Pyongbu Line

P'yŏngbu Line
View of Sonha Station near the inter-Korean border
Overview
Native name	평부선(平釜線)
Status	Operational
Owner	Korean State Railway
Locale	P'yŏngyang, North Hwanghae Province, South Hwanghae Province
Termini	P'yŏngyang P'anmun (in North Korea) Seoul (in South Korea)
Stations	26
Service
Type	Heavy rail, Regional rail passenger/freight
Operator(s)	Korean State Railway
Depot(s)	Sariwŏn, Sŏhŭng, P'anmun
History
Opened	5 November 1905 (freight) 3 April 1906 (passenger)
Technical
Line length	187.3 km (116.4 mi)
Number of tracks	single track
Track gauge	1,435 mm (4 ft 8+1⁄2 in)
Minimum radius	300 m (980 ft)
Electrification	3000 V DC Overhead line
Operating speed	100 km/h (62 mph)
Maximum incline	11‰
Route map Legend P'yŏngŭi Line P'yŏngnam Line 0.0 P'yŏngyang (bridge appx 350 m (1,150 ft)) (bridge appx 435 m (1,427 ft)) Rubber Factory Textile Machinery Plant 2.6 Taedonggang Kim Jŏng-suk Textile Mill Grain Processing Factory P'yŏngdŏk Line Rangrang Line 10.8 Ryŏkp'o 17.8 Chunghwa (tunnel appx 425 m (1,394 ft)) 24.4 Hŭkkyo 31.1 Kindŭng Songrim Line 36.5 Hwangju 2.4 Hwangju Airport (bridge appx 145 m (476 ft)) 46.7 Ch'imch'on 53.8 Chŏngbang former Changyŏn Line 60.5 Sariwŏn Ch'ŏngnyŏn Sariwŏn Textile Factory Hwanghae Ch'ŏngnyŏn Line 65.1 East Sariwŏn Pongsan Line 70.5 Pongsan 77.5 Ch'ŏnggye coal mine 85.4 Hŭngsu (bridge appx 105 m (344 ft)) (tunnel appx 170 m (560 ft)) (bridge appx 100 m (330 ft)) 90.2 Munmu (coal mine) (new tunnel appx 80 m (260 ft)) (old tunnel appx 120 m (390 ft)) (tunnel appx 160 m (520 ft)) 100.6 Sŏhŭng 107.4 Sinmak (new tunnel appx 375 m (1,230 ft)) (old tunnel appx 355 m (1,165 ft)) 117.9 Mulgae (new bridge appx 75 m (246 ft)) (new tunnel appx 95 m (312 ft)) (old tunnel appx 85 m (279 ft)) 5.0 Paegol (fluorspar mine) 126.7 P'yŏngsan Ch'ŏngnyŏn Ich'ŏn Line (tunnel appx 180 m (590 ft)) 135.3 T'aebaeksansŏng (tunnel appx 205 m (673 ft)) (tunnel appx 110 m (360 ft)) 141.0 Hanp'o (new bridge appx 405 m (1,329 ft)) Ryesŏng River (old bridge appx 410 m (1,350 ft)) (tunnel appx 240 m (790 ft)) 151.3 Kŭmch'ŏn (old bridge appx 380 m (1,250 ft)) (old tunnel appx 100 m (330 ft)) (new bridge appx 140 m (460 ft)) Ojoch'ŏn (old bridge appx 150 m (490 ft)) 5.9 Maeha-dong Closed (tunnel appx 505 m (1,657 ft)) 163.2 Kyejŏng (tunnel appx 230 m (750 ft)) 170.4 Ryŏhyŏn Former T'ohae Line 178.2 Kaep'ung (silica mine) (tunnel appx 360 m (1,180 ft)) 187.3 Kaesŏng 191.2 Sonha 195.1 Pongdong 197.6 P'anmun ↑North Korea DMZ north gate Sach'ŏn River (bridge appx 270 m (890 ft)) Military Demarcation Line (tunnel appx 40 m (130 ft)) DMZ south gate ↓South Korea 202.9 Changdan Closed 1950 204.6 Dorasan Gyeongui Line

The P'yŏngbu Line is an electrified standard-gauge trunk line of the Korean State Railway running from P'yŏngyang to Kaesŏng in North Korea and further south across the DMZ to Seoul in South Korea; the name comes from the two (theoretical) termini of the line: P'yŏngyang and Busan.^[1]

The total length of the line from P'yŏngyang to Busan is 719.8 km (447.3 mi); however, due to the Korean Demilitarized Zone, regular operation is restricted to the 187.3 km (116.4 mi) section between P'yŏngyang and Kaesŏng.^[1] 22% of the line is laid with concrete sleepers, and it is the only railway line in North Korea capable of speeds of 100 km/h (62 mph). The ruling grade is 11‰, the minimum curve radius is 300 m (980 ft), and there are 99 bridges (total length 4,310 m (14,140 ft)) and 13 tunnels (total length 3,244 m (10,643 ft)).^[2]

The P'yŏngyang–Hwangju section is under the jurisdiction of the P'yŏngyang Railway Bureau, whilst the rest of the line from Hwangju south is under the Sariwŏn Railway Bureau. There are 28 stations on the line, and the average distance between stations is 6.7 km (4.2 mi). Along with locomotive depots at Sariwŏn, Sŏhŭng, and P'anmun, there are large freight-handling facilities at Hwangju, Chunghwa, East Sariwŏn, Sŏhŭng, P'yŏngsan and Kaesŏng.^[2]

The P'yŏngbu Line connects to the P'yŏngui, P'yŏngnam, and P'yŏngra lines at P'yŏngyang, to the P'yŏngdŏk Line at Taedonggang, to the Songrim Line at Hwangju, to the Hwanghae Ch'ŏngnyŏn Line at Sariwŏn, and the Ch'ŏngnyŏn Ich'ŏn Line at P'yŏngsan.^[1]