Classic Dim Sum & Three-Way Roast Duck Arrive at Historic Taitung Locomotive Depot

FDC International officially takes over the historic Taitung Old Station’s wooden locomotive depot to create the first cultural and creative space in the area combining classic Hong Kong-style dim sum and three-way roast duck dishes. The new venue, Tea House 1917, will open on July 20.

Built during the Japanese colonial period, the wooden locomotive depot was once a major train repair hub. Now revitalized, it blends history, art, and cuisine to offer locals and travelers an authentic Michelin-starred culinary experience within a culturally rich architectural space.

The Taitung locomotive depot, constructed between 1917 and 1919, is the only preserved semi-wooden Japanese-style engine shed in Taiwan’s eastern railway network. After the old Taitung station closed in 2001, the depot was registered as a historical building. The structure features a high-ceilinged ground floor, reinforced concrete, no-doors gable walls, trapezoidal trusses, and a two-sloped roof with central raised pavilion windows for ventilation and steam release. The interior includes a maintenance pit supported by concrete pillars, once used for train inspection. Though the rails have been removed, the maintenance ditch, pillars, and workbenches remain intact.

FDC International breathes new life into this historic site by preserving its traces while introducing star-quality cuisine and travel experiences. The restored depot now serves as a unique cultural landmark in Taitung, injecting new tourism energy and warmth into the city’s living fabric.