Paektusan Ch'ŏngnyŏn Line

Paektusan Ch'ŏngnyŏn Line
Overview
Native name	백두산청년선(白頭山靑年線)
Type	Heavy rail, Regional rail
Status	Operational
Locale	North Hamgyŏng Ryanggang
Termini	Kilju Ch'ŏngnyŏn Hyesan Ch'ŏngnyŏn
Stations	22
Operation
Opened	Stages between 1933-1937
Owner	Korean State Railway
Operator(s)	Korean State Railway
Technical
Line length	141.7 km (88.0 mi)
Number of tracks	Single track
Track gauge	1,435 mm (4 ft 8 1⁄2 in) standard gauge
Electrification	3000 V DC Catenary
Route map Legend P'yŏngra Line 0.0 Kilju Ch'ŏngnyŏn P'yŏngra Line 3.9 Pongam 10.3 Namsŏk 18.4 Sŏnghu 22.8 P'unggye 26.2 Chaedŏk 35.2 Sŏngdŏk ↑Kilju/Paegam↓ 43.0 Sado 47.4 Yanggok 57.2 Hapsu 63.0 Namgye 70.0 Paegam Ch'ŏngnyŏn Paengmu Line ↑Paegam/Unhŭng↓ 81.0 Ryŏngha Ryŏngnam 90.5 Namjung 95.6 Saengjang 99.7 Unhŭng 108.7 Poan 116.1 Simp'o-ri 124.6 Taeoch'ŏn Osich'ŏn Branch Osich'ŏn ↑Unhŭng/Hyesan↓ 132.6 Kŏmsalli Samjiyon Line 137.1 Wiyŏn 141.7 Hyesan Ch'ŏngnyŏn Pukpu Line

The Paektusan Ch'ŏngnyŏn Line is an electrified standard-gauge secondary mainline of the North Korean State Railway running from Kilju on the P'yŏngra Line to Hyesan on the Paengmu Line; it connects to two narrow-gauge railway lines: the Paengmu Line at Paegam Ch'ŏngnyŏn Station, and the Samjiyŏn Line at Wiyŏn Station.^[1]

This line traverses a very mountainous area; it has a ruling grade of 33‰ and a minimum curve radius of 250 metres. There are 74 bridges totalling 2,175 metres and 24 tunnels with a total length of 8,398 metres. The average distance between stations is 7.1 km. Service facilities on the line are at Hyesan for locomotives and at Wiyon and Paegam for rolling stock. ^[2]

On 9 October 2006 an underground nuclear test was conducted at Punggye-ri Nuclear Test Site in Kilju County, causing the closure of the line for 3-4 months.^[3]

History

Construction was begun in May 1931 by the Chosen Government Railway to exploit the Paektusan region's abundant forest and mineral resources, and the line was opened in stages until its final completion in 1937:^[4]

Originally called the Hyesan Line or Kilhye Line (from the names of the two termini, Kilju and Hyesan), the line received its present name after the establishment of the DPRK. Electrification of the line was completed in September 1978.^[2]

Services

Freight

Ore and forest products account for almost 93% of freight traffic in the direction towards Kilju, while almost half of the freight in the direction towards Hyesan is coal.

Ore is shipped from Namgye, talc, kaolin and magnesite from Simp'o-ri, and iron sulphide from Unhŭng. Logs are brought from the Paengmu Line to Paegam and forwarded to a large sawmill at Wiyŏn; raw logs are also shipped to the pulp mill and plywood factory in Kilju. The majority of freight moved on the line in the direction towards Hyesan is coal from Sinmyŏngch'ŏn on the P'yŏngra Line destined for use by residents and powerplants in the region, along with grains, anthracite, fertiliser, cement etc. for local use.^[2]

Passenger

Passenger traffic on the Paektusan Ch'ŏngnyŏn line is significant, with much of that traffic being for visitors to the various "historic sites of the Revolution" in the region. There are also trains for local travellers, including connection to trains on the Samjiyŏn Line.^[2]

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

• Express trains 1/2, operating between P'yŏngyang and Hyesan Ch'ŏngnyŏn, run along this line along its entirety between Kilju and Hyesan;
• Express trins 3/4, operating between West P'yŏngyang and Hyesan Ch'ŏngnyŏn, run along this line along its entirety between Kilju and Hyesan;
• Semi-express trains 101/102 operate between Kilju Ch'ŏngnyŏn and Hyesan;
• Semi-express trains 104-107/108-111, operating between Haeju Ch'ŏngnyŏn and Hyesan Ch'ŏngnyŏn, run along the entirety of this line between Kilju and Hyesan;
• Local trains 652/653 operate between Hyesan Ch'ŏngnyon and Taeoch'ŏn.

Route

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

Mainline

Osich'ŏn Branch

References

Paektusan Ch'ŏngnyŏn Line
Mainline	Kilju Ch'ŏngnyŏn Namsŏk Sŏnghu P'unggye Chaedŏk Sŏngdŏk Sado Yanggok Hapsu Namgye Paegam Ch'ŏngnyŏn Ryŏngha Ryŏngnam Namjung Saengjang Unhŭng Poan Simp'ori Taeoch'ŏn Kŏmsalli Wiyŏn Hyesan Ch'ŏngnyŏn
Osich'ŏn Branch	Taeoch'ŏn Osich'ŏn