Hoeryong Tangwang Line Explained

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Hoeryŏng Colliery Line
Native Name:회령탄광선(會寧炭鑛線)
Native Name Lang:ko
Type:Heavy rail, Freight rail
Status:Operational
Locale:Hoeryŏng-si, North Hamgyŏng
Start:Hoeryŏng Ch'ŏngnyŏn
End:Yusŏn
Stations:2 (formerly 5)
Open:11 August 1928
Owner:Tomun Railway (1928–1929)
Chosen Government Railway (1929–1933)
South Manchuria Railway (1933–1940)
Chosen Government Railway (1940–1945)
Korean State Railway (since 1945)
Linelength Km:10.6
Tracks:Single track
Context:north
Hangul:회령탄광선
Mr:Hoeryŏngt'an'gwang-sŏn
Rr:Hoeryeongtangwang-seon

The Hoeryŏng T'an'gwang Line (Hoeryŏng Colliery Line) is a non-electrified standard-gauge freight-only secondary line of the Korean State Railway in North Korea, running from Hoeryŏng Ch'ŏngnyŏn on the Hambuk Line to Yusŏn.[1]

History

The Tomun Railway, which had completed its mainline from Hoeryŏng to Tonggwanjin on 1 November 1924,[2] expanded its network in order to serve the collieries around Hoeryŏng by building a 10.6km (06.6miles) branchline from Hoeryŏng to Kyerim, which was opened for service on 11 August 1928.[3]

Less than a year later, on 1 April 1929 the Tomun Railway was nationalised and absorbed by the Chosen Government Railway (Sentetsu).[2] Sentetsu continued to operate the line, and then further expanded it with the addition of a 1.1km (00.7miles) extension to Singyerim; this extension was opened on 21 December 1932,[4] but was subsequently closed.

The line has changed hands several times since its construction. Following the absorption of the Tomun Railway by Sentetsu in 1929, on 1 October 1933 the Hoeryŏng Colliery Line, along with the rest of Sentetsu's Tomun Line to Unggi, were transferred to the South Manchuria Railway (Mantetsu).[5] Mantetsu took over the management, operation and maintenance of these lines, until finally on 1 July 1940 it was transferred back to Sentetsu.[6]

Following the partition of Korea, all railways located in the Soviet zone of occupation, including the Hoeryŏng Colliery Line, were nationalised by the Provisional People’s Committee for North Korea on 10 August 1946, and following the establishment of North Korea, the Korean State Railway was created.[7] At some point, the stations at Yŏngsu and Pongŭi were closed, and Kyerim station was renamed Yusŏn.

Services

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, with the order of collection from each line arranged in the order of the total weight of the outbound cars.[8] This line also serves the Hoeryŏng Tobacco Factory located near the former station of Yŏngsu.

Route

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
0.00.0Hoeryŏng Ch'ŏngnyŏn회령청년 (會寧靑年)Hoeryŏng회령 (會寧)Hambuk Line
5.35.3Yŏngsu영수 (永綏)Closed.
9.23.9Pongŭi봉의 (鳳儀)Closed.
10.61.4Yusŏn유선 (遊仙)Kyerim계림 (鷄林)
11.71.1Singyerim신계림 (新鷄林)Closed.

References

. Japanese Government Railways . Japanese Government Railway . 1937 . 鉄道停車場一覧. 昭和12年10月1日現在 . Japanese . The List of Stations as of 1 October 1937 . Tokyo . Kawaguchi Printing Company . 506 .

Notes and References

  1. Kokubu, Hayato, 将軍様の鉄道 (Shōgun-sama no Tetsudō), p. 93,
  2. 朝鮮総督府官報 (The Public Journal of the Governor-General of Korea), Shōwa No. 669, 28 March 1929 (in Japanese)
  3. 朝鮮総督府官報 (The Public Journal of the Governor-General of Korea), Shōwa No. 472, 25 July 1928 (in Japanese)
  4. 朝鮮総督府官報 (The Public Journal of the Governor-General of Korea), Shōwa No. 1782, 15 December 1932 (in Japanese)
  5. 朝鮮総督府官報 (The Public Journal of the Governor-General of Korea), Shōwa extra issue, 1 October 1933 (in Japanese)
  6. http://newslibrary.naver.com/viewer/index.nhn?articleId=1940062900209104015&edtNo=2&printCount=1&publishDate=1940-06-29&officeId=00020&pageNo=4&printNo=6776&publishType=00010 Dong-A Ilbo, 29 June 1940
  7. Kokubu, Hayato, 将軍様の鉄道 (Shōgun-sama no Tetsudō), p. 131,
  8. Web site: 북한지리정보: 운수지리 함북선. Naver. 2017-08-16.