Tze-chiang limited express
Tze-Chiang (Chinese: 自強號; pinyin: Zìqiáng háo), also Tzu-chiang or Ziqiang, is a type of limited express train service operated by Taiwan Railway (TR).
Up until this point, the highest-class passenger train on the WCML had been the diesel and electric locomotive hauled Kwan-Kung (Tourist) Express, which was phased out of service on 25 April 1978.
[1] Tze-chiang was so-named from a phrase in an address that Chiang Kai-shek, the former President of Republic of China (Taiwan), delivered to his countrymen on 26 October 1971 in response to United Nations Resolution 2758, in which he urged the country to "Respect the Homeland, Strengthen Self ("Tzu-chiang"); Respond to Change without Fear."
From 6 July 1991 through 31 March 1992, the Taiwan Railways Administration (TRA) piloted business class service on selected departures.
[2] Although full service was inaugurated on 15 August 1978, within a month the EMU100 units had been temporarily sidelined due to air conditioning trouble and various component issues.
The 50-ton motor power coach (50EP100), which contained the 25 kV AC main transformer, was too heavy and caused bogie suspension stress issues, and was a safety concern when operating at high speeds.
After four month of intensive troubleshooting involving TRA Mechanical section and the original equipment manufacturers, the vehicles were re-launched on 2 January 1979 in revenue passenger service.
TRA thus planned to purchase a second generation of Tzu-chiang EMUs, to improve service frequency and relieve congestion.
In the Budget Year 1984–85, funds were made available to order 11 sets of three-car EMU200 units from Union Carriage & Wagon works of South Africa.
TRA chose to use funds from Budget Year 1986 and place a further order for EMU300 with Socimi even before all EMU200 sets were accepted for service.
The carbody was built by Socimi in Milan, Italy, whereas the British firm of Brush Traction in Loughborough supplied electrical equipment.
1019 was scheduled for 3 hours and 47 minutes between Taipei and Kaohsiung (via Coast Line), breaking the previous speed record set by the EMU100.
In 1996, as part of a massive modernization program, TRA placed an order for 64 electric locomotives from Union Carriage & Wagon and 384 passenger cars from Hyundai Precision and Industries to expand the service.
With the withdrawal of the EMU100 series from regular service, the E1000 has established itself as the backbone of the TRA's long-distance fleet, though it has found its role undermined by delivery of the TEMU lineup.
The new EMUs debuted in a red-and-white livery and were redesignated in the 1200 series for unknown reasons, hence the designation EMU1200 has also been used to refer to the re-manufactured units.
In 2018, TRA announced that they will acquire newer EMUs used on the Tze-chiang services to replace the aging fleet of E1000s push-pull trains.
Similar to Taiwan High Speed Rail's 700T Series, and unlike the older sets, the EMU3000 has a business class car with larger seats, charging ports, internet access, and complimentary drinks and snacks.
These internally selected names included Kai-Shek (Chung-Cheng), President (Zong Tong), Fearless (Wu De), Humble (Ji Che), Divine State (Shen Ju), Counterattack (Fan Gong, a reference to the national desire to take military action against Mainland China at that time), East China Sea (Tong Hi), Safety (Ping An), Etiquette (Lee Yee), Human Rights (Ren Chen), Victory (Sheng Li), Freedom (Zee Yu), Complexity of God (Fu Shen), Practical (Tah She), Four Virtues (Sss Wae), etc.
TRA reported this finding to Provincial government, and the provincial chairman Hsieh Tung-Min at the time chose the name Tzu-chiang, hoping that these cars will Respect the Homeland, Strengthen Self (Tzu-chiang); Respond to Change without Fear (莊敬自強，處變不驚), and can Self-Strengthen Without Rest (自強不息).
Although it is not a commuter train, the annual passenger count on Tzu-chiang consists of 20% of Taiwan Railways’ total ridership.
