Soho Line

{{Infobox rail line

| box_width = 20em

| name = Sŏho Line

| other_name =

| native_name = 서호선 (西湖線)

| native_name_lang = ko

| color =

| logo =

| logo_width =

| logo_alt =

| image = Hamhung DPRK (14721967969).jpg

| image_width = 400px

| image_alt =

| caption = A narrow-gauge passenger train on the Sŏho Line.

| type = Light rail, Passenger rail
Regional rail

| system =

| status = Operational

| locale =

| start = Hamhŭng

| end = Sŏho, Hŭngnam

| stations = 11

| routes =

| daily_ridership =

| planopen =

| open = 11 May 1934 (Hamhŭng—Ch'ŏngiri (Hadŏk))
5 March 1936 (Ch'ŏngiri—Naeho)
15 December 1936 (Naeho—Sŏhojin)

| event1label =

| event1 =

| event2label =

| event2 =

| event3label =

| event3 =

| close =

| owner = Sinhŭng Railway (1934–1938)
Chosen Railway (1938–1945)
Korean State Railway (since 1945)

| operator =

| character =

| depot = West Hamhŭng

| stock =

| linelength_km = 17.6

| tracklength_km =

| tracklength_mi =

| tracklength =

| tracks = Single track

| gauge = {{Track gauge|762 mm}}

| old_gauge =

| load_gauge =

| minradius =

| racksystem =

| routenumber =

| linenumber =

| electrification = 1500 V DC Overhead line

| speed =

| elevation =

| maxincline =

| website =

| map = {{routemap

| inline=1

| map=

\\\\\\\\STRq~~ ~~Sŏho Line

\\\\\\\\uSTRq~~ ~~Pinallon Line

\\\\\\\\fSTRq~~ ~~P'yŏngra Line

\\\\\\\\STRq_orange~~ ~~Sinhŭng Line

\CONTg_orange\\\\\\\

ELCa\STR_orange!~lELC\STR+l\KBHFeq\\\\\~~0.0~~West Hamhŭng

BL!~fCONTgq\STRl_orange!~fSTRq\mKRZu!~fSTRq\fSTRq\fSTRq\fBHFq\fSTRq\fSTR+r\~~ ~~Hamhŭng~~P'yŏngra Line to P'yŏngyang

BL\\HST\WASSER+l\WASSERq\WASSERq\WASSERq\hKRZWae!~fSTR\WASSERq~~1.2~~Sap'o~~Horyŏnch'ŏn

BL\WCONTgq\hKRZWae\WASSERr\\\fSTRc2\fSTR3!~fSTR\~~ ~~ ~~(bridge appx {{convert|320|m|ft|abbr=on}})

BL\\STRl\STRq\vSTR+r-\fSTRc2\fSTR+1!~uKDST3\fSTRc4!~fSTR\~~ ~~Hamhŭng Choch'ajang

BL\\\\vHST-!~uv-STR+l\uSTRr+1\fSTR!~uSTRc4\fSTR\~~3.5~~Sangsu

BL\\\\mvÜWB\\fSTR!~fSTRc2\fSTR3\

BL\\uSTR+l\uBSTq\uvABZg+r-STR!~v-STR\\fABZg+1\fSTRc4\WORKS

BL\\uENDEe\\uvDST-BHF!~v-BHF\\fSTRl\fSTR+r\~~5.9~~Sŏngch'ŏn

BL\GRZ+l\GRZq\GRZq\umvSTR!~GRZq\GRZq\GRZ+r\fSTR\~~ ~~ ~~limits of February 8 Vinylon Complex

BL\GRZ\uENDEaq\uABZq+l\uvABZgr-STR!~v-STR\\GRZ\fBHF\~~ ~~Ch'anghŭng

BL\GRZ\\uSTR+l!~uKBSTe\uvABZgr-STR!~v-STR\\GRZ\fSTR\

BL!~uv-KDSTa\GRZ\\uKBSTe\uSHI1+r!~v-SHI2l\vSHI2+r-\GRZ\fSTR\WORKS~~ ~~ ~~Hamhŭng Thermal Power Plant

BL!~uv-STR2\GRZ!~uSTRc3\uSTR+l\uBSTq\uABZgr\vHST-\GRZ\fSTR\~~7.6~~Hungdok

BL!~uKBSTaq!~uSTRc1\uABZ2+4r!~GRZl\uSTR+GRZq!~uSTRc3\GRZq\uSTR!~GRZq\SHI1+r!~GRZq\GRZr\fSTR\WORKS~~ ~~ ~~Hamhŭng Silicate Brick Factory

BL\uSTRc1\uvSTR+4-!~uSHI1r\uKBSTaq\uABZg+r\STR\\fSTR\WORKS~~ ~~ ~~Hŭngnam Pharmaceutical Factory

BL\\uvSTR-!~uvSTR+l-\uSTRq\uSTRr\STR\\fSTR\

BL\\uvSTR-!~v-STR+l\STRq\STRq\STRr\\fSTR\

BL\\umvWBRÜCKE1\\\\\fSTR\~~ ~~ ~~(bridge appx {{convert|35|m|ft|abbr=on}})

BL\\uvDST-!~v-HST\\\\\fSTR\~~10.0~~Unsong

BL\uKBSTaq\uvABZg+r-STR!~v-STR\\\\\fSTR\WORKS

BL\uKBSTaq\uvABZg+r-STR!~v-STR\\\\\fSTR\WORKS~~ ~~ ~~Ryongsŏng Machine Complex

BL\\uvSTRlf-!~v-STRlg\vBHFq!~u-DSTq\u-STR+r!~SHI1+lq\STRq\ABZq+r\fSTR!~STR+r\~~12.0~~Ryongsŏng

BL\\\\uSTR\\HST\STR\~~13.6~~Hadŏk

BL\\\uKBSTaq\uABZg+r!~ul-DST\\STR\STR\WORKS~~ ~~Hŭngnam Port

BL\\\\uSTR\\STR\fSTR!~KBHFe\~~15.6~~Hŭngnam

BL\\\\uSTRl\uSTRq\mKRZ\uSTRr!~fSTR\

BL\\\\\\STRl\fSTR!~STR+r\

ELCe\\\\\\\fSTR!~KBHFe\~~17.6~~Sŏho~~P'yŏngra Line

\\\\\\\fSTR!~lELC\

\\\\\\\fCONTf\~~ ~~P'yŏngra Line to Rajin

}}

{{Infobox Korean name|context=north|

hangul=서호선|

hanja={{linktext|西|湖|線}}|

mr=Sŏho-sŏn|

rr=Seoho-seon|

}}

The Sŏho Line is an electrified {{RailGauge|762mm|lk=on}} narrow gauge railway line of the Korean State Railway in Hamhŭng-si, North Korea, running from Hamhŭng to Hŭngnam and Sŏho.Kokubu, Hayato, 将軍様の鉄道 (Shōgun-sama no Tetsudō), {{ISBN|978-4-10-303731-6}}

History

During the Japanese colonial era, the privately owned Sinhŭng Railway built a network of {{convert|762|mm|ftin|abbr=on}} narrow-gauge railways around Hamhŭng. These were the Hamnam Line, the Jangjin Line, and the Songheung Line opened between 1923 and 1933, and the Namhŭng Line, which was opened in three sections between 1934 and 1936.

class="wikitable"
Section ! Opening date ! Length
West Hamhŭng - Ch'ŏngiri (Hadŏk) \| 11 May 1934 \| {{convert\|14.9\|km\|abbr=on}}
Ch'ŏngiri - Naeho (closed) \| 5 March 1936 \| {{convert\|1.7\|km\|abbr=on}}
Naeho - Sŏhojin \| 15 December 1936 \| {{convert\|1.7\|km\|abbr=on}}

class="wikitable"

Section

! Opening date

! Length

West Hamhŭng - Ch'ŏngiri (Hadŏk)

| 11 May 1934

| {{convert|14.9|km|abbr=on}}

Ch'ŏngiri - Naeho (closed)

| 5 March 1936

| {{convert|1.7|km|abbr=on}}

Naeho - Sŏhojin

| 15 December 1936

| {{convert|1.7|km|abbr=on}}

The Sinhŭng Railway was bought by the Chosen Railway on 22 April 1938.朝鮮總督府官報 (The Public Journal of the Governor-General of Korea), Shōwa No. 3385, 3 May 1938

After the defeat of Japan in the Pacific War and the subsequent partition of Korea, the entirety of the line, being north of the 38th parallel, was located in the Soviet zone of occupation; on 10 August 1946, the Provisional People's Committee for North Korea nationalised all railways within its jurisdiction, including the Namhŭng Line, and it has since been operated by the Korean State Railway.

Originally built entirely as a narrow gauge line, frequent accidents on the line led the Korean State Railway to convert the Hamhŭng—Sinhŭng section of the Sinhŭng Line to standard gauge for greater safety and increased transportation capacity;{{cite web|url=http://terms.naver.com/entry.nhn?docId=2090778&cid=44454&categoryId=44461|website=terms.naver.com|title=신흥선|accessdate=2018-01-01}} after the regauging of this section was completed, West Hamhŭng station was disconnected from the Sinhŭng line. When Naeho Station was closed, the line between Hadŏk and Sŏho was realigned to the current, shorter alignment.

In 2017, the line was reconstructed with the participation of the Hamhung Narrow Gauge Railroad office, Yonggwang Yonju plant and organised by the South Hamgyong provincial party office. Stations, sleepers and concrete poles were all replaced.{{Cite web|title=서함흥-동흥남사이 좁은철길개건현대화공사 성과적으로 결속|url=http://arirangmeari.com/index.php?t=news&no=4278|access-date=2021-09-02|website=arirangmeari.com}} Hungdok station was rebuilt as a model station.{{Cite web|title=《조선의 오늘》|url=https://dprktoday.com/news/28436|access-date=2021-09-02|website=DPRK Today}}

Services

File:February8Vinalon.jpg at Pinallon Station.]]

The Sŏho Line is used exclusively for passenger trains for commuters.

Route

The pink background indicates that that section is electrified {{RailGauge|762mm}} narrow gauge.

colspan="4" \| Distance (km)	colspan="5" \|
class="wikitable" style="font-size:90%;"
colspan="2" \| Original	colspan="2" \| Current	colspan="2" \| Station Name	colspan="2" \| Former Name
Total	S2S	Total	S2S	Transcribed	Chosŏn'gŭl (Hanja)	Transcribed	Chosŏn'gŭl (Hanja)	Connections (former)
bgcolor=#F78181\|0.0 \| bgcolor=#F78181\|0.0 \| bgcolor=#F78181\|0.0 \| bgcolor=#F78181\|0.0 \| Sŏhamhŭng (West Hamhŭng) \| 서함흥 (西咸興) \| \| \| Sinhŭng Line
bgcolor=#F78181\|1.2 \| bgcolor=#F78181\|1.2 \| bgcolor=#F78181\|1.2 \| bgcolor=#F78181\|1.2 \| Sap'o \| 사포 (沙浦) \| \| \|
bgcolor=#F78181\|3.5 \| bgcolor=#F78181\|2.3 \| bgcolor=#F78181\|3.5 \| bgcolor=#F78181\|2.3 \| Sangsu \| 상수 (上水) \| \| \|
bgcolor=#F78181\|5.9 \| bgcolor=#F78181\|2.4 \| bgcolor=#F78181\|5.9 \| bgcolor=#F78181\|2.4 \| Sŏngch'ŏn{{Cite web \|last=강 \|first=미진 \|date=2019-01-16 \|title=최신 북한 철도 안내도 입수, 대부분 철도 노선 전철화 진행돼 {{!}} DailyNK \|url=https://www.dailynk.com/%ec%b5%9c%ec%8b%a0-%eb%b6%81%ed%95%9c-%ec%b2%a0%eb%8f%84-%ec%95%88%eb%82%b4%eb%8f%84-%ec%9e%85%ec%88%98-%eb%8c%80%eb%b6%80%eb%b6%84-%ec%b2%a0%eb%8f%84-%eb%85%b8%ec%84%a0-%ec%a0%84%ec%b2%a0%ed%99%94/ \|access-date=2024-03-04 \|language=ko-KR}} \| 성천 (城川) \| \| \| Pinallon Line
bgcolor=#F78181\|7.6 \| bgcolor=#F78181\|1.7 \| bgcolor=#F78181\|7.6 \| bgcolor=#F78181\|1.7 \| Hŭngdŏk \| 흥덕 (興德) \| Pinallon \| 비날론 (-) \| Pinallon Line
bgcolor=#F78181\|10.0 \| bgcolor=#F78181\|2.4 \| bgcolor=#F78181\|10.0 \| bgcolor=#F78181\|2.4 \| Unsong \| 운성 (雲城) \| \| \| Pinallon Line
bgcolor=#F78181\|12.0 \| bgcolor=#F78181\|2.0 \| bgcolor=#F78181\|12.0 \| bgcolor=#F78181\|2.0 \| Ryongsŏng \| 룡성 (龍城) \| \| \| Pinallon Line; branch to Hŭngnam
bgcolor=#909497
- \| bgcolor=#909497
- \| bgcolor=#F78181\|13.6 \| bgcolor=#F78181\|1.6 \| Hadŏk \| 하덕 (荷德) \| Ch'ŏngiri \| 천기리 (天機里) \|
bgcolor=#F78181\|15.6 \| bgcolor=#F78181\|3.6 \| bgcolor=#909497
- \| bgcolor=#909497
- \| Hŭngnam \| 흥남 (興南) \| \| \| P'yŏngra Line
bgcolor=#909497
- \| bgcolor=#909497
- \| bgcolor=#F78181\|~~15.3~~ \| bgcolor=#F78181\|~~1.7~~ \| Naeho \| 내호 (內湖) \| \| \| Closed.
bgcolor=#909497
- \| bgcolor=#909497
- \| bgcolor=#F78181\|17.6 \| bgcolor=#F78181\|2.3 \| Sŏho \| 서호 (西湖) \| Sŏhojin \| 서호진 (西湖津) \| P'yŏngra Line

Rolling stock

The line uses Charyokkaengsang-class locomotives ({{Korean|hangul=자력갱생|labels=no}}) originally built by Kim Chong-t'ae Electric Locomotive Works. They have 551 kW motors and haul a number of passenger cars. These locomotives underwent complete body replacement by the 8 February Vinylon Factory and the Hamhung Narrow Gauge Office in 2017 and received a blue and white exterior along with the reconstruction of the line. Previously, the locomotives were yellow and red.{{Cite web|title=Hamhung — Narrow Gauge S-Bahn Hamhung — Haenam|url=https://transphoto.org/articles/4043/|access-date=2021-09-02|website=transphoto.org|language=en}} A total of 8 locomotives and 22 passenger cars which were overhauled.

References

{{cite book|author=Japanese Government Railways|authorlink=Japanese Government Railways|title=鉄道停車場一覧昭和12年10月1日現在|trans-title=The List of the Stations as of 1 October 1937|language=Japanese|year=1937|location=Tokyo|publisher=kawaguchi Printing Company|pages=510–511, 516–517}}

Category:Railway lines in North Korea

Category:2 ft 6 in gauge railways in North Korea

colspan="4" \| Distance (km)	colspan="5" \|
class="wikitable" style="font-size:90%;"
colspan="2" \| Original	colspan="2" \| Current	colspan="2" \| Station Name	colspan="2" \| Former Name
Total	S2S	Total	S2S	Transcribed	Chosŏn'gŭl (Hanja)	Transcribed	Chosŏn'gŭl (Hanja)	Connections (former)
bgcolor=#F78181\|0.0 \| bgcolor=#F78181\|0.0 \| bgcolor=#F78181\|0.0 \| bgcolor=#F78181\|0.0 \| Sŏhamhŭng (West Hamhŭng) \| 서함흥 (西咸興) \| \| \| Sinhŭng Line
bgcolor=#F78181\|1.2 \| bgcolor=#F78181\|1.2 \| bgcolor=#F78181\|1.2 \| bgcolor=#F78181\|1.2 \| Sap'o \| 사포 (沙浦) \| \| \|
bgcolor=#F78181\|3.5 \| bgcolor=#F78181\|2.3 \| bgcolor=#F78181\|3.5 \| bgcolor=#F78181\|2.3 \| Sangsu \| 상수 (上水) \| \| \|
bgcolor=#F78181\|5.9 \| bgcolor=#F78181\|2.4 \| bgcolor=#F78181\|5.9 \| bgcolor=#F78181\|2.4 \| Sŏngch'ŏn{{Cite web \|last=강 \|first=미진 \|date=2019-01-16 \|title=최신 북한 철도 안내도 입수, 대부분 철도 노선 전철화 진행돼 {{!}} DailyNK \|url=https://www.dailynk.com/%ec%b5%9c%ec%8b%a0-%eb%b6%81%ed%95%9c-%ec%b2%a0%eb%8f%84-%ec%95%88%eb%82%b4%eb%8f%84-%ec%9e%85%ec%88%98-%eb%8c%80%eb%b6%80%eb%b6%84-%ec%b2%a0%eb%8f%84-%eb%85%b8%ec%84%a0-%ec%a0%84%ec%b2%a0%ed%99%94/ \|access-date=2024-03-04 \|language=ko-KR}} \| 성천 (城川) \| \| \| Pinallon Line
bgcolor=#F78181\|7.6 \| bgcolor=#F78181\|1.7 \| bgcolor=#F78181\|7.6 \| bgcolor=#F78181\|1.7 \| Hŭngdŏk \| 흥덕 (興德) \| Pinallon \| 비날론 (-) \| Pinallon Line
bgcolor=#F78181\|10.0 \| bgcolor=#F78181\|2.4 \| bgcolor=#F78181\|10.0 \| bgcolor=#F78181\|2.4 \| Unsong \| 운성 (雲城) \| \| \| Pinallon Line
bgcolor=#F78181\|12.0 \| bgcolor=#F78181\|2.0 \| bgcolor=#F78181\|12.0 \| bgcolor=#F78181\|2.0 \| Ryongsŏng \| 룡성 (龍城) \| \| \| Pinallon Line; branch to Hŭngnam
bgcolor=#909497
- \| bgcolor=#909497
- \| bgcolor=#F78181\|13.6 \| bgcolor=#F78181\|1.6 \| Hadŏk \| 하덕 (荷德) \| Ch'ŏngiri \| 천기리 (天機里) \|
bgcolor=#F78181\|15.6 \| bgcolor=#F78181\|3.6 \| bgcolor=#909497
- \| bgcolor=#909497
- \| Hŭngnam \| 흥남 (興南) \| \| \| P'yŏngra Line
bgcolor=#909497
- \| bgcolor=#909497
- \| bgcolor=#F78181\|~~15.3~~ \| bgcolor=#F78181\|~~1.7~~ \| Naeho \| 내호 (內湖) \| \| \| Closed.
bgcolor=#909497
- \| bgcolor=#909497
- \| bgcolor=#F78181\|17.6 \| bgcolor=#F78181\|2.3 \| Sŏho \| 서호 (西湖) \| Sŏhojin \| 서호진 (西湖津) \| P'yŏngra Line