Taipei: Following nearly nine years of restoration work at the historic Taipei Railway Workshop, the site is set to partially open on Thursday as the National Railway Museum (NRM), bringing new life to a significant location where trains continue to operate and historical memories are preserved. Built in 1935, the site once served as the island’s primary hub for train maintenance and assembly.

According to Focus Taiwan, the location was designated a national historic site in 2015, spurring a project to transform it into a museum. This initiative, launched the following year, involves three stages. The first phase of the preservation and restoration, covering one-third of the 17-hectare site, is completed and will open to the public starting Thursday.

A total of five exhibitions will be displayed across several key areas, including the Diesel-Electric Locomotive Workshop, which was the main site for disassembling and reassembling trains. This area now houses 24 retired locomotives on display. Additionally, the site features a bathhouse and the main office building as part of the exhibition space.

According to the Ministry of Culture, a significant attraction at the museum is the weekend short ride on a restored blue diesel train, offering visitors a rare chance to experience Taiwan’s railway heritage firsthand.

Cheng Ming-chang, head of the National Railway Museum preparatory office, explained that one of the main challenges during the nine-year effort was integrating exhibits tailored to different audiences while preserving the historic site. He emphasized that the project involved more than just restoration; it required planning exhibits, preserving history, and racing against time to save old trains, including retired locomotives and train carriages acquired from the Taiwan Railways Administration (TRA).

Cheng mentioned that the restoration of the remaining areas continues. During an opening ceremony at the museum on Wednesday, Premier Cho Jung-tai shared his family’s connection to the railways, noting that both his grandfather and father once worked for the TRA. Meanwhile, Culture Minister Li Yuan reflected on his childhood experiences growing up next to a railway track, describing the smell of engine oil as “the scent of memory.” Li highlighted that railways represent a cultural thread connecting generations.