 1975 (the 64th year of the Republic of China), Taiwan Railways promoted electrification works; due to the tunnel's unsuitability for electrification, the route was shifted westward, and the tunnels were subsequently abandoned. 3. In January 1978 (the 67th year of the Republic of China), the electrification project from Keelung to Zhunan was completed and in operation, leading to the closure of both tunnels, which remained neglected for over 20 years, surrounded by weeds. 4. On June 24, 2005, it was officially registered as a historical building in Miaoli County. The Zhunan Township Office organized the surrounding environment of the tunnel, transforming it into Qiding Tunnel Cultural Park, bringing a fresh new look that attracts railway enthusiasts and photographers to capture the charm of the old railway.
