The Suryeo Line (水驪線, Suirei-sen) is a former narrow-gauge railway line owned by Korean National Railroad. The line connected Suwon to Yeoju.

Suryeo Line
Overview
Native name수려선(水驪線)
StatusCeased operation
OwnerKorean National Railroad
LocaleGyeonggi
Termini
Stations21
Service
TypePassenger/freight rail
Operator(s)Korean National Railroad
History
Opened1 December 1930 (1930-12-01)
Closed31 March 1972
Technical
Line length73.4 km (45.6 mi)
Number of tracksSingle track
Track gauge762 mm (2 ft 6 in)
Route map

Suin Line (former and planned line)
Gyeongbu Line
0.0
Suwon
Bundang Line
3.0
Hwaseong (Bon–Suwon)
6.5
Weoncheon
Suwon/Yongin
9.0
Deokgok
Since 1932
Gyeongbu Expressway
12.5
Singal
Giheung, Bundang Line
Giheung
Kangnam Univ.
Jiseok
15.9
Eojeong
Dongbaek
Chodang
Samga
21.8
Samga,
City Hall–Yongin Univ.
Myongji Univ.
Gimryangjang
24.1
Yongin
Stadium–Songdam College
Everline
28.4
Mapyeong
31.9
Yangji
35.4
Jeil
Yeongdong Expressway
Yongin/Icheon
40.0
Ocheon
45.7
Pyogyo
49.4
Yusan
53.1
Icheon
57.6
Muchon
59.7
Jukdang
Since 1932
Icheon/Yeoju
64.4
Maeryu
67.0
Gwangdaeri
Since 1966
69.7
Yeonrari
73.4
Yeoju
Suryeo Line
Hangul
Hanja
Revised RomanizationSuryeoseon
McCune–ReischauerSuryŏsŏn

History

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The first section of the line was opened by the privately owned Chosen Gyeongdong Railway in 1930 and in the next year the construction was complete as follows:

Date Section Length
1 December 1930 Suwon–Icheon 53.1 km (33.0 mi)
1 December 1931 Icheon–Yeoju 20.3 km (12.6 mi)

The line was bought on 26 October 1942 by the Chosen Railway[1] and after the independence of Korea, it was nationalized. After the first opening of the Yeongdong Expressway, the demand diminished abruptly and the line was finally abandoned on 31 March 1972. The Everline was finally opened on 26 April 2013 and the section GiheungStadium–Songdam College coincides almost with the former Suryeo line.[2] The Gyeonggang Line, which opened on August 27, 2016, will follow the line from Icheon to Yeoju.

Future plans

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Neither the Ministry of Construction and Transportation nor Korail have reconstruction plans for the Suryeo Line as a whole. However, part of the line was reconstructed as a part of the Yongin Everline, and another part of the line will serve as a section of the Gyeonggang Line, allowing Yeoju to have a rail connection with Seongnam and Icheon.

Rolling stock

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The Suryeo line used narrow gauge steam locomotives, narrow gauge freight cars, KNR160 diesel cars, and KNR18000 passenger cars. After closure, all rolling stock was sent to the Suin Line. Examples of KNR160 and KNR18000 cars have been preserved in the Korean Railroad Museum in Uiwang.

The Gyeonggang Line, which follows part of the Suryeo Line, uses Korail Class 371000 EMUs. The Yongin Everline, which follows another part of the Suryeo Line, uses Bombardier Innovia Metro Mark II cars.

Route

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水驪線 - 장진선 - Suirei Line - Suryeo Line
Distance Station name
Total; km S2S; km Transcribed, Korean Transcribed, Japanese Hangul Hanja/Kanji Connections
0.0 0.0 Suwon Suigen 수원 水原 Gyeongbu Line, Suin Line
3.0 3.0 Hwaseong Kajō 화성 華城
6.5 3.5 Woncheon Ensen 원천 遠川
9.0 2.5 Deokgok Tokkoku 덕곡 德谷
12.5 3.5 Singal Shinkatsu 신갈 新葛
15.9 3.4 Eojeong Gyochō 어정 漁汀
21.8 5.9 Samga Sangai 삼가 三街
24.1 2.3 Yongin Ryūjin 용인 龍仁
28.4 4.3 Mapyeong Mahei 마평 麻坪
31.9 3.5 Yangji Yōchi 양지 陽智
35.4 3.5 Jeil Seijitsu 제일 霽日
40.0 4.6 Ocheon Gosen 오천 午川
45.7 5.7 Pyogyo Hyōkyō 표교 標橋
49.4 3.7 Yusan Yūzan 유산 酉山
53.1 3.7 Icheon Risen 이천 利川
57.6 4.5 Muchon Moson 무촌 茂村
59.7 2.1 Jukdang Chikudō 죽당 竹堂
64.4 4.7 Maeryu Bairyū 매류 梅柳
67.0 2.6 Gwangdaeri Kōtairi 광대리 広大里
69.7 2.7 Yeollari Enrari 연라리 煙羅里
73.4 3.7 Yeoju Reishū 여주 驪州

See also

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References

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  1. ^ 朝鮮總督府官報 (The Public Journal of the Governor-General of Korea), Shōwa No. 4729, 4 November 1942
  2. ^ 百年の鉄道旅行(The railway travel-100 years): The map of the section Singal – Yongin (Japanese)
  • Japanese Government Railways (1937), 鉄道停車場一覧. 昭和12年10月1日現在(The List of the Stations as of 1 October 1937), Kawaguchi Printing Company, Tokyo, p514