Musan Line

Musan Line
Overview
Type Heavy rail, Regional rail
Status Operational
Locale North Hamgyŏng, Musan, Puryŏng
Termini Komusan
Musan
Stations 13
Operation
Opened Stages between 1927-1929
1 May 1940 (converted to
standard gauge)
Owner Korean State Railway
Operator(s) Korean State Railway
Technical
Line length 57.9 km (36.0 mi)
No. of tracks Double track (Komusan - Sinch'am)
Single track
Track gauge 1,435 mm (4 ft 8 1⁄2 in) standard gauge
Electrification 3000 V DC Catenary
Route map
Legend
 60.4 Musan Kangan Closed
 Paengmu Line
 57.9 Musan
 54.3 Musan Ch'ŏlsan
 50.5 Ch'ŏlsong Ch'ŏngnyŏn
Musan Mining Branch
Saegil
3.0 Musan Kwangsan
 45.7 Chuch'o
 39.4 Sŏp'ungsan
 33.6 Sinch'am
 26.6 Kŭmp'ae
 ↑Musan/Puryŏng↓
18.9 Ch'aryŏng
 14.5 P'yemusan
 8.9 Musu
 4.2 Sŏsang
 Hambuk Line
 0.0 Komusan
 Hambuk Line
Musan Line
Chosŏn'gŭl 무산선
Hancha 茂山線
Revised Romanization Musanseon
McCune–Reischauer Musansŏn

The Musan Line is an electrified standard-gauge secondary mainline of the North Korean State Railway running from Komusan on the Hambuk Line to Musan, where it connects to the narrow-gauge Paengmu Line.[1] The section from Komusan to Sinch'am is double tracked.

The line starts at Komusan on the Hambuk Line, following the Susŏngch'ŏn stream through the Hamgyŏng Mountains of Puryŏng and Musan Counties to Musan. The line is 57.9 km in length, with 13 stations.[2]

There is a sorting yard at Musan Station and locomotive facilities at Ch'ŏlsong.[2]

History

In order to exploit the rich iron deposits of the Musan region, the Chosen Railway Company began construction of this line, calling it the Hambuk Line (not to be confused with the current Hambuk Line, which at that time was part of the Hamgyŏng Line). The line was opened in two parts - the Komusan-Sinch'am section opening on 20 August 1927, and the Sinch'am-Musan segment being opened on 15 November 1929. On 1 February 1937, Musan Ch'ŏlsan station was opened.

Originally built as a narrow-gauge line, the conversion to standard gauge was completed on 1 May 1940, and; the extension to Musan Kangan station was completed then as well. On 1 April 1944, the line was absorbed into the Government Railways of Chosen(朝鮮総督府鉄道); at the same time, the line was renamed to its current name, Musan Line, and the extension to Musan Kangan station was closed.

In order to facilitate the transport of ironstone from the Musan Mining complex, the 33.6 km section between Sinch'am and Komusan was double-tracked, and electrification of the line was completed in 1977.[2]

Services

Freight

Freight traffic on the Musan Line is 7.5 times greater in the eastbound (Musan-Komusan) direction than the reverse. 94.2% of the freight moved towards Komusan is magnetite ore from the Musan Mining Complex; timber accounts for 4.3%. From Komusan to Musan coal forms the majority of freight, along with other necessities - grain, fertiliser, cement etc. A large portion of westbound trains consist of empty cars bound for the mines at Musan.[2]

Most traffic on the line is between the Musan Mining Complex and the Kim Chaek Steel Complex, the Ch'ŏngjin Steel Works, the Sŏngjin Steel Complex and export goods to Namyang Station for forwarding to China.

Passenger

There are two passenger trains known to operate on this line:[1]

There are also local trains running between Musan and Ch'ŏngjin at the southern junction of the Hambuk and P'yŏngra lines. Further, there are several daily commuter trains for workers between Musan and Ch'ŏlsong and for students between Musan and Komusan.[2]

Route

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

Mainline

Distance Station Name (Transcribed) Station Name (Chosŏn'gŭl) Connections
0.0 Komusan 고무산 Hambuk Line
4.2 Sŏsang 서상
8.9 Musu 무수
14.5 P'yemusan 폐무산
18.9 Ch'aryŏng 차령
26.6 Kŭmp'ae 금패
33.6 Sinch'am 신참
39.4 Sŏp'ungsan 서풍산
45.7 Chuch'o 주초
50.5 Ch'ŏlsong Ch'ŏngnyŏn 철송청년 Musan Mining Branch
54.3 Musan Ch'ŏlsan 무산 철산
57.9 Musan 무산 Paengmu Line

Musan Mining Branch

Not electrified.

Distance Station Name (Transcribed) Station Name (Chosŏn'gŭl) Connections
0.0 Ch'ŏlsong Ch'ŏngnyŏn 철송청년 Musan Line
3.0 Musan Kwangsan 무산광산

References

  1. 1 2 Kokubu, Hayato, 将軍様の鉄道 (Shōgun-sama no Tetsudō), ISBN 978-4-10-303731-6
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 The traffic and geography in North Korea: Hambuk Line (in Korean)

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