Nanjing Station Introduction
Nanjing Railway Station was established on April 20, 1901, at Shui Jing Tou (now known as Shui Shang Station) in Shuishang Township. In 1910, the station was moved to its current location to accommodate the operations of the Nanjing Sugar Factory. It was renamed Shui Shang Station in 1920, and the station building collapsed during a major earthquake in December 1941. After reconstruction, the station was renamed Nanjing Station in 1943. Nanjing Railway Station was built with cement in 1942, featuring a recessed main entrance, and the design of the restroom on the right matches the station building, which is quite interesting. The waiting room inside the station is entirely made of wood, including the ticket booth, benches, and windows, all of which have retained their vintage charm through the passage of time. The expansive railway yard at the station recounts its glorious past. Inside the yard, there is a siding that leads to the Nanjing Sugar Factory. However, the Taiwanese Sugar Corporation railway has a gauge of 76.2 cm, while the Taiwan Railway's gauge is 106.7 cm, making it inconvenient to operate two different gauges. Hence, a three-track design was implemented: the outer wider gauge suitable for Taiwan Railway freight trains and the inner narrower gauge suitable for the sugar factory's small train. In the southern part of Taiwan, many train stations near sugar factories have this three-track railway design, such as Dou Nan, Da Lin, and Xin Ying. However, with the decline of the sugar industry, the sugar factory's small train has long ceased operation, and transportation has shifted to trucks. The prosperity of Shuishang Township can be inferred from the fact that "one township had three train stations." Due to the thriving business of the Nanjing Sugar Factory, Shuishang Railway Station became congested, leading to the construction of Nanjing Railway Station to alleviate the pressure. Subsequently, the mining operations in the Northward Railway required additional transportation capacity, resulting in the establishment of Beihui Station. The scene of prosperity is not hard to imagine, and it is no wonder that local elders still speak fondly of it to this day. As a witness to the rise and fall of the sugar industry, this historic station is the only one in Chiayi County along the Chiayi-Tainan Line that has preserved its original appearance. Its charming nostalgic allure is definitely worth a visit.
