93 year old man in Hualien, Taiwan is oldest railway station volunteer ticket gate worker; began career when he was 23 - 93歲鄧有才 台鐵最老剪票志工

93歲的鄧有才是台鐵最老志工，每天早上都會到花蓮火車站替旅客剪票。

（記者蔡百靈攝）

鄧有才23歲時與火車合影。 （記者蔡百靈翻攝）
〔記者蔡百靈／花蓮報導〕九十三歲的花蓮縣民鄧有才，是台鐵最高齡的志工，二十歲起就在台鐵服務，曾經在戰爭中用生命守護火車頭，冒著颱風天開火車將旅客送達目的地，與鐵道有著七十多年革命情感，如今他的故事將被拍成紀錄片，並被鐵路局選為「百年經典人物」。

花蓮火車站站長陳裕謀說，明年是中華民國建國一百年及鐵路局一百二十四周年紀念，台鐵尋找對台灣鐵路發展有卓越貢獻、教育意義與影響力的「百年經典人物」，他毫不考慮地推薦鄧有才老先生。

鄧有才民國六年出生，二十歲時考進台鐵當練習生，二十三歲起在玉里站當司機員，光復後調到花蓮站，歷任人事股長、福利社主任、餐旅部主任、貨運服務所主任及總務股長等職務，民國七十年、六十五歲時退休，他已在火車站整整服務四十五年，許多孩子都叫他「火車爺爺」。

鄧有才回憶，早期氣象預報不精準，他曾在颱風天開火車，在橋樑被洪水沖斷前一刻驚險通過，卻目睹對向列車掉進水裡，死傷慘重；也曾遭遇美軍轟炸火車，他緊急疏散旅客，獨自守護著機車頭，他說：「火車就是生命，這是台鐵人的精神。」

鄧有才退休後，難割捨對鐵道的情感，常到從前的工作崗位探視，民國八十七年，花蓮站招募第一批志工，他毫不猶豫就報名，每天早上騎著摩托車到火車站，幫過往旅客剪票、做資源回收，十多年來不曾間斷，甚至日前才剛開完刀，一出院就到月台報到。

許多到過花蓮火車站的旅客，都對鄧有才這位老志工印象深刻，他聲音宏亮，態度親切，常和日本旅客用日語打招呼聊天，已成花蓮站的活招牌，站長陳裕謀稱讚：「鄧有才無庸置疑是台鐵的代表性人物。」(by Cai Boling) Deng when You talent 23 years old and train group photos. (by Cai Bo absorb (by Cai nimble) Boling the/Hualian report) 93 year-old Hualian countian Deng You the talent, is the Taiwan iron most advanced age volunteer, 20 years old in the Taiwan iron service, once in the war with the life protection railway engine, braved the typhoon day to drive a locomotive the passenger deliver the destination, has more than 70 year revolutionary emotions with the railroad, now his story will be cranked up the documentary film, and is elected by Railroad Bureau for “hundred year classical character”. Hualian train station Stationmaster Chen Yumou said that next year will be Republic of China founds a nation 100 year and the Railroad Bureau 120 all around ages reads, the Taiwan iron will seek to Taiwan railroad development has the outstanding contribution, the pedagogical meaning and the influence “hundred year classical character”, he did not consider that will recommend Venerable Deng You talent. Deng You the talent in 1917 was born, when 20 years old passed into the Taiwan iron to work as the trainee, 23 years old in the jade the station worked as engineer mechanic, after the recovering, adjusted the Hualian station, successively held human affairs section chief, cooperative store director, meal duties and so on brigade headquarters director, freight transportation service station director and general affairs section chief, when in 1981, 65 years old retired, he has served fully in the train station for 45 years, many children were called him “train grandfather”. Deng You the talent recollection, the early time weather forecast is not accurate, he once drove a locomotive in the typhoon day, is washed away in the bridge by the flood the preceding quarter to pass thrillingly, actually witnessed that to falls into the water to the train, the casualty is serious; Also once encountered the US military to bomb the train, his emergency evacuation passenger, alone is protecting machine the front, he said: “the train is a life, this is the Taiwan iron man's spirit.” After Deng You the talent retires, difficult to shear the shed to railroad's emotion, Chang Dao past operating post visiting, in 1998, the Hualian station recruited the first group of volunteers, he registered without hesitation, daily early morning rode the motorcycle to arrive at the train station, helped the traveller punch ticket, to make the resource recovery, more than ten for years not once interrupted, even just now operate the knife the other day, a being out of hospital arrived at the platform registration. Many have been to the Hualian train station the passenger, the talent this old volunteer impression is profound to Deng You, his stentorian voice, the manner is kind, often greets with the Japanese passengers with Japanese chats, has become the Hualian station the live advertisement, Stationmaster Chen Yumou commended: “Deng You the talent noes need for doubt is the Taiwan iron representative character.” ]]>