Koo Lun-Rong (1929–2018), a renowned Taiwanese railway photographer, worked in his early years as a tour guide and interpreter, fluent in both Japanese and English. In the late 1960s, he began arranging tours for Japanese railway enthusiasts visiting Taiwan. Through multiple official applications during Taiwan’s martial law period, he was able to document railway scenery that was otherwise considered military secrets at the time. He captured images that ordinary people could not easily access, imbuing his photography with deep cultural meaning. He befriended generations of railway researchers both in Taiwan and abroad, expanding civil interest in railway culture studies and generously mentoring younger enthusiasts. He is deeply respected by railway communities in both Taiwan and Japan.
After his passing, Koo left behind a vast collection of Taiwanese railway photography. Since 2020, with the consent of his family, the Preparatory Office of National Railway Museum has been entrusted with the safekeeping, cataloging, and digitization of these invaluable materials.
This special exhibition presents a selection of Koo’s early photographs, personal notes, sketches, paintings, and letters exchanged with fellow railway enthusiasts from Taiwan and Japan. It offers a glimpse into the emergence of railway photography under martial law in Taiwan, the interactions between Taiwanese and Japanese railway fans, and the original rural landscapes captured through his lens. Visitors can trace Koo’s photographic journeys to rediscover Taiwan’s native railway scenes, experience the cross-border passion for trains, and reflect on his life story and remarkable creative talents beyond the rails.
The exhibition also features a documentary film planned by the Preparatory Office of National Railway Museum and directed by Huang Wei-sheng, presenting Koo’s love for trains and the recollections of his Taiwanese and Japanese friends. In particular, the film highlights his heartfelt wish for Taiwan to one day establish its own national railway museum.
Featured works include Koo’s railway photographs taken during Taiwan’s martial law era, such as precious images of steam locomotives, sugar railways, and forestry railways in their native settings.
Original drafts of Koo’s submissions to Railway Information magazine and prefaces to his photography collections are displayed, including his writings about riding the Lintianshan Forestry Railway.
Beyond photography, Koo’s passion for sketching left behind many paintings. He often hand-painted greeting cards and crafted handmade gifts for his fellow railway friends on festive occasions.
Through the entrusted collection, the Museum explores Koo’s life journey — from his childhood in Beinan, Taitung, through wartime, political regime changes, and his studies and career, which laid the foundation for his fluency in foreign languages and his lifelong passion for documenting Taiwan’s railways.