Themed Google logo celebrates Taiwan's Alishan Forest Railway

Taipei, March 10 (CNA) Google temporarily changed its online logo on Saturday to one that shows a train passing through mountain tracks lined on both sides by cherry blossom trees, to celebrate the 106 years that Taiwan's Alishan Forest Railway has been in operation.

The search engine's themed logos, formally known as the Google Doodle, are temporary changed to celebrate specific occasions in targeted countries or regions.

Saturday's doodle, which is visible to Google's users in Taiwan, China, Hong Kong and Japan, features the railway's staple red train as it makes its way through a beautiful scene of cherry trees in full bloom, with Chiayi County's Alishan mountain in the background.

Google chose Saturday to change its logo because starting this weekend, many people will be taking the rail up to the mountains to enjoy the cherry blossoms that are blooming, the Google Doodle Archives website noted.

However, those wishing to visit should note that services on one of the railway's main lines-- Chiayi station to Shizilu station-- are being suspended until June.

Due to a series of train derailment accidents, the Alishan Forest Railway branch of the Taiwan Railways Administration decided last month that services on this line would be suspended from Feb. 26 to March 11 for maintenance and safety inspection.

The branch, however, announced on Saturday that the suspension will be extended for another three months from March 12 to facilitate an improvement project.

The annual Alishan cherry blossom festival will officially kick off on March 15.

The three lines traveling within the Alishan Forest Recreation Area are all operating normally.

The original purpose of the Alishan Forest Railway was to transport timber when it started operating in 1912, back when Taiwan was under Japanese rule.

Now it provides people with a relaxing and beautiful trip up to the recreation area at 2,216 meters above sea level.

According to the description of the doodle, there is a proposal to try to get the railway listed as a possible World Heritage Site.