Qiding Tunnel Introduction
Walking along the railway to the entrance of the tunnel, you can see that the design of the tunnel mouth is quite unique, constructed with concrete bricks. The simple yet majestic shape, combined with the wide entrance of the double-track tunnel, made it a popular location for many early train advertisement photos in Taiwan. The upper part of the interior arch of the tunnel is lined with red bricks, while the lower side walls continue to use concrete bricks. Further inside, at the southern entrance of Tunnel No. 1, there are small, scattered pockmarks on the walls, resembling bullet holes or shrapnel marks. Local elders recount that these are historic traces left by Allied aircraft during the later stages of World War II when they flew over Taiwan in pursuit of trains. The weathered Qiding ancient tunnel stands witness to Taiwan's bumpy journey with railways and records the developmental changes in the Zhunan area. Qiding Tunnel Brief: 1. Built in 1928 (17th year of the Republic of China) due to the rerouting between Xiangshan and Zhunan, with a signal field (signal station) at the southern end of Tunnel No. 2 responsible for train passing control. 2. Starting from 1975 (64th year of the Republic of China), Taiwan Railways promoted railway electrification, and the Qiding Tunnels No. 1 and No. 2 were deemed unsuitable for electrification. For traffic safety reasons, the route was moved westward, and the tunnels were abandoned. 3. In January 1978 (67th year of the Republic of China), the electrification project from Keelung to Zhunan was completed, closing the two tunnels, which remained neglected for over 20 years, surrounded by overgrown 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 the Qiding Tunnel Cultural Park, revitalizing the site and attracting railway enthusiasts and photographers to capture the charm of the old railway.
