West Chosen Central Railway

The West Chōsen Central Railway (Japanese: 西鮮中央鉄道, Sōsen Chūō Tetsudō; Korean: 서선중앙철도, Seoseon Jung'ang Cheoldo), was a privately owned railway company in Japanese-occupied Korea.

West Chōsen Central Railway
Overview
Native name서선중앙철도 (Seoseon Jung'ang Cheoldo)
西鮮中央鉄道 (Sōsen Chūō Tetsudō)
Route map
Sentetsu lines
transferred to Sentetsu 1 April 1944
West Chosen Central Railway Seoseon Line
West Chosen Central Railway Jaedong Line
West Chosen Central Railway Deokbal Line
(Sentetsu)
0.0 Seunghori
4.2 Mandalli
8.0 Hwacheon
12.7 Geumok
15.9 Songga
22.3 Samdeung
25.7 Heungnyeong
29.6 Seongneum
38.1 Pyeongnam Gangdong
46.5 Baegwon
53.0 Sundeok
55.4 Pyeongnam Seongcheon
62.4 Samdeok
(Sentetsu)
↑ to Sentetsu 1 April 1944
68.6
0.0
 Sinseongcheon
(Sentetsu)
7.4 Pungpyeong
13.1 Wonchang
16.7
0.0
 Gujeong
4.4 Jaedong
23.7 Songnam
27.7 Gachang
36.1 Bukchang
39.6 Okcheon
42.4 Guhyeon
45.8 Hoean
51.2 Jangan
57.6 Jenam
63.3 Deokcheon
68.0 Hyangwon
73.3 Hyangjang
planned extension to Gujang
75.2 Jangsangri

History

The West Chōsen Central Railway opened its lines from Seunghori to Jangsang in several staged between 1939 and 1945. The first section, 29.6 km (18.4 mi) from Seunghori to Seongneum, was opened on 29 June 1939,[1] followed five months later by an 8.5 km (5.3 mi) extension to Pyeongnam Gangdong.[2]

On 1 October 1941 a second line was opened, isolated from the first, made up of a 36.1 km (22.4 mi) mainline running from Sinseongcheon to Bukchang with a 4.4 km (2.7 mi) branchline, the Jaedong Line, from Gujeong to Jaedong.[3] The two sections of mainline remained isolated from each other until 18 September 1942, when the gap between Pyeongnam Gangdong and Sinseongcheon, a distance of 30.3 km (18.8 mi) was closed.[4] The newly built line did not long remain part of the West Chōsen railway, as on 1 April 1944 the line from Seunghori as far as Sinseongcheon was nationalised by the Chosen Government Railway (Sentetsu) and incorporated into the Pyeongyang Colliery Line.[5]

The West Chōsen Central Railway nevertheless continued expanding its truncated mainline, called the Seoseon Line, receiving approval from the Railway Bureau on 21 June 1940 to extend its line to Deokcheon and thence onwards to the Jangsang coal fields,[6] in order to transport coal from the mines in the area opened in 1938 by the Chosen Anthracite Company.[7] The first of these extensions was a 5.9 km (3.7 mi) stretch from Bukchang to Okcheon opened on 28 December 1944,[8] which was followed by a second extension, 6.4 km (4.0 mi) to Jangan, opened on 15 May 1945,[9] reaching Deokcheon a few months later.

The West Chōsen Central Railway planned its Deokbal Line (덕발선, 徳八線) line to run from Deokcheon to Gujang via Jangsangri, to connect there with Sentetsu's Manpo Line. However, the terrain proved too difficult, and, after adding a signal station at Hyangjang between Hyangwon and Jangsangni, construction on the current alignment of the line to Gujang began. However, this wasn't completed before war's end; it was only after the end of the Korean War that the connection to Gujang and the Manpo Line was finally made.[10]

After the end of the Pacific War and subsequent partition of Korea, the line was within the territory of the DPRK, and was nationalised by the Provisional People’s Committee for North Korea along with all other railways in the Soviet zone of occupation on 10 August 1946, becoming part of the Korean State Railway. The line is now part of the P'yŏngdŏk Line, with the Hyangjang–Jangsang section now forming the Changsang Line.[11]

Line Section Opened Notes
Seoseon Line Seunghori–Seongneum 29 June 1939 to Sentetsu 1 April 1944
Seoseon Line Seongneum–Pyeongnam Gangdong November 1939 to Sentetsu 1 April 1944
Seoseon Line Sinseongcheon–Bukchang 1 October 1941
Jaedong Line Gujeong–Jaedong 1 October 1941
Seoseon Line Pyeongnam Gangdong–Sinseongcheon 18 September 1942 to Sentetsu 1 April 1944
Seoseon Line Bukchang–Okcheon 28 December 1944
Seoseon Line Okcheon–Jangan 15 May 1945
Seoseon Line Jangan–Deokcheon 1945
Deokbal Line Deokcheon–Jangsangri 1945

Operations

In addition to trains on its own lines, the West Chōsen Central Railway also operated a train in conjunction with the Chōsen Pyeongan Railway, from Deokcheon to Yonggang Oncheon, terminus of the latter's Oncheon Line.[12]

Rolling Stock
A Sentetsu Mikasa-class locomotive, identical to those built for the West Chōsen Central Railway.

As traffic volumes increased significantly through the Pacific War, the West Chōsen Central Railway found itself needing more power. As a result, eight Mikasa (ミカサ) class 2-8-2 steam locomotives were bought in 1943 and 1944.[13]

Running NumberBuilderYearWorks Number
201Hitachi19431457
202Hitachi19431458
203Kisha Seizō19442227
204Kisha Seizō19442228
205Kisha Seizō19442229
206Kisha Seizō19442230
207Nippon Sharyō19441213
208Nippon Sharyō19441214

More were needed, but as the capacity of locomotive builders in Japan and Korea was already being stretched, Mikaro (ミカロ) class locomotives were borrowed from the South Manchuria Railway (Mantetsu) to alleviate the power shortage. Of these, the identities of two are known for certain - ミカロ18 and ミカロ22.

Network
西鮮線 - 서선선 - Sōsen Line - Seoseon Line
DistanceStation name
Total; km S2S; km Transcribed, Korean Transcribed, Japanese Hunminjeongeum Hanja/Kanji Opening date Connections Notes
0.0 0.0 Seunghori Shōkori 승호리 勝湖里 19 June 1939 Sentetsu Pyeongyang Colliery Line to Sentetsu 1 April 1944
4.2 4.2 Mandalli Bantachiri 만달리 晩達里 19 June 1939 to Sentetsu 1 April 1944
8.0 3.8 Hwacheon Kasen 화천 貨泉 19 June 1939 to Sentetsu 1 April 1944
12.7 4.7 Geumok Kingyoku 금옥 金玉 19 June 1939 to Sentetsu 1 April 1944
15.9 3.2 Songga Shōgai 송가 松街 19 June 1939 to Sentetsu 1 April 1944
22.3 6.4 Samdeung Santō 삼등 三登 19 June 1939 to Sentetsu 1 April 1944
25.7 3.4 Heungnyeong Kokuryō 흑령 黒嶺 19 June 1939 to Sentetsu 1 April 1944
29.6 3.9 Seongneum Sekirin 석름 石凜 19 June 1939 to Sentetsu 1 April 1944
38.1 8.5 Pyeongnam Gangdong Heinan Kōtō 평남강동 平南江東 November 1939 to Sentetsu 1 April 1944
46.1 8.0 Baekwon Hakugen 백원 百源 18 September 1942 to Sentetsu 1 April 1944
46.1 8.0 Baekwon Hakugen 백원 百源 18 September 1942 to Sentetsu 1 April 1944
52.3 6.2 Sundeok Juntoku 순덕 順徳 18 September 1942 to Sentetsu 1 April 1944
55.4 2.1 Pyeongnam Seongcheon Heinan Seisen 평남성천 平南成川 18 September 1942 to Sentetsu 1 April 1944
62.4 7.0 Samdeok Santoku 삼덕 三徳 18 September 1942 to Sentetsu 1 April 1944
68.6
0.0		 6.2
0.0		 Sinseongcheon Shinseisen 신성천 新成川 1 October 1941 Sentetsu Gyeongwon Line
7.4 7.4 Pungpyeong Hōhei 풍평 豊坪 1 October 1941
13.1 5.7 Wonchang Ensō 원창 院倉 1 October 1941
16.7 3.6 Gujeong Kushō 구정 九井 1 October 1941 Jaedong Line
23.7 7.0 Songnam Shōnan 송남 松南 1 October 1941
27.7 4.0 Gachang Kasō 가창 假倉 1 October 1941
36.1 8.4 Bukchang Hokusō 북창 北倉 1 October 1941
39.6 3.5 Okcheon Gyokusen 옥천 玉泉 28 December 1944
42.4 2.4 Guhyeon Kyūken 구현 鳩峴 15 May 1945
45.8 3.4 Hoean Kaian 회안 桧安 15 May 1945
51.2 5.4 Jangan Chōan 장안 長安 15 May 1945
55.2 4.0 Jenam Sainan 제남 済南 1945
60.9 5.7 Deokcheon Tokusen 덕천 徳川 1945 Deokbal Line
徳八線 - 덕발선 - Tokuhatsu Line - Deokbal Line
DistanceStation name
Total; km S2S; km Transcribed, Korean Transcribed, Japanese Hunminjeongeum Hanja/Kanji Opening date Connections Notes
0.0 0.0 Deokcheon Tokusen 덕천 徳川 1945 Seoseon Line
4.7 4.7 Hyangwon Kyōgen 향원 郷元 1945
10.4 5.7 Hyangjang Kyōchō 향장 郷長 1945
12.3 1.9 Jangsangni Chōshanri 장상리 長上里 1945
梓洞線 - 재동선 - Shidō Line - Jaedong Line
DistanceStation name
Total; km S2S; km Transcribed, Korean Transcribed, Japanese Hunminjeongeum Hanja/Kanji Opening date Connections Notes
0.0 0.0 Gujeong Kushō 구정 九井 1 October 1941 Seoseon Line
4.4 4.4 Jaedong Shidō 재동 梓洞 1 October 1941
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References
  1. 朝鮮総督府官報 (The Public Journal of the Governor-General of Korea), Shōwa No. 3736, 5 July 1939 (in Japanese)
  2. 朝鮮総督府官報 (The Public Journal of the Governor-General of Korea), Shōwa No. 3851, 20 November 1939 (in Japanese)
  3. 朝鮮総督府官報 (The Public Journal of the Governor-General of Korea), Shōwa No. 4410, 4 October 1941 (in Japanese)
  4. 朝鮮総督府官報 (The Public Journal of the Governor-General of Korea), Shōwa No. 4699, 25 September 1942 (in Japanese)
  5. 朝鮮総督府官報 (The Public Journal of the Governor-General of Korea), Shōwa No. 5143, 29 March 1944 (in Japanese)
  6. 朝鮮総督府官報 (The Public Journal of the Governor-General of Korea), Shōwa No. 4021, 18 June 1940 (in Japanese)
  7. - 植民地朝鮮における石炭産業 - 大阪経済大学
  8. 朝鮮総督府官報 (The Public Journal of the Governor-General of Korea), Shōwa No. 5376, 10 January 1945 (in Japanese)
  9. 朝鮮総督府官報 (The Public Journal of the Governor-General of Korea), Shōwa No. 5500, 6 June 1945 (in Japanese)
  10. http://terms.naver.com/entry.nhn?docId=2090772&categoryId=44461&cid=44454
  11. Kokubu, Hayato, 将軍様の鉄道 (Shōgun-sama no Tetsudō), ISBN 978-4-10-303731-6
  12. Kokubu, Hayato, 将軍様の鉄道 (Shōgun-sama no Tetsudō), p. 86 ISBN 978-4-10-303731-6
  13. Yamada, Keitarō (1972). 汽車会社蒸気機関車製造史 [Manufacturing History of Kisha Kaisha Steam Locomotives] (in Japanese). Nagoya: Kōyūsha.
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