眠月駅, Mountain railway station in Chiayi County, Taiwan
Mengyue Station, also known as Shuishan Station, is a mountain railway station on the Alishan Forest Railway in Chiayi County, Taiwan, sitting at roughly 7,340 feet (about 2,238 meters) above sea level inside a cedar forest. The station has simple platforms and serves as a stop along the narrow-gauge line that runs through the mountains.
Mengyue Station opened in February 1983 as part of the Alishan Forest Railway, a line that was first built in the early 20th century to carry timber down from the mountains. When logging activity declined, the railway shifted toward passenger and tourist use, and the station remained in service along that route.
The name Mengyue translates to 'Sleeping Moon,' which hints at the dark, open skies above the surrounding cedar forest that visitors can see on clear nights. Hikers passing through often pause here to look out at the ridgeline, where the treeline drops away and the sky opens up in a way that feels rare at lower altitudes.
The station sits in a remote forest area at high altitude, so bringing warm layers and sturdy footwear is a good idea even in warmer months. Trains on this line run infrequently, so checking the schedule before heading out helps avoid long waits at the station.
The Alishan line uses a spiral loop system to gain altitude, meaning the train circles back on itself inside the mountain rather than climbing a straight steep grade. This approach was a rare engineering choice when the line was first built and can still be experienced by passengers riding the route today.
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