Changhua Roundhouse 彰化扇形車庫

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The Changhua Roundhouse is perhaps the last of its kind in Asia. It was originally made to turn steam locomotives around that could not reverse and repair/service them in the fan-shaped building. It is still in operation and is open to the public to visit for free.

Background:
The Changhua Roundhouse was completed in 1922, built by the Japanese after the completion of Taiwan's coastal railway line from Zhunan to Changhua, in order to provide a place to repair and maintain locomotives. Originally the building only had 6 stalls, but later up to 12 stalls were built by 1933. The building was also bombed during American air raids during World War II. There were originally six roundhouses in Taiwan, but the others have all been demolished. The Changhua Roundhouse was also going to be demolished, but the voices of local people saved it from being destroyed. Later the building received historical monument status. Currently, the roundhouse has two steam locomotives ( CK124 and CK120) and two types of diesel locomotives (DT668, and DT650). The roundhouse is a popular spot for tourists on weekends. ​

Hours:
Tuesday-Sunday, 1 PM to 4 PM (open from 10 AM on weekends)

Price:
​Free!

Accommodation:
We have stayed at and recommend Guide Hotel Changhua Jhongjheng, which is one of our favorite hotels in all of Taiwan, with great quality and service right in downtown Changhua. (book on Agoda here, Booking.com here, Hotels.com here, Expedia here, or Trip.com here)
Looking for a hotel? We recommend booking through Agoda here, which provides the best quality selection of accommodation on the islands. Find out where to stay in our Taiwan hotels guide or search for the best hotel deals in Taiwan here.
You can also book Wifi and SIM cards for Taiwan on Gigago here.  
Need travel insurance? Compare prices on Insubuy here. 

Tours: 
Tours and activities in Changhua include Magical Mushrooms Leisure Farm, Cheng Mei Cultural Park, Changhua Love Farm, Gushengwu Paleontology Park, Taiwan You Good School of Cookie, Baiguoshan Amusement Park, Yunhe Starry Sky View Restaruant , Tianzhong, Yakuta Experience , Qingshui Hot Spring Glamping, Fruit Picking , Tonight Star Leisure Farm, Tianweiwang Scenic Spot, and more. 
You can find more tours of Changhua on Klook here or KKday here. 

Just to let you know, if you book using the links above, we get some commission at no cost to you, and you can help support our blog. 
You can click here to receive $5 USD on your first Klook purchase. 

How to get there:
By Car/Scooter: From Changhua TRA station, travel north and turn left on Zhangmei Road Section 1. The roundhouse is on the left right next to the train tracks. There is limited parking on the side of the road.  If you are looking for car rentals, you can also search Qeeq here, Klook here, or KKday here. You can also check out our car rental guide here. 
Looking for scooter rental in Changhua? Check out Klook here or KKday here to search for options. You can also check out our scooter rental guide here. 
By Train: The roundhouse is within five minute walking distance from Changhua TRA Station. You can book tickets to travel to Changhua via inter-city bus on Klook here. 
You can book tickets to Changhua via high speed rail (HSR)  on Klook here or KKDay here. 
Book tickets via the normal train (TRA)  on Klook here.
By Bicycle: Cycling is the best way to enjoy Taiwan's landscapes if you have the time and energy. Looking for bicycle rentals in Taiwan? You can search on KKday here and search for tours on Klook here. You can also check out our Taiwan cycling guide here. ​

Map:
Please see below:

Our Journey:

I have been to the Changhua Roundhouse twice. It is a beautiful piece of railroad history that all railroad enthusiasts should visit. The best part is it is free and open to the public. 

For an overall view of the area, see our drone video above. 

Or check out our 360 degree panorama above. Drones are not allowed above the train tracks. 

Near the roundhouse, you can actually walk right onto the tracks, there is not much stopping you. But don't.

Be careful to only visit during opening hours, or else you will see a close door.

Walking into the roundhouse area. Many places are closed off to tourists. 

But you are allowed to walk right up to the trains. 

View inside the roundhouse. 

Another view outside.

Closeup on one of the operating Diesel locomotives. 

Walking near the rotating track.

There is also a platform here where tourists can take all the photos they want.

Closeup on the rotating track.

Kids playing on the tracks. 

You can see there is a lowered platform so mechanics can work on the trains from underneath. 

Other views from the platform. 

Old Japanese dormitory on the premises. 

Last view from the rotating platform. 

Steam locomotive on display. 

View via drone. 

Another view via drone. 

View from the south via drone. 

View from the east via drone.

For more reading you can check outSpectral Codex's blog on the roundhouse here, which is the reason I visited in the first place.

If you have time, you can also check out the abandoned railroad dormitory village across the street. I will post a separate blog about it soon. 

Thanks for reading and stay tuned for more of our blogs on Changhua to come!

You can find more tours of Changhua on Klook here or KKday here. 

Check out our full guide to Changhua here. 

You can also check out our full travel guide to Taiwan here. 

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