Sumitomo Corporation and Nippon Sharyo Ltd. in alliance received an order for 16 tilting express trains from the Taiwan Railways Administration

Sumitomo Corporation (Head Office: Chuo-ku, Tokyo; President and CEO: Kuniharu Nakamura) and Nippon Sharyo Ltd. (Head Office: Nagoya, Aichi; President and CEO: Akira Nakagawa) received an additional order for 16 express trains equipped with the tilting control system; TEMU2000, from the Taiwan Railways Administration (hereinafter ”TRA”) for about 3.3 billion yen, having Sumitomo Corporation as the prime contractor.

The two companies formerly received an order for 136 trains of TEMU2000 in 2011 and delivered them to TRA from 2012 to 2014. Since the trains running between Changhua, Taipei, Hualien and Taitung have gained high popularity. Occupancy rate has been remaining high, then this additional order was placed.

TEMU2000 express train has been named the Puyuma Express, which comes from the name of a tribal group of Taiwanese aborigines in eastern Taiwan as well as the word “solidarity” in their language, and it commenced commercial service in February 2013. One major feature of this train is its tilting control with air springs. This technology, also employed on Japan’s Shinkansen super express, gently tilts the rail car body when running through curving lines, allowing the train to operate at a faster speed while maintaining a comfortable ride. Since eastern Taiwan is a mountainous region, this cutting-edge technology from Japan has received high praise. In addition, the train satisfies fire-resistance performance and collision safety requirements at a high level. Furthermore, this train is also famous for other improvements in passenger convenience, e.g., car interiors of universal design, multi-purpose lavatories (a first for TRA trains), in-car sales of hot coffee and lunch-boxes, a nursing room and dedicated seats for physically challenged passengers.

Puyuma Express train has been useful not only to residents of eastern Taiwan for day-to-day travel but also to people from eastern Taiwan living in northern/western Taiwan for their seasonal homecoming. Introduction of the Puyuma Express has brought about enhanced passenger convenience, an increase in the number of tourists, and positive economic effects as a result. It also serves as proof of the utility of Japan’s cutting-edge technology in improving the functionality of Taiwan’s transportation infrastructure.

In Taiwan, further expansion of new fleet is expected both for express trains and commuter trains. Sumitomo Corporation and Nippon Sharyo would like to maximize its experience in the TRA projects going toward the future, so that we can contribute to the further upgrading of railway infrastructure in Taiwan.

Image of TEMU2000

Route map