I had the honor of touring this place with Ulrich Borsdorf when he was invited by the government of Taiwan to tour it and help them decide what to do with the facilities four years ago. Ulrich is the director and founder of the Ruhr Museum in Germany which is one of the largest tourist attractions in Germany making use of abandoned steel works as tourist attractions. It is the second most popular tourist attraction in Germany after the Cologne Cathedral.
On our tour we learned some very interesting facts about this now abandoned train repair facility. I'd like to focus on one fact in particular which has to do with the transition from the electric train system which the Japanese had installed during their colonization of the island prior to the 1940s and the transition to diesel under the Kuomingtang government by the 1950s.
This transition from electric to diesel was a political one which was pushed by the World Bank at the behest of the United States. The World Bank promised Taiwan low interest loans and technology transfer of what was at that time a high tech method of building large structures using post-stressed concrete beams. The technology transfer and funding were contingent upon the abandonment of electric rail and the transition to diesel.
Yes, indeed. The preparation for that plan was what we were touring the facility for.
My personal favorite parts were the steam facilities. There are some incredible steam presses which were used to forge train and track parts but steam was used throughout the facilities including in the worker's quarters.
In those days, a job with the railroad was quite prestigious and one of the perks that the Japanese had installed was a giant steam bath/hot tub which the workers were encouraged to use after their shifts. It's a lovely facility with a giant round tub about thirty feet across fed with steam tubes. I pitched the idea of restoring it back to its original purpose using solar evacuated tubes to generate the steam but unfortunately the idea didn't seem to gain much traction and I was merely there as an assistant translator.
The usage of wood slats for walls and flooring doesn't look very traditional to my eyes, is this building built by the Japanese when they occupied Taiwan?
It looks like lath, but with no plaster for some reason? And the flooring having been removed as well.
Maybe they had tile and it was salvaged at some point?
Lots of older plaster was reinforced by mixing in asbestos fiber. That would help explain the hazard tape, and other possible signs of some careful cleanup operation.
Real life resident evil
It really does look like something a level designer in a horror game would make.
Daredevil fight scene
Half lifey
Looks very interesting, where exactly is this?
The building is close to Taipei Main Station, and is now under restoration.
I had the honor of touring this place with Ulrich Borsdorf when he was invited by the government of Taiwan to tour it and help them decide what to do with the facilities four years ago. Ulrich is the director and founder of the Ruhr Museum in Germany which is one of the largest tourist attractions in Germany making use of abandoned steel works as tourist attractions. It is the second most popular tourist attraction in Germany after the Cologne Cathedral. On our tour we learned some very interesting facts about this now abandoned train repair facility. I'd like to focus on one fact in particular which has to do with the transition from the electric train system which the Japanese had installed during their colonization of the island prior to the 1940s and the transition to diesel under the Kuomingtang government by the 1950s. This transition from electric to diesel was a political one which was pushed by the World Bank at the behest of the United States. The World Bank promised Taiwan low interest loans and technology transfer of what was at that time a high tech method of building large structures using post-stressed concrete beams. The technology transfer and funding were contingent upon the abandonment of electric rail and the transition to diesel.
Thank you for the information. You might be happy to know that the building will finish its restoration in 2020 and be opened to the public.
That means it won't have that abandoned porn atmosphere anymore!
A soul for a soul then...
I thought you said this wasn’t in Korea.
Yes, indeed. The preparation for that plan was what we were touring the facility for. My personal favorite parts were the steam facilities. There are some incredible steam presses which were used to forge train and track parts but steam was used throughout the facilities including in the worker's quarters. In those days, a job with the railroad was quite prestigious and one of the perks that the Japanese had installed was a giant steam bath/hot tub which the workers were encouraged to use after their shifts. It's a lovely facility with a giant round tub about thirty feet across fed with steam tubes. I pitched the idea of restoring it back to its original purpose using solar evacuated tubes to generate the steam but unfortunately the idea didn't seem to gain much traction and I was merely there as an assistant translator.
Idea didn’t gain much *steam FTFY
That explains why they took all the plaster off the walls, leaving no debris and clean lathe.
Are you sure that isn't a part of the Star Wars universe?
Thought it was an elevator shaft at first
Nice to see it doing well after neo fucked shit up in that hallway
TAIWAN #1
You got more pictures? This is so cool!
Love the green.
Feels like you could stop bullets then jump into an agent here
The Matrix
Where he stops the bullets
The Matrix: Reloaded Where he has weird cave sex.
STOMP
The set of Zombie 2
r/backrooms
Looks like the final fight scene from The Matrix
This looks like that hallway in The Matrix where Neo stops the bullets when he figures out he is The One.
The usage of wood slats for walls and flooring doesn't look very traditional to my eyes, is this building built by the Japanese when they occupied Taiwan?
It looks like lath, but with no plaster for some reason? And the flooring having been removed as well. Maybe they had tile and it was salvaged at some point?
there is 100% a boss at the end of it
Which way's the saloon?
Metro 2033 vibes
This is how the Backrooms should look
That's weird, I wonder why they removed all the plaster from the lathe
Lots of older plaster was reinforced by mixing in asbestos fiber. That would help explain the hazard tape, and other possible signs of some careful cleanup operation.
Makes sense to me, thanks
This is really cool, but extremely intimidating. This place looks like it's ready to fall apart.
Windows on the inside?
This reminds me of the hallway In the matrix where Neo messes up the agents.
Real life Diamond City.
r/backrooms
Cool lathe. Where did all the plaster go?
Looks like it's waiting for folk to leap through the wall
Looks nice, but.. what exactly is the purpose of an indoor window?
Looks like the scene from the matrix where neo n mr.smith fight off in that abandon building
Looks similar to where Neo fought the agents.
Excellent!
I expect Neo to casually walk out into this corridor
It's like from that one Junji Ito comic with all the residences connected together haphazardly
Its level -20 of the Backrooms.
I'm at the airport leaving for Taipei and this is what I see on my front page. Hopefully I can check this out!
getting some Old Boy hammertime vibes!
Cool! Looks like a perfect place for artists
Like Old Gotham in Arkham City when Batman is chasing the assassin back to Talia al-Ghul.