Shanli Station Introduction
Shanli Station was established on June 27, 1982. It was built in response to the need for train passing after the railway was extended eastward. It is located 6.2 kilometers north of Lukang and 8 kilometers south of Taitung. Currently, the station has an average daily ridership of about seven people, and none of the scheduled trains stop here. After the electrification and reconstruction of the Eastern Railway, the original side platform was covered with wooden planks, while the island platform remained unchanged, reflecting the station style of the Eastward Expansion era. The original narrow-gauge railway passed through stations such as Zhongxing, Jiafeng, Chulu, Dongcheng, Binlang, and Malan. Later, due to the railway extension, the route was amended to provide a single-track passing point for the Eastern Cross-Island Line, adding the Shanli and Beinan stations. During the Ministry of Transportation and Communications' push for the "Hualien-Taitung New Station Movement" due to the electrification of the Hualien-Taitung railway, Shanli Station was also included in the initiative and was renovated into its current form after electrification. After the writer Liu Kexiang referred to Shanli Station as the "Station You Can't Reach," many railway enthusiasts and travelers flocked to visit this beautiful little station hidden in the mountains. Before the electrification of the railway, the station authority, concerned about visitor safety and convenience in management, built a viewing platform in a vacant lot outside the station. Although the view is slightly obstructed by utility poles and cables now, climbing up the viewing platform still allows one to enjoy the sight of trains passing through Shanli Station and the breathtaking scenery beyond.
