Old Mountain Line - Daan River Iron Bridge Introduction
The "Old Mountain Line - Daan Creek Iron Bridge" is located at the border between Taichung and Miaoli, adjacent to the southern entrance of the No. 7 Tunnel in Sanyi Township, Miaoli County, and the Huali District of Taichung City. The bridge is 637.39 meters long and consists of 8 trusses, made up of 10 openings measuring 62.41 meters each (one truss spans one opening between the two piers). The Daan Creek Iron Bridge was constructed in the 36th year of the Meiji era (1903) and completed in the 41st year of the Meiji era (1908). It was an important bridge for the transport of goods and for connecting the north and south during the Japanese occupation period. The Daan Creek Iron Bridge was rebuilt after the Central Taiwan Earthquake in the 10th year of the Showa era (1935). In the 52nd year of the Republic of China (1963), to strengthen the bridge’s structure and enable it to carry heavier, faster, and more frequent trains, a steel beam replacement project was carried out. Although it is not the original structure, the bridge's appearance seems unchanged from its initial construction, with only slight differences in the trusses and connecting parts. After the suspension of the Old Mountain Line in the 87th year of the Republic of China (1998), no trains have run over the Daan Creek Iron Bridge since. Currently, on the Old Mountain Line of Taiwan Railways, there are only three iron bridges of this type: the Daan Creek Iron Bridge (637.39 meters), the Dajia Creek Iron Bridge (382.2 meters), and the Gaoping Creek Old Iron Bridge (1,526 meters). Due to the well-preserved condition of the Daan Creek Iron Bridge, a digitalization project for old photographs of the Old Mountain Line, nominated as a potential World Heritage site in Taiwan, was carried out in the 93rd year of the Republic of China (2004). After being reorganized in the 99th year of the Republic of China (2010), steam trains resumed operations on the Old Mountain Line. In the 105th year of the Republic of China (2016), a survey and research project on the cultural landscape of the Old Mountain Line was carried out, along with principles for its preservation and management. The site is currently closed to manage visitor safety.
