Kaechon Line

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Kaech'ŏn Line
Sinanju Ch'ŏngnyŏn station, western terminus of the Kaech'ŏn Line
Sinanju Ch'ŏngnyŏn station, western terminus of the Kaech'ŏn Line
Overview
Native name개천선(价川線)
StatusOperational
OwnerMitsui Mining Railway (1916–1927)
Kaech'ŏn Light Railway (1927–1933)
Chosen Government Railway (1933–1945)
Korean State Railway (since 1945)
LocaleSouth P'yŏngan
Termini
Stations6
Service
TypeHeavy rail, Passenger/Freight rail
Regional rail
Depot(s)Kaech'ŏn
History
OpenedStages between 1916–1918
Technical
Line length29.5 km (18.3 mi)
Number of tracksSingle track
Track gauge1,435 mm (4 ft 8+1⁄2 in) standard gauge
Old gauge762 mm (2 ft 6 in)
Minimum radius300 m (980 ft)
Electrification3000 V DC Overhead line
Maximum incline14‰
Route map

Legend
P'yŏngŭi Line to P'yŏngyang
0.0
 Sinanju Ch'ŏngnyŏn
Ch'ŏngch'ŏn River
P'yŏngŭi Line to Sinŭiju
(bridge appx 100 m (330 ft))
6.4
 Anju
(bridge appx 65 m (213 ft))
(tunnel appx 195 m (640 ft))
(bridge appx 110 m (360 ft))
11.1
 Puksongri
gravel loading
(tunnel appx 100 m (330 ft))
(bridge appx 210 m (690 ft))
16.3
 Yŏnp'ung
(tunnel appx 475 m (1,558 ft))
(bridge appx 15 m (49 ft))
(bridge appx 125 m (410 ft))
21.3
 Unhŭngri
(viaduct appx 15 m (49 ft))
(viaduct appx 15 m (49 ft))
Ch'ŏngch'ŏn River
(bridge appx 25 m (82 ft))
(bridge appx 85 m (279 ft))
(tunnel appx 135 m (443 ft))
Kaech'ŏn Steel Works
(bridge appx 120 m (390 ft))
Manp'o Line to Sunch'ŏn
Choyang Colliery Line
locomotive and car shops
29.5
 Kaech'ŏn
(bridge appx 35 m (115 ft))
Manp'o Line to Manp'o
Kaechon Line
Chosŏn'gŭl
개천선
Hancha
Revised RomanizationGaecheon-seon
McCune–ReischauerKaech'ŏn-sŏn

The Kaech'ŏn Line is an electrified standard-gauge secondary line of the Korean State Railway running from Sinanju on the P'yŏngŭi Line to Kaech'ŏn on the Manp'o Line.[1]

The ruling grade on the line is 14‰, the minimum curve radius is 300 m (980 ft); there are 14 bridges with a total length of 619 m (2,031 ft), and there are four tunnels with a total length of 928 m (3,045 ft).[2]

History[edit]

The line was originally opened on 13 May 1916 by the Mitsui Mining Railway as a 762 mm (2 ft 6.0 in) narrow-gauge line running from Sinanju to Kaech'ŏn. It was subsequently extended from Kaech'ŏn to Ch'ŏndong, with the new section being opened on 1 December 1918. In 1927, the company was renamed Kaech'ŏn Light Railway, and then was leased to the Chosen Government Railway (Sentetsu) on 1 November 1932.[3] Sentetsu began converting the Kaech'ŏn–Ch'ŏndong section to standard gauge, completing this work on 15 July 1933,[4] and on 1 September 1933 the entirety of the line was officially absorbed into Sentetsu, with the Kaech'ŏn–Ch'ŏndong section becoming part of the Manp'o Line. After the partition of Korea the line was located in North Korea and became part of the Korean State Railway, which converted the remaining narrow-gauge section (Sinanju–Kaech'ŏn) to standard gauge in 1949;[1] the regauging work began in March 1949 and was completed in eight months.[2]

Electrification of the line was completed in February 1979,[2][5] and semi-automatic train control was installed on the entirety of the line at the same time.[2]

Date Section Length Original Builder
13 May 1916 Sinanju–Kaech'ŏn
(narrow gauge)		 29.5 km (18.3 mi) Mitsui Mining Railway
1 December 1918 Kaech'ŏn–Ch'ŏndong
(narrow gauge)		 6.3 km (3.9 mi) Mitsui Mining Railway
1 September 1925 Kaech'ŏn–Ch'ŏndong
(standard gauge)		 6.3 km (3.9 mi) Chosen Government Railway
November 1949 Sinanju–Kaech'ŏn
(standard gauge)		 29.5 km (18.3 mi) Korean State Railway
February 1979 Sinanju–Kaech'ŏn
(electrification)		 29.5 km (18.3 mi) Korean State Railway

Services[edit]

Anthracite and cement are the primary commodities shipped on the line.[2]

The following passenger trains are known to operate on this line:[1]

  • Express trains 19/20, operating between P'yŏngyang and Hŭich'ŏn Ch'ŏngnyŏn, run on this line between Sinanju Ch'ŏngnyŏn and Kaech'ŏn;
  • Semi-express trains 124-125/126-127, operating between Sinŭiju Ch'ŏngnyŏn and Ch'ŏngjin Ch'ŏngnyŏn, run on this line between Sinanju Ch'ŏngnyŏn and Kaech'ŏn;
  • Local trains 250-251/252-253, operating between Sinŭiju Ch'ŏngnyŏn and Hŭich'ŏn Ch'ŏngnyŏn, run on this line between Sinanju Ch'ŏngnyŏn and Kaech'ŏn.

There are also commuter trains running along the line between Sinanju Ch'ŏngnyŏn and Kaech'ŏn.[2]

Route[edit]

A yellow background in the "Distance" box indicates that section of the line is not electrified

Distance (km) Station Name Former Name
Total S2S Transcribed Chosŏn'gŭl (Hanja) Transcribed Chosŏn'gŭl (Hanja) Connections
0.0 0.0 Sinanju Ch'ŏngnyŏn 신안주청년 (新安州靑年) Sinanju 신안주 (新安州) P'yŏngŭi Line
6.4 6.4 Anju 안주 (安州)
11.1 4.7 Puksongri 북송리 (北松里)
16.3 5.2 Yŏnp'ung 연풍 (延豊)
21.3 5.0 Unhŭngri 운흥리 (雲興里)
29.5 8.2 Kaech'ŏn 개천 (价川) Manp'o Line, Choyang Colliery Line

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b c 国分隼人 (January 2007). 将軍様の鉄道: 北朝鮮鉄道事情. 新潮社. ISBN 978-4-10-303731-6.
  2. ^ a b c d e f North Korea Geographic Information: Transportation Geography - Kaech'ŏn Line (in Korean)
  3. ^ 朝鮮総督府官報 (The Public Journal of the Governor-General of Korea), Shōwa No. 1741, 26 October 1932 (in Japanese)
  4. ^ 朝鮮総督府官報 (The Public Journal of the Governor-General of Korea), Shōwa No. 1947, 7 July 1933 (in Japanese)
  5. ^ Choe, Un-sik, 한국의 전통 사회 운송 기구, ISBN 978-89-7300-728-8, pp. 115
  • Japanese Government Railways (1937). 鉄道停車場一覧. 昭和12年10月1日現在 [The List of Stations as of 1 October 1937] (in Japanese). Tokyo: Kawaguchi Printing Company. p. 498.

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