Nanjing Station Introduction
Nanjing Railway Station was established on April 20, 1901, in Shuishang Township at Shuijuotou (now Shuishang Station). In 1910, it was relocated to its current site in conjunction with the establishment of Nanjing Sugar Factory for sugar transportation. It was renamed Shuishang Station in 1920. The station building collapsed during the major earthquake in December 1941, and reconstruction was completed in 1943, at which point it was renamed Nanjing Station. Nanjing Railway Station was built with cement in 1942, featuring a recessed main entrance and a restroom designed to complement the station building, which is quite interesting. The waiting room inside the station is entirely wooden, with wooden ticket counters, benches, and windows, giving it an antique charm after years of wear. The expansive station yard tells the glorious history of the past. Within the station yard, there is a spur line leading to the Nanjing Sugar Factory. However, the Taiwan Sugar Railway operates on a 76.2 cm gauge, while Taiwan Railways uses a 106.7 cm gauge, which makes the use of two different gauge railways inconvenient. Thus, a three-track railway design was implemented, where the outer track, with the wider gauge, is suitable for Taiwan Railways freight cars, and the inner track, with the narrower gauge, is suitable for the factory's small trains. Many railway stations in southern Taiwan near sugar factories, such as Dou-Nan, Dalin, and Xinying, adopted this three-track design. Nonetheless, the once-thriving sugar industry is no longer, and the small factory trains have ceased operation, replaced by truck transport. The prosperity of Shuishang Township can be observed from the fact that "a township has three railway stations." Due to the booming business of Nanjing Sugar Factory, Shuishang Station became congested, prompting the expansion of Nanjing Railway Station to alleviate the issues at Shuishang Station. Subsequently, with the excavation of the Beihuai Mine to satisfy transportation needs, Beihuai Station was built, making the prosperous scene easy to imagine. It is no wonder that this topic is still fondly discussed by local elders today. As a witness to the rise and fall of the sugar industry, this old station is the only one in Chiayi County along the length of the railway that has preserved its original appearance. Its charming nostalgic appeal makes it well worth a visit.
