The Sech'ŏn Line is an electrified 14.4 km (8.9 mi) long railway line of the Korean State Railway in North Korea, connecting Sinhakpo on the Hambuk Line with Chungbong.[1]

Sech'ŏn Line
Overview
Native name세천선 (細川線)
StatusOperational
OwnerTomun Railway (1920–1929)
Chosen Government Railway (1929-1934)
South Manchuria Railway (1934-1940)
Chosen Government Railway (1940-1945)
Korean State Railway (since 1945)
LocaleNorth Hamgyŏng
Termini
Stations3
Service
TypeHeavy rail, Freight rail
Regional rail
History
Opened1920
Technical
Line length14.4 km (8.9 mi)
Number of tracksSingle track
Track gauge1,435 mm (4 ft 8+12 in) standard gauge
Electrification3000 V DC
Route map

Sech'ŏn Line
0.0
Sinhakpo
(tunnel appx 320 m (1,050 ft))
(tunnel appx 120 m (390 ft))
(bridge appx 100 m (330 ft))
(bridge appx 70 m (230 ft))
(bridge appx 35 m (115 ft))
(bridge appx 50 m (160 ft))
(bridge appx 85 m (279 ft))
(bridge appx 60 m (200 ft))
8.6
Sech'ŏn mine
(bridge appx 35 m (115 ft))
(bridge appx 55 m (180 ft))
(bridge appx 55 m (180 ft))
(bridge appx 45 m (148 ft))
14.4
Chungbong mine(중봉탄광)
Sechon Line
Chosŏn'gŭl
세천선
Hancha
Revised RomanizationSecheon-seon
McCune–ReischauerSech'ŏn-sŏn

History edit

The line was opened in 1920 by the privately owned Tomun Railway, at the same time as the rest of the first stage of its mainline, from Hoeryŏng to Sangsambong.[2] It was subsequently nationalised by the Chosen Government Railway in 1929, and from 1934 to 1940 it was managed by the South Manchuria Railway.[3] Finally, after the partition of Korea it became part of the Korean State Railway.[1]

Services edit

Coal is shipped from mines on this line to the Kim Chaek Iron & Steel Complex at Kimchaek and the Ch'ŏngjin Steel Works in Ch'ŏngjin, and there are commuter trains that operate between Hoeryŏng and Sech'ŏn via Sinhakp'o.[4]

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 Sinhakp'o 신학포 (新鶴浦) Hambuk Line
8.6 8.6 Sech'ŏn 세천 (細川)
14.4 5.8 Chungbong 중봉 (仲峰)

References edit

  1. ^ a b Kokubu, Hayato, 将軍様の鉄道 (Shōgun-sama no Tetsudō) p. 93 ISBN 978-4-10-303731-6
  2. ^ 朝鮮総督府官報 昭和 第669号, 1929年 3月 28日 (The Public Journal of the Governor-General of Korea), Shōwa No. 669, 28 March 1929 (in Japanese)
  3. ^ 南満州鉄道株式会社全路線 Archived 2013-10-21 at the Wayback Machine
  4. ^ The traffic and geography in North Korea: Hambuk Line (in Korean)