Beimen Station Introduction
Beimen Station is the former starting point of the Forest Railway steam train and a key distribution hub for cargo transportation on the Alishan Railway, where daily necessities along the railway were transported uphill, highlighting its importance. The Alishan Forest Railway is one of the world’s celebrated mountain railways, possessing unique charm. Beimen Station, built from Taiwanese red cypress, was completed before the full opening of the Alishan Railway in 1912. After the new station was constructed twenty years ago, the old Beimen Station was converted into an office for the train carriage maintenance personnel. The station occupies an area of approximately 28 ping, primarily divided into an office, ticket booth, and waiting room. The Alishan Forest Railway is internationally renowned for its rare features such as "spiral tracks," "zigzag climbs," and a "62.5 per thousand gradient." Beimen Station serves as the starting station of the Alishan Railway, with its entire building made from high-quality red cypress from Alishan, showcasing a classic and elegant design. During the Japanese colonial period, forestry development was the most important economic source, with offices for the forestry sector, log ponds, sawmills, train repair shops, and forestry clubs established near Beimen Station, making it a vital hub for the lumber industry and logging activities in Alishan. Before the war, it was operated by the Taiwan Development Company and was later transferred to the Forestry Bureau after the war. In October of the 62nd year of the Republic, the new Beimen Station was completed and put into operation, allowing the original station to retire. The timber transported down the Alishan Forest Railway gathered near Beimen Station, stimulating the establishment of lumber yards, timber shops, sawmills, and woodworking factories. The influx of timber merchants led to the growth of hotels, restaurants, theaters, and other businesses, resulting in rapid population growth and lively freight commerce across various industries. The Alishan Forest Railway is one of only three remaining mountain railways in the world, which adds to its unique charm. Although the old station ceased operations in March of the 63rd year of the Republic due to the construction of the new station, its simple exterior and facilities are of significant cultural heritage value, leading the Chiayi City Government to list it as a city-designated historic site. Beimen Station, designed in traditional Japanese wooden architecture, covers an area of 95.15 square meters and is divided mainly into a ticket booth, waiting room, and office. It is currently planned to be a railway relic exhibition hall, with public art installations like "Calling Monuments," "Time and Space Corridor," and "Ecological Art Wall" set up in the square and surrounding area to foster a collective awareness of railway culture.
