Pyongbuk Line

The P'yŏngbuk Line is an electrified standard-gauge secondary trunk line of the Korean State Railway in North Pyŏngan Province, North Korea, running from Chŏngju on the P'yŏngŭi Line to Ch'ŏngsu; it meets the Ch'ŏngnyŏn P'arwŏn Line at Kusŏng, and at Ch'ŏngsu, via a bridge across the Yalu River, it goes to Shanghekou, China, where it connects to China Railway's Fengshang Railway to Fenghuangcheng.[1]

P'yŏngbuk Line
View of Ch'ŏngsu Station
Overview
Native name평북선(平北線)
TypeHeavy rail, Regional rail
LocaleNorth P'yŏngan
TerminiChŏngju Ch'ŏngnyŏn
Ch'ŏngsu
Stations13
Operation
Opened27 September 1939
OwnerP'yŏngbuk Railway (1939–1945)
Korean State Railway (since 1945)
Technical
Line length120.5 km (74.9 mi)
Number of tracksSingle track
Track gauge1,435 mm (4 ft 8 1⁄2 in) standard gauge
Electrification3000 V DC Catenary
Route map

 P'yŏngŭi Line
 P'yŏngbuk Line
0.0
 Chŏngju Ch'ŏngnyŏn
(bridge appx 65 m (213 ft))
(tunnel appx 185 m (607 ft))
(bridge appx 60 m (200 ft))
10.4
 Koan
Closed
(tunnel appx 285 m (935 ft))
16.5
 Pongmyŏng
(bridge appx 75 m (246 ft))
(bridge appx 50 m (160 ft))
(tunnel appx 190 m (620 ft))
28.4
 Panghyŏn
(bridge appx 60 m (200 ft))
(bridge appx 140 m (460 ft))
7th Aircraft Parts Factory
(bridge appx 140 m (460 ft))
(bridge appx 75 m (246 ft))
April 3 Factory
Ch'ŏngnyŏn P'arwŏn Line
41.2
 Kusŏng
(bridge appx 60 m (200 ft))
49.0
 Paegun
(bridge appx 85 m (279 ft))
4-track yard
underground facility
(bridge appx 90 m (300 ft))
(tunnel appx 485 m (1,591 ft))
(bridge appx 115 m (377 ft))
63.9
 P'alyŏng
70.5
 Taeryŏnggang
Taeryŏng River
(bridge appx 135 m (443 ft))
(tunnel appx 100 m (330 ft))
(bridge appx 110 m (360 ft))
(tunnel appx 160 m (520 ft))
Taegwalli Line
(bridge appx 140 m (460 ft))
78.2
0.0
 Sin'on
3.4
(tunnel appx 135 m (443 ft))
tunnel appx 3,700 m (12,100 ft)
Kugŏkch'ŏn
91.2
 P'ungnyŏn
tunnel appx 90 m (300 ft)
tunnel appx 85 m (279 ft)
tunnel appx 90 m (300 ft)
(bridge appx 100 m (330 ft))
100.0
 Sŏbu
(bridge appx 100 m (330 ft))
105.9
 P'anmak
(tunnel appx 150 m (490 ft))
(bridge appx 135 m (443 ft))
(bridge appx 130 m (430 ft))
(tunnel appx 155 m (509 ft))
(bridge appx 85 m (279 ft))
(tunnel appx 150 m (490 ft))
(bridge appx 100 m (330 ft))
113.7
 Pup'ung
Amrokkang Line
Sup'ung Line
(tunnel appx 600 m (2,000 ft))
120.5
 Ch'ŏngsu
←China - Yalu River - DPRK→
(bridge appx 660 m (2,170 ft))
 Shanghekou (China)
China Railway Fengshang Railway
Pyongbuk Line
Chosŏn'gŭl
평북선
Hancha
Revised RomanizationPyeongbuk-seon
McCune–ReischauerP'yŏngbuk-sŏn

History

The line was opened by the privately owned P'yŏngbuk Railway on 27 September 1939 as an industrial railway to serve the Sup'ung Hydroelectric Power Plant on the Yalu River.[2] The Emperor of Manchukuo, Puyi, travelled along this line when he visited the Sup'ung Dam.[1]

Following the partition of Korea the line was located within the Soviet zone of occupation, and was nationalised along with all the other railways in the zone by the Provisional People’s Committee for North Korea on 10 August 1946,[1] becoming part of the Korean State Railway. Electrification of the entire line was completed in 1980, and at the same time, semi-automatic train control was installed on the 41.3 km (25.7 mi) section between Chŏngju and Kusŏng.[3]

Services

The line serves a variety of industries, including a textile factory in Kusŏng, a chemical factory in Ch'ŏngsu, and North Korea's largest lignite mine near P'ungnyŏn, as well as shipping large amounts of wood south from Amrokkang Station on the Yalu River. Other important commodities shipped on the line are limestone and anthracite.[3]

There are two long-distance passenger trains that operate on the line - semi-express trains 115/116 between P'yŏngyang and Ch'ŏngsu, and local trains 200/201 between West P'yŏngyang and Ch'ŏngsu.[1] There are also commuter trains along the Ch'ongsu—Sup'ung—P'ungnyŏn (6 pairs), Kusŏng—Paegun (5 pairs) and Chŏngju—Kusŏng (2 pairs) sections of the line.[3]

Route

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

Distance (km)Station NameFormer Name
TotalS2STranscribedChosŏn'gŭl (Hanja)TranscribedChosŏn'gŭl (Hanja)Connections
0.0 0.0 Chŏngju Ch'ŏngnyŏn 정주청년 (定州青年) Chŏngju 정주 (定州) P'yŏngŭi Line
10.4 10.4 Koan 고안 (高安) Closed
16.5 6.1 Pongmyŏng 봉명 (鳳鳴)
28.4 11.9 Panghyŏn 방현 (方峴)
41.2 12.8 Kusŏng 구성 (亀城) P'yŏngbuk Kusŏng 평북구성 (平北亀城) Ch'ŏngnyŏn P'arwŏn Line
49.0 7.8 Paegun 백운 (白雲)
63.9 14.9 P'alyŏng 팔영 (八営) Taean 대안 (大安)
70.5 6.6 Taeryŏnggang 대령강 (大寧江) Taegwan 대관 (大館)
78.2 7.7 Sinon 신온 (新温) Ch'angp'yŏng 창평 (昌坪) Taegwalli Line
91.2 13.0 P'ungnyŏn 풍년 (豊年) Sakchu Onch'ŏn 삭주온천 (朔州温泉)
100.0 8.8 Sŏbu 서부 (西部) Sakchu 삭주 (朔州)
105.9 5.9 P'anmak 판막 (板幕) Sinan 신안 (新安)
113.7 7.8 Pup'ung 부풍 (富豊) Sup'ung Line, Amrokkang Line
120.5 6.8 Ch'ŏngsu 청수 (青水)
Yalu River 압록강 (鴨綠江) DPRK−PRC border
Shanghekou 上河口 China Railway
Fengshang Railway
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References
  1. Kokubu, Hayato, 将軍様の鉄道 (Shōgun-sama no Tetsudō), ISBN 978-4-10-303731-6
  2. 朝鮮總督府官報 (The Public Journal of the Governor-General of Korea), Shōwa Nr. 3813, 3 October 1939
  3. North Korea Geographic Information: Transportation Geography - P'yŏngbuk Line (in Korean)

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