Changjin Line

The Changjin Line is an electrified narrow gauge line of the North Korean State Railway running from Yŏnggwang on the Sinhŭng Line to Sasu on Lake Changjin.[1] There is a 7.4 km (4.6 mi) cable-hauled section between Samgo and Hwangch'oryong; between Pojang and Hwangch'oryong the grade reaches 370‰.[2]

Changjin Line
Overview
Native name장진선(長津線)
StatusOperational
OwnerSinhŭng Railway (1934–1938)
Chosen Railway (1938–1945)
Korean State Railway (since 1945)
LocaleSouth Hamgyŏng
TerminiYŏnggwang
Sasu
Stations13
Service
TypeHeavy rail, Regional rail
History
Opened1 October 1926 (Yŏnggwang—Sangt'ong)
1 September 1934 (Sangt'ong—Samgŏ)
1 November 1934 (Samgŏ—Kujin)
Closed15 July 1935 (Sindae—Kujin)
30 Aug. 1935 (Sasu—Sindae)
Technical
Line length58.6 km (36.4 mi)
Number of tracksSingle track
Track gauge762 mm (2 ft 6 in)
Electrification1500 V DC Overhead line
Maximum incline370‰
Route map

Sinhŭng Line standard gauge
Changjin Line narrow gauge
Chŭngnimgang
0.0
Yŏnggwang
Narrow-gauge maintenance shops
Power station
(bridge appx 40 m (130 ft))
5.6
Tongyang
9.1
Songdang
(bridge appx 145 m (476 ft))
(bridge appx 25 m (82 ft))
11.4
Tongchŏng
Closed
13.3
Sangt'ong
(bridge appx 220 m (720 ft))
17.3
Ryongsu
(tunnel appx 130 m (430 ft))
(bridge appx 200 m (660 ft))
(tunnel appx 125 m (410 ft))
23.3
Hagich'ŏn
Hagich'ŏn town
power plant
(bridge appx 45 m (148 ft))
28.4
Samgŏ
 
0.0
Cable-hauled section - bottom end
(bridge appx 55 m (180 ft))
power plant
32.0
Pojang
(bridge appx 135 m (443 ft))
 
7.4
Cable-hauled section - summit end
Cable-hauling machinery house
Summit
(tunnel appx 275 m (902 ft))
35.8
Hwangch'oryŏng
(bridge appx 25 m (82 ft))
(bridge appx 80 m (260 ft))
(bridge appx 50 m (160 ft))
Kot'o town
41.2
Kot'o
engine house
46.4
Pusŏng
Closed
49.2
Sangp'yŏng
Changjin town
54.3
Changjin
58.6
Sasu
(bridge appx 295 m (968 ft))
62.7
Sindae
Closed 1935
68.4
Chungnam
Closed 1935
75.1
Kujin
Closed 1935
Changjin Line
Chosŏn'gŭl
장진선
Hancha
Revised RomanizationJangjin-seon
McCune–ReischauerChangjin-sŏn

History

In 1923 the privately owned Sinhŭng Railway opened the mainline of its Hamnam Line (not to be confused with the line of the same name of the Chosen Magnesite Development Railway, nowadays called Kŭmgol Line), from Hamhŭng to Sinhŭng via Oro (nowadays called Yŏnggwang), and subsequently expanded the line with the addition of a branch from Oro to Sangt'ong that was opened on 1 October 1926.

In 1934, to aid in the construction of a new hydroelectric power plant on the Changjin River, and to exploit forestry and other resources in the area, the Sinhŭng Railway began opening its Changjin Line. The first section, from Sangt'ong to Samgŏ, was opened on 1 September 1934,[3] followed by an extension from Samgŏ to Kujin on 1 November of the same year.[4] Later, the Sindae—Kujin section was closed on 15 July 1935,[5] followed by the closure of the Sasu—Sindae section on 30 August 1935.[6]

The Sinhŭng Railway was bought and absorbed by the Chosen Railway on 22 April 1938.[7]

Following the establishment of the DPRK, all railways in North Korea were nationalised, becoming part of the Korean State Railway.[1] The Chosen Railway's Hamnam, Songhŭng and Changjin Lines were split up, with the mainline of the Hamnam Line and the Songhŭng Line merged to become the Sinhŭng Line, while the Yŏnggwang—Sang'tong branch was split off from the Hamnam Line and added to the Changjin Line, and the line was later electrified. Although the Hamhŭng—Sinhŭng section was rebuilt to standard gauge by the Korean State Railway,[8] the Changjin Line remained narrow gauge.

Services

Although significant for passenger transport in the area, the bulk of the trains on the Changjin Line are for freight transport, with the majority of traffic being outbound cargo - in the mid 1980s, 62.1% of all freight traffic originated on the line for shipment elsewhere, while only 37.9% being traffic from elsewhere destined for points on the line. Wood accounts for the vast majority of outbound freight - up to 78.8% in the 1980s, with grain, ore and metals being the other major commodities. Of inbound goods, coal is the most important at 36.7% of the total (of which up to 20% is anthracite), followed by rice and other grains (18.9%), fertiliser (11.9%), sea products (8.2%) and cement (4.2%).[2]

Route

A yellow background in the "Distance" box indicates that section of the line is not electrified; a pink background indicates that section is 2 ft 6 in (762 mm) narrow gauge; an orange background indicates that section is non-electrified narrow gauge.

Distance (km)Station NameFormer Name
TotalS2STranscribedChosŏn'gŭl (Hanja)TranscribedChosŏn'gŭl (Hanja)Connections
0.0 0.0 Yŏnggwang 영광 (栄光) Oro 오로 (五老) Sinhŭng Line
5.6 5.6 Tongyang 동양 (東陽)
9.1 3.5 Songdang 송당 (松堂)
11.4 2.3 Tongchŏng 동정 (東井) Closed.
13.3 4.2 Sangt'ong 상통 (上通)
17.4 4.1 Ryongsu 룡수 (龍水)
23.4 6.0 Hagich'ŏn 하기천 (下岐川)
28.4 5.0 Samgŏ 삼거 (三巨)
32.0 3.6 Pojang 부장 (堡庄)
35.8 3.8 Hwangch'oryŏng 황초령 (黄草嶺)
41.2 5.4 Kot'o 고토 (古土)
46.4 5.2 Pusŏng 부성 (富盛) Closed.
49.2 2.8 Sangp'yŏng 상평 (上坪)
54.3 5.1 Changjin 장진 (長津)
58.6 4.0 Sasu 사수 (泗水)
62.7 4.1 Sindae 신대 (新垈) Closed 15 July 1935.[6]
68.4 5.2 Chungnam 중남 (中南) Closed 15 July 1935.[5]
75.1 5.2 Kujin 구진 (舊津) Closed 15 July 1935.[5]

References

  1. Kokubu, Hayato, 将軍様の鉄道 (Shōgun-sama no Tetsudō), ISBN 978-4-10-303731-6
  2. "북한지리정보: 운수지리 - 장진선". Retrieved 2017-01-18.
  3. 朝鮮總督府官報 (The Public Journal of the Governor-General of Korea), Shōwa No. 2298, 5 September 1934
  4. 朝鮮總督府官報 (The Public Journal of the Governor-General of Korea), Shōwa No. 2348, 7 November 1934
  5. 朝鮮總督府官報 (The Public Journal of the Governor-General of Korea), Shōwa No. 2557, 22 July 1935
  6. 朝鮮總督府官報 (The Public Journal of the Governor-General of Korea), Shōwa No. 2595, 4 September 1935
  7. 朝鮮總督府官報 (The Public Journal of the Governor-General of Korea), Shōwa No. 3385, 3 May 1938
  8. http://terms.naver.com/entry.nhn?docId=2090778&cid=44454&categoryId=44461
  • Ministry of Railways (1937), 鉄道停車場一覧. 昭和12年10月1日現在(The list of the stations, Status as of 1 October 1937), Kawaguchi Printing, p511, 517
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