Kaechon Line
{{Short description|Railway line in North Korea}}
{{Infobox rail line
|box_width=auto
|name=Kaech'ŏn Line
|native_name=개천선(价川線)
|native_name_lang=ko
|image=Sinanju Chongnyon Station.jpg
|image_alt=Sinanju Ch'ŏngnyŏn station, western terminus of the Kaech'ŏn Line
|image_width = 300px
|caption = Sinanju Ch'ŏngnyŏn station, western terminus of the Kaech'ŏn Line
|type=Heavy rail, Passenger/Freight rail
Regional rail
|status=Operational
|locale=South P'yŏngan
|start=Sinanju Ch'ŏngnyŏn
|end=Kaech'ŏn
|stations=6
| planopen =
|open=Stages between 1916–1918
|owner=Mitsui Mining Railway (1916–1927)
Kaech'ŏn Light Railway (1927–1933)
Chosen Government Railway (1933–1945)
Korean State Railway (since 1945)
|operator=
|linelength_km=29.5
|tracks=Single track
|gauge={{Track gauge|sg|allk=on}}
|old_gauge={{Track gauge|762 mm|al=on|lk=on}}
|electrification=3000 V DC Overhead line
| depot = Kaech'ŏn
| speed_km/h =
| speed_mph =
| speed =
| elevation_m =
| elevation_ft =
| elevation =
| maxincline = 14‰
| minradius = {{convert|300|m|abbr=on}}
| website =
| map = 300px
{{routemap
| inline=1
| map=
\\\\\RP2\fCONTg\\~~ ~~ ~~P'yŏngŭi Line to P'yŏngyang
\\\\\RP2\fSTR!~lELC\\
ELCa\\\\\RP2\fSTR!~KBHFa\\WORKS~~0.0~~Sinanju Ch'ŏngnyŏn
BL\\\\STR+l\SKRZ-G2uq\fSTR!~STRr\WASSER+l\WCONTfq~~ ~~ ~~Ch'ŏngch'ŏn River
BL\\\\STR\RP2\fSTRl!~lELC\fhKRZWaeq\fCONTfq~~ ~~ ~~P'yŏngŭi Line to Sinŭiju
BL\\\\STR\RP2l\RP2q\RP2oWq\RP2q
BL\WASSERq\WASSERq\WASSERq\hKRZWae\WASSERq\WASSERq\WABZgr\~~ ~~ ~~(bridge appx {{convert|100|m|ft|abbr=on}})
BL\RP1q!~RP1s\RP1q\RP1w!~BUILDING\BHF\\WASSER+l\WASSERr\~~6.4~~Anju
BL\RP1\\STR+l\STRr\\WASSER\\
BL\RP1l\RP1sew!~RP1yRP2q\SKRZ-G2u\RP2q\RP2q\RP2oWq\RP2q\
BL\\RP1l\SKRZ-G1u\RP1+r\\WASSER\\
BL\RD1q\RD1q\hSKRZ-GDa\RD1wns!~RP1\\WASSER\\~~ ~~ ~~(bridge appx {{convert|65|m|ft|abbr=on}})
BL\WASSERq\WASSERq\hKRZWe\RP1oW\WASSERq\WABZgr\\
BL\\\tSTRa\RP1\\WASSER\\~~ ~~ ~~(tunnel appx {{convert|195|m|ft|abbr=on}})
BL\\\tSTRe\RP1\\WASSER\\
BL\WASSERq\WASSERq\hKRZWae\RP1oW\WASSERq\WABZgr\\~~ ~~ ~~(bridge appx {{convert|110|m|ft|abbr=on}})
BL\\\BHF\RP1eRP1\RP1q\RP2oWq!~RP1q\RP1q\~~11.1~~Puksongri
BL\\\ABZgl\RP1!~BUEq\STR+r\WASSER\\
BL\\\tSTRa\RP1\KBSTe\WASSER\\WORKS~~ ~~ ~~gravel loading
BL\\\htSTRe\RP1\\WASSER\\~~ ~~ ~~(tunnel appx {{convert|100|m|ft|abbr=on}})
BL\\RP1+l\hSKRZ-G1e\RP1rf\\WASSER\\~~ ~~ ~~(bridge appx {{convert|210|m|ft|abbr=on}})
BL\\RP1\BHF\\\WASSER\\~~16.3~~Yŏnp'ung
BL\\RP1\tSTRa\\\WASSER\\~~ ~~ ~~(tunnel appx {{convert|475|m|ft|abbr=on}})
BL\\RP1\tSTRe@f\\\WASSER\\
BL\\RP1\STR\\WASSER+l\WASSERr\\
BL\\RP1oW2(Ll)\WBRÜCKE2\WASSERq\WABZgr\\\~~ ~~ ~~(bridge appx {{convert|15|m|ft|abbr=on}})
BL\\RP12+n\RP1c3!~STR\\WASSER\\\
BL\\RP1c1\RP12+4!~BUE\RP1c3\WASSER\\\
BL\\\STR!~RP1c1\RP1s+4\WASSER\\\
BL\RD1q\RD1q\RD1q!~BUE\RD1wns!~RP1\WASSER2\WSTRc3\\
BL\\\STR\RP1\WSTRc1\WASSER2+4\WSTRc3\
BL\RD1q\RD1q\hSKRZ-GDa\RD1wns!~RP1\\WSTRc1\WASSER+4\
BL\WASSERq\WASSERq\hKRZW\RP1oW\WASSERq\WASSERq\WABZgr\~~ ~~ ~~(bridge appx {{convert|125|m|ft|abbr=on}})
BL\RD1q\RD1q\hSKRZ-GDe\RD1wns!~RP1\\\WASSER\
BL\\\HST\RP1\\\WASSER\~~21.3~~Unhŭngri
BL\RD1q\RD1q\SKRZ-GDo\RD1w!~RP1\\\WASSER\~~ ~~ ~~(viaduct appx {{convert|15|m|ft|abbr=on}})
BL\\\STR\RP1\\\WASSER\
BL\RD1q\RD1q\SKRZ-GDo\RD1w!~RP1eRP1\RP1w\\WASSER\~~ ~~ ~~(viaduct appx {{convert|15|m|ft|abbr=on}})
BL\\RP1+l\SKRZ-G1BUE\RP1rf\\WASSER+l\WASSERr!~WASSERl\~~ ~~ ~~Ch'ŏngch'ŏn River
BL\WASSERq\RP1oW\WBRÜCKE2\WASSERq\WASSERq\WABZgr\\~~ ~~ ~~(bridge appx {{convert|25|m|ft|abbr=on}})
BL\RP1q\RP1xRP1\hSKRZ-G1a\RP1q\RP1q\RP2oWq!~RP1q\RP1q\
BL\WASSERq\RP1oW\hKRZWe\WASSERq\WASSERq\WASSERr\\~~ ~~ ~~(bridge appx {{convert|85|m|ft|abbr=on}})
BL\\RP1\STR\\\\\
BL\\RP1\TUNNEL1\\\\\~~ ~~ ~~(tunnel appx {{convert|135|m|ft|abbr=on}})
BL\exKBSTaq\RP1!~exBUEq\eABZg+r\\\\\exWORKS~~ ~~ ~~Kaech'ŏn Steel Works
BL\WASSERq\RP1oW\hKRZWae\WABZq+l\WASSERq\WASSERq\WCONTfq\~~ ~~ ~~(bridge appx {{convert|120|m|ft|abbr=on}})
BL\uCONT4+l!~lELC\RP1!~uSTRq\uSTR+r!~STR\WASSER\\\\~~ ~~ ~~Manp'o Line to Sunch'ŏn
BL\CONT4+l_ochre!~lELC\RP1!~STRq_ochre\STR+r_ochre!~STR\WASSER\\\\~~ ~~ ~~Choyang Colliery Line
BL\\RP1\STR\WASSER\STR+l!~lv-DST\uSTR+r!~ulvDST-\\~~ ~~ ~~locomotive and car shops
ELCe\\RP1\STRl\hKRZWaeq\ABZqr!~lBHF~L\uABZql!~lBHF~R\uSTR+r\~~29.5~~Kaech'ŏn
\\\\\\\uSTR\~~ ~~ ~~(bridge appx {{convert|35|m|ft|abbr=on}})
\\\\\\\uCONTf@F!~lELC\~~ ~~ ~~Manp'o Line to Manp'o
}}
}}
{{Infobox Korean name|context=north|
hangul=개천선|
hanja={{linktext|价|川|線}}|
mr=Kaech'ŏn-sŏn|
rr=Gaecheon-seon|
}}
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.{{cite book| author = 国分隼人| title = 将軍様の鉄道: 北朝鮮鉄道事情| date = January 2007| publisher = 新潮社| isbn = 978-4-10-303731-6 }}
The ruling grade on the line is 14‰, the minimum curve radius is {{convert|300|m|abbr=on}}; there are 14 bridges with a total length of {{convert|619|m|abbr=on}}, and there are four tunnels with a total length of {{convert|928|m|abbr=on}}.[http://terms.naver.com/entry.nhn?docId=2090763&cid=44454&categoryId=44461 North Korea Geographic Information: Transportation Geography - Kaech'ŏn Line (in Korean)]
History
The line was originally opened on 13 May 1916 by the Mitsui Mining Railway as a {{convert|762|mm|ftin|abbr=on}} 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.朝鮮総督府官報 (The Public Journal of the Governor-General of Korea), Shōwa No. 1741, 26 October 1932 (in Japanese) Sentetsu began converting the Kaech'ŏn–Ch'ŏndong section to standard gauge, completing this work on 15 July 1933,朝鮮総督府官報 (The Public Journal of the Governor-General of Korea), Shōwa No. 1947, 7 July 1933 (in Japanese) 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; the regauging work began in March 1949 and was completed in eight months.
Electrification of the line was completed in February 1979,Choe, Un-sik, 한국의 전통 사회 운송 기구, {{ISBN|978-89-7300-728-8}}, pp. 115 and semi-automatic train control was installed on the entirety of the line at the same time.
| class="wikitable" | |||
| Date | Section | Length | Original builder |
|---|---|---|---|
| 13 May 1916 | Sinanju–Kaech'ŏn (narrow gauge) | {{convert|29.5|km|abbr=on}} | Mitsui Mining Railway |
| 1 December 1918 | Kaech'ŏn–Ch'ŏndong (narrow gauge) | {{convert|6.3|km|abbr=on}} | Mitsui Mining Railway |
| 1 September 1925 | Kaech'ŏn–Ch'ŏndong (standard gauge) | {{convert|6.3|km|abbr=on}} | Chosen Government Railway |
| November 1949 | Sinanju–Kaech'ŏn (standard gauge) | {{convert|29.5|km|abbr=on}} | Korean State Railway |
| February 1979 | Sinanju–Kaech'ŏn (electrification) | {{convert|29.5|km|abbr=on}} | Korean State Railway |
Services
Anthracite and cement are the primary commodities shipped on the line.
The following passenger trains are known to operate on this line:
- 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.
Route
A yellow background in the "Distance" box indicates that section of the line is not electrified
| class="wikitable" style="font-size:90%;" | ||||||
| colspan="2" | Distance (km) | colspan="2" | Station name | colspan="2" | 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) | ||||||
| 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) | | |
References
{{Reflist}}
- {{cite book |author=Japanese Government Railways |authorlink=Japanese Government Railway |date=1937 |title=鉄道停車場一覧. 昭和12年10月1日現在 |language=Japanese |trans-title=The List of Stations as of 1 October 1937 |location=Tokyo |publisher=Kawaguchi Printing Company |pages=498 }}
{{Kaechon Line}}
{{coord missing|North Korea}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Kaechon Line}}