Longteng Broken Bridge

Lóngténg Broken Bridge (龍騰斷橋) is a historic roadside attraction in the rolling hills of Sanyi in southern Miaoli, Taiwan. More formally known as Yúténgpíng Broken Bridge (魚藤坪斷橋), it was originally constructed in 1907 during the Japanese colonial era, connecting Zhunan and Taichung along what is now known as the Old Mountain Line (舊山線). The bridge collapsed during the devastating 1935 Hsinchu-Taichung Earthquake but the ruins were never cleared away. Further damage was done in the 921 Earthquake in 1999. Several years later, in 2003, it was designated a historic site by the county government and subsequently developed for tourism along with the former Shèngxìng Railway Station (勝興車站).

Date CapturedMarch 27th, 2018 at 09:22 UTCCameraNIKON D3100LensAF-S DX Zoom-Nikkor 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6G ED IIApertureƒ / 6.3Shutter Speed1/200 secFocal Length20.0 mmISO100Exposure Value13.0 EVOriginal Size3600 × 2400

The original bridge had a hybrid design, combining brick archways at both ends with a central steel truss for a total length of 165 meters. After suffering damage in the 1935 quake the steel truss was dismantled, leaving behind only the cracked piers and crumbling archways. A new iron bridge with a span of 200 meters was completed in 1938 immediately to the north, and while it hasn’t been in regular service since around 1998, the TRA still runs special trains down this line on occasion.

Date CapturedMarch 27th, 2018 at 09:34 UTCCameraNIKON D3100LensAF-S DX Zoom-Nikkor 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6G ED IIApertureƒ / 6.3Shutter Speed1/160 secFocal Length23.0 mmISO100Exposure Value12.6 EVOriginal Size3600 × 2400

Date CapturedMarch 27th, 2018 at 09:35 UTCCameraNIKON D3100LensAF-S DX Zoom-Nikkor 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6G ED IIApertureƒ / 7.1Shutter Speed1/200 secFocal Length18.0 mmISO100Exposure Value13.3 EVOriginal Size3600 × 2400

Date CapturedMarch 27th, 2018 at 09:43 UTCCameraNIKON D3100LensAF-S DX Zoom-Nikkor 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6G ED IIApertureƒ / 5.6Shutter Speed1/125 secFocal Length18.0 mmISO400Exposure Value11.9 EVOriginal Size3600 × 2400

Tourist brochures and online promotions typically focus on the more exposed ruins of the bridge on the northeastern side, close to the souvenir stalls, snack vendors, and parking lots, but it is worth taking the time to see the far side of the bridge too. The most iconic segment of the bridge consists of three piers and partial archways still standing and a fourth that collapsed in the 921 Earthquake. A short trail descends into the valley from this point, and after a few minutes one will reach the shadowy side of the valley, which is home to several more piers colonized by banyan trees.

Date CapturedMarch 27th, 2018 at 09:41 UTCCameraNIKON D3100LensAF-S DX Zoom-Nikkor 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6G ED IIApertureƒ / 5.6Shutter Speed1/125 secFocal Length26.0 mmISO160Exposure Value11.9 EVOriginal Size3600 × 2400

Date CapturedMarch 27th, 2018 at 09:51 UTCCameraNIKON D3100LensAF-S DX Zoom-Nikkor 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6G ED IIApertureƒ / 5.6Shutter Speed1/125 secFocal Length26.0 mmISO100Exposure Value11.9 EVOriginal Size3600 × 2400

Date CapturedMay 18th, 2014 at 07:51 UTCCameraNIKON D3100LensAF-S DX VR Zoom-Nikkor 18-200mm f/3.5-5.6G IF-ED [II] or AF-S DX VR Zoom-Nikkor 18-200mm f/3.5-5.6G IF-EDApertureƒ / 8Shutter Speed1/30 secFocal Length18.0 mmISO110Exposure Value10.9 EVOriginal Size3600 × 2400

Date CapturedMay 18th, 2014 at 07:52 UTCCameraNIKON D3100LensAF-S DX VR Zoom-Nikkor 18-200mm f/3.5-5.6G IF-ED [II] or AF-S DX VR Zoom-Nikkor 18-200mm f/3.5-5.6G IF-EDApertureƒ / 8Shutter Speed1/30 secFocal Length24.0 mmISO110Exposure Value10.9 EVOriginal Size3600 × 2400

This post was originally published in May 2014 with a small number of photos captured around that time. It has since been expanded with more photos taken in 2018, and additional text in 2023.