Doctor's 30 Years of Huwei Sugar Railway Photos Exhibit Precious Memories

To commemorate the 120th anniversary of the Huwei Sugar Factory, an exhibition celebrating three decades of the Huwei Sugar Railway has opened in Yunlin, Taiwan. The "Sugar Railway Photography Exhibition," running from July 5 to August 22, 2026, at Yunlin Memory COOL, features the work of Dr. Hsu Nai-yi, a physician who has documented the railway for over 30 years.

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We have selected 65 photos of the Huwei Sugar Railway for this exhibition, organized into five major sections: Landmark Stations, Time Map, Smoky Streetscapes, Extended Reach, and Symphony of Centuries. We hope to lead the public to deeply understand the appearance of the Huwei Iron Bridge, understand the changes of the sugar railway, and let these images spanning 30 years witness the process of sugar transportation gradually entering history.

Dr. Hsu, 66, developed a fascination with the sugar railway from his childhood travels. He explained that his photographic journey began after college and military service, focusing primarily on the sugar lines around Huwei, but also extending to other sugar factories across Taiwan. The exhibition presents 65 selected images, organized into five sections: "Landmark Stations," "Time Map," "Smoky Streetscapes," "Extended Reach," and "Symphony of Centuries." These visuals aim to immerse visitors in the history of the Huwei Iron Bridge and the changing landscape of the sugar railway system.

The Taiwan Public Welfare CEO Association, which organized the event, noted that this year also marks the 80th anniversary of Taiwan Sugar Corporation. Association Secretary-General Lin Shu-e emphasized the importance of preserving sugar industry culture and reconnecting people with the land. She highlighted that the exhibition focuses on the often-overlooked railway network in Yunlin, revealing its past roles beyond just transporting sugarcane, including its function as a backup transportation system and a strategic asset for the nation.

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This year marks the 80th anniversary of Taiwan Sugar Corporation and the 120th anniversary of the Huwei Sugar Factory. In recent years, the association has continued to promote the sugar industry cultural route, hoping to re-establish the connection between people and the land through cultural assets. This exhibition focuses on the railway network hidden in the Yunlin plain, allowing the public to understand that the sugar railway is not just an industrial facility for transporting sugarcane, but also once bore the functions of national transportation backup and strategic importance.

Lin also pointed out that the exhibition sheds light on the "North-South Parallel Reserve Line," a crucial but rarely discussed railway built in the 1950s at the request of the Ministry of National Defense. This wartime railway connected Taichung and Kaohsiung. The association plans further events, including a cultural relics exhibition and a "Chasing the Sugar Train" activity, to further engage the public with the history of the sugar railways.

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The exhibition presents for the first time through photographic curation the historical context of the important but rarely mentioned 'North-South Parallel Reserve Line' during the Cold War, allowing the public to understand that the North-South Line was built in the 1950s by Taiwan Sugar at the request of the Ministry of National Defense as a strategic railway from Taichung to Kaohsiung.