EverLine explained

Box Width:22em
EverLine
Native Name:
Everline
Type:People mover
Status:Operational
Start:Giheung
End:Jeondae - Everland
Stations:15
Open:[1]
Owner:Yongin EverLine Co,. Ltd., Neo Trans
Depot:Samga
Stock:30 × Bombardier Innovia ART 200 Y100
Linelength:18.143km (11.274miles)
Tracks:2
Electrification:750 V DC Third rail
Speed:80km/h
Signalling:Bombardier CITYFLO 650 CBTC
Map State:collapsed

The Yongin EverLine (or EverLine;, Yongin Light Rail Transit) is a fully automated driverless 18.1adj=onNaNadj=on[2] people mover line in Yongin, Gyeonggi Province, Seoul Capital Area connecting Everland, South Korea's most popular theme park, to the Suin-Bundang Line of the Seoul Metropolitan Subway, a system which it is arguably a part of. The system is identical to the AirTrain JFK people mover and airport rail link in New York City, using single-car Bombardier Advanced Rapid Transit vehicles[3] controlled by Bombardier CITYFLO 650 automatic train control technology.

Planning for the line started in April 1996. Ground was broken for construction in November 2005. Starting in November 2009, the operating company conducted test runs of the trains. The opening was delayed several times but finally opened for service on April 26, 2013.[4] A physical transfer to the (underground) Suin-Bundang line at Giheung Station opened on January 9, 2014 and a transfer discount to the line was introduced on September 20 of the same year.

Operation

Trains run every 6 minutes (9 minutes on Sundays and holidays). One-car trains are operated, a feature unique to this Advanced Rapid Transit (ART) system; trains can be lengthened to two cars if necessary, similar to the AirTrain JFK. Despite being a medium capacity system, at 3.2m (10.5feet),[5] they are ironically the widest trains in South Korea. Each car has a capacity of 133 passengers.

Stations

All stations are in Yongin-si, Gyeonggi-do. The line is 18.1km (11.2miles) long.

Station
Number
Station Name
Station Name
Station Name
TransferDistance
Total
Distance
Station TypeLocation
Giheung
(Nam June Paik Art Center)
Korean: [[:ko:기흥역|기흥]]
Korean: [[:ko:기흥역|(백남준아트센터)]]

(아트센터)
Kangnam UniversityKorean: [[:ko:강남대역|강남대]]- 1.0441.044
JiseokKorean: [[:ko:지석역|지석]]-1.0622.106
EojeongKorean: [[:ko:어정역|어정]]- 0.9183.024
DongbaekKorean: [[:ko:동백역 (용인)|동백]]- 1.1854.209
ChodangKorean: [[:ko:초당역|초당]]- 1.0975.306
SamgaKorean: [[:ko:삼가역|삼가]]- 2.5917.897
City Hall·Yongin UniversityKorean: [[:ko:시청·용인대역|시청·용인대]]·-1.0458.942
Myongji UniversityKorean: [[:ko:명지대역|명지대]]- 1.0349.976
GimnyangjangKorean: [[:ko:김량장역|김량장]]-0.75510.731
Yongin Jungang Market
(Yongin Arts&Science Univ.)
Korean: [[:ko:용인중앙시장역|용인중앙시장]]
(용인과학예술대)

-0.94511.676
GojinKorean: [[:ko:고진역|고진]]-0.93512.611
BopyeongKorean: [[:ko:보평역|보평]]-1.75014.361
DunjeonKorean: [[:ko:둔전역 (용인)|둔전]]-1.02715.388
Jeondae·EverlandKorean: [[:ko:전대·에버랜드역|전대·에버랜드]]·에버랜드-2.626

Ridership

Ridership was lower than expected on opening day; around 9,000 people per day in April 2013.[6]

Daily ridership totals eventually grew to around 30,000 people by the middle of 2015.[7] The increase is touted to be the result of a fare integration program introduced on September 20, 2014.[8]

After a period of unstable patronage caused by the COVID-19 Pandemic, daily ridership rose to 40,000 by May 2024.[9]

Expansion

There are plans to extend the line 6.8km (04.2miles) from Giheung Station to Gwanggyo Station on the Shinbundang Line.[10]

Additionally, Neo Trans, the operator of the Shinbundang Line, took over operations in 2016.[11] Operation of the trains was transferred back to Yongin Light Rail Co., Ltd on August 1, 2023.

Controversy

Ridership estimates

Initial forecasts from 2001 expected daily ridership to reach 140,000 people per day at the time of opening. However, later estimates revealed that this number would instead be closer to 32,000 riders per day due to the improvement of existing transportation options and construction delays on the Suin–Bundang Line at Giheung station (which would not open until 2011).

As a result, the city government of Yongin was ordered to pay the consortium in compensation at the behest of the International Chamber of Commerce. The city of Yongin and Yongin Light Rail Co., Ltd. re-negotiated a new operating contract in 2012, which required the city to pay approximately per year to cover for losses.

Bombardier Transportation corruption allegations

South Korean authorities investigated possible corruption by Bombardier Transportation officials over the building of this line and concerns that ridership was exaggerated to have the technology preferentially chosen over other contenders. No charges were filed due to a lack of presented evidence and the case reaching its statute of limitation.[3]

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: http://www.siminilbo.co.kr/news/articleView.html?idxno=323811. ko:'용인 경전철' 오늘부터 달린다. Simin Ilbo. ko. April 25, 2013.
  2. Web site: Park . Jin Young . Mun . Jinsu . 2014 . Korea’s Railway PPP (Public-Private Partnership) Projects . https://web.archive.org/web/20230415061253/https://centers.ibs.re.kr/html/living_en/transport/KSP%2011%20Korea%C2%B4s%20Railway%20PPP%20Projects.pdf . April 15, 2023 . November 28, 2024 . The Korea Transport Institute . PDF . 978-89-5503-658-9.
  3. News: January 28, 2015 . Bombardier Transportation accused of corruption in South Korea . https://web.archive.org/web/20240917124452/http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/montreal/bombardier-transportation-accused-of-corruption-in-south-korea-1.2935567 . September 17, 2024 . January 31, 2015 . CBC News.
  4. Web site: April 29, 2013 . YONGIN EVERLINE LRT: 5TH FULLY AUTOMATED METRO LINE IN SOUTH KOREA . https://web.archive.org/web/20231220101132/http://metroautomation.org/yongin-everline-lrt-5th-fully-automated-metro-line-in-south-korea/ . December 20, 2023 . UITP.
  5. Web site: 차량도감 - 철도산업정보센터 . Vehicle Guide . 2024-11-28 . Korea Railway Industry Information Center . ko.
  6. Web site: 17 April 2015 . [용인경전철 2년-상]하루 이용객 3만명 시대 명암 ]. [Yongin Light Rail Transit 2-year-old] Contrast in the era of 30,000 daily passengers . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20150714052058/http://www.newsis.com/ar_detail/view.html?ar_id=NISX20150417_0013606764&cID=10803&pID=10800 . 14 July 2015 . 1 March 2022 . Newsis.
  7. Web site: 2024-10-10 . PUBLIC-PRIVATE-PARTNERSHIP LEGAL RESOURCE CENTER . 2024-11-28 . PUBLIC-PRIVATE-PARTNERSHIP LEGAL RESOURCE CENTER . en.
  8. Web site: Key Milestones . limited . https://web.archive.org/web/20240222002928/https://ever-line.co.kr/page/?m2_idx=28977 . 2024-02-22 . 2024-11-28 . ever-line.co.kr . ko.
  9. Web site: Jang . Byeong-geuk . 2024-05-13 . 용인에버라인, 하루평균 승객 4만명 넘어...개통 11년만 . https://web.archive.org/web/20241128104243/https://www.redaily.co.kr/news/articleView.html?idxno=7831 . November 28, 2024 . 2024-11-28 . Rail Economy News . ko.
  10. Web site: (경기도 도시철도) 용인경전철 연장. Future Rail Database. December 9, 2011. ko. November 12, 2012. https://web.archive.org/web/20130927184910/http://frdb2.wo.to/944.htm. September 27, 2013. dead.
  11. Web site: History . https://web.archive.org/web/20240228085111/http://www.neotrans.kr/sub/company/company_menu03.jsp?tab=2 . February 28, 2024 . 2024-11-28 . www.neotrans.kr . ko.