Kumgol Line

Kŭmgol Line
Overview
Other name(s)	Hamnam Line 함남선(咸南線)
Native name	금골선
Status	Operational
Owner	Chosen Magnesite Development Railway (1943–1945) Korean State Railway (since 1945)
Locale	South Hamgyŏng
Termini	Yŏhaejin Muhak
Stations	17
Service
Type	Heavy rail, Passenger/freight rail Regional rail
History
Opened	1943 (Yŏhaejin–Paekkŭmsan) 1962 (Paekkŭmsan–Kŭmgol) after 1988 (Kŭmgol–Muhak)
Technical
Line length	83.4 km (51.8 mi)
Number of tracks	Single track
Track gauge	1,435 mm (4 ft 8+1⁄2 in) standard gauge
Electrification	3000 V DC Overhead line
Maximum incline	26‰
Route map Legend P'yŏngra Line Tuŏn Line 0.0 Yŏhaejin P'yŏngra Line (tunnel appx 65 m (213 ft)) 1.2 Ch'ŏn'gok (tunnel appx 235 m (771 ft)) (bridge appx 50 m (160 ft)) 5.5 Taptong (tunnel appx 170 m (560 ft)) Puktaech'ŏn (bridge appx 140 m (460 ft)) 9.0 Kaŭng (tunnel appx 145 m (476 ft)) (bridge appx 175 m (574 ft)) (tunnel appx 205 m (673 ft)) 14.1 Kwangch'ŏn (bridge appx 80 m (260 ft)) (bridge appx 90 m (300 ft)) 19.0 Unjŏn (bridge appx 50 m (160 ft)) (bridge appx 140 m (460 ft)) 23.3 Tongdŏk 27.7 Tong'am (tunnel appx 175 m (574 ft)) Puktaech'ŏn (bridge appx 90 m (300 ft)) (tunnel appx 630 m (2,070 ft)) Puktaech'ŏn (bridge appx 100 m (330 ft)) Puktaech'ŏn (bridge appx 65 m (213 ft)) (tunnel appx 375 m (1,230 ft)) 33.8 Such'on Puktaech'ŏn (bridge appx 100 m (330 ft)) (tunnel appx 500 m (1,600 ft)) Puktaech'ŏn (bridge appx 140 m (460 ft)) (tunnel appx 395 m (1,296 ft)) 36.7 Sinp'yŏng (tunnel appx 300 m (980 ft)) Puktaech'ŏn (bridge appx 120 m (390 ft)) Puktaech'ŏn (bridge appx 85 m (279 ft)) (tunnel appx 150 m (490 ft)) (tunnel appx 550 m (1,800 ft)) 42.8 Rip'a Puktaech'ŏn (bridge appx 115 m (377 ft)) (tunnel appx 660 m (2,170 ft)) Puktaech'ŏn (bridge appx 100 m (330 ft)) Puktaech'ŏn (bridge appx 100 m (330 ft)) (tunnel appx 70 m (230 ft)) Puktaech'ŏn (bridge appx 140 m (460 ft)) (tunnel appx 195 m (640 ft)) Puktaech'ŏn (bridge appx 130 m (430 ft)) 50.3 Sinjŭngsan Puktaech'ŏn (bridge appx 90 m (300 ft)) (tunnel appx 280 m (920 ft)) Puktaech'ŏn (bridge appx 180 m (590 ft)) Puktaech'ŏn (bridge appx 130 m (430 ft)) Puktaech'ŏn (bridge appx 90 m (300 ft)) (tunnel appx 485 m (1,591 ft)) Puktaech'ŏn (bridge appx 135 m (443 ft)) Puktaech'ŏn (bridge appx 120 m (390 ft)) magnesite mine 54.8 Tonsan (tunnel appx 190 m (620 ft)) Puktaech'ŏn (bridge appx 140 m (460 ft)) (tunnel appx 105 m (344 ft)) (tunnel appx 350 m (1,150 ft)) (tunnel appx 285 m (935 ft)) Puktaech'ŏn (bridge appx 80 m (260 ft)) (tunnel appx 230 m (750 ft)) (tunnel appx 80 m (260 ft)) Puktaech'ŏn (bridge appx 105 m (344 ft)) (tunnel appx 215 m (705 ft)) 59.7 Paekkŭmsan (bridge appx 120 m (390 ft)) (tunnel appx 145 m (476 ft)) 1.5 magnesite mine (tunnel appx 745 m (2,444 ft)) (tunnel appx 400 m (1,300 ft)) (bridge appx 110 m (360 ft)) (tunnel appx 140 m (460 ft)) 0.8 magnesite mine 63.4 Kŭmgol magnesite mine Puktaech'ŏn (bridge appx 170 m (560 ft)) 66.3 Sindŏk 68.9 Taesin Puktaech'ŏn (bridge appx 130 m (430 ft)) Puktaech'ŏn (bridge appx 185 m (607 ft)) Puktaech'ŏn (bridge appx 400 m (1,300 ft)) Puktaech'ŏn (bridge appx 210 m (690 ft)) (tunnel appx 350 m (1,150 ft)) Puktaech'ŏn (bridge appx 170 m (560 ft)) Puktaech'ŏn (bridge appx 90 m (300 ft)) Puktaech'ŏn (bridge appx 90 m (300 ft)) Puktaech'ŏn (bridge appx 105 m (344 ft)) Puktaech'ŏn (bridge appx 120 m (390 ft)) 77.3 Taehŭng Puktaech'ŏn (bridge appx 125 m (410 ft)) (tunnel appx 265 m (869 ft)) Puktaech'ŏn (bridge appx 125 m (410 ft)) (tunnel appx 380 m (1,250 ft)) underground facility 83.4 Muhak 84.7 Taehŭng Youth Magnesite Mine (tunnel appx 195 m (640 ft)) Puktaech'ŏn (bridge appx 65 m (213 ft)) 88.7 magnesite mine

The Kŭmgol Line (Korean: 금골선) is an electrified standard-gauge secondary line of the North Korean State Railway running from Yŏhaejin on the P'yŏngra Line to Muhak.^[1] Located entirely in Tanch'ŏn city, South Hamgyŏng - one of the DPRK's most important mining areas - freight trains moving ore from the mines on the line to the P'yŏngra Line form the bulk of the line's traffic.

The line is in relatively severe terrain, with a ruling grade of 26‰. There are 45 bridges with a total length of 3,112 m (10,210 ft), and 30 tunnels with a total of 8,241 m (27,037 ft).^[2]

Originally called the Hamnam Line, it was built by the privately-owned Chosen Magnesite Development Railway (Japanese: 朝鮮マグネサイト開発鉄道 Chōsen Magunesaito Kaihatsu Tetsudō, Korean: 조선 마그네사이트 개발 철도; MR: Chosŏn Magŭnesaitŭ Kaebal Ch'ŏldo), to exploit the magnesite deposits of the Kŏmdŏk district; the company was granted a licence to operate passenger trains on 25 March 1943.^[3] The first section, 27.7 km from Yŏhaejin on the P'yŏngra Line to Tongam, was opened on 30 March 1943, followed by a 32 km extension from Tongam to Ryongyang (nowadays called Paekkŭmsan) that was opened on 4 December of the same year.^[3][4]

After the partition of Korea following the end of World War 2 and the subsequent establishment of the DPRK, the line was nationalised and its name was changed to the current name. In 1961-62 the line, which by that time was outdated in technical terms, was upgraded with modern equipment; at the same time, a 3.7 km (2.3 mi) extension from Paekkŭmsan to Kŭmgol was built. The entire line was then electrified in 1977, improving the total capacity, safety and train speeds on the line.^[2] The final 20 km (12 mi) extension from Kŭmgol to Muhak was built after 1988.

Freight movements make up by far the largest amount of traffic on the Kŭmgol Line, with the bulk of that traffic moving from Kŭmgol to the connection with the P'yŏngra Line at Yŏhaejin - the vast majority of that traffic being magnesite ore from Paekkŭmsan and non-ferrous ores from the Kŏmdŏk Mining Complex. Northbound traffic is mainly coal, construction materials, foodstuffs and empty cars for ore-loading.^[2]

The following passenger trains are known to operate on this line:^[1]

• Express trains 11/12, operating between P'yŏngyang and Kŭmgol, runs on this line between Yŏhaejin and Kŭmgol;
• Local trains 513/516 operate on this line between Kŭmgol and Muhak;
• Local trains 913/914 operate on this line between Tonsan and Paekkŭmsan.

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