Taebaek Line
Encyclopedia
Taebaek Line is a single-track electrified railway mainline connecting Jecheon Station to Baeksan Station in South Korea. At its two ends, the Taebaek Line connects to the Jungang Line
and Yeongdong Line
. The line was originally two spur lines, which were built across difficult mountainous terrain in stages, before a connection was built. The line includes the steepest section of the South Korean network, a short parallel line that is operated as a second track on the section includes South Korea's longest spiral tunnel
. The centerpiece of the last-built section west of Taebaek, is a tunnel that was the longest in South Korea at the time of its construction, and Chujeon Station at the eastern end of the tunnel is the highest altitude in South Korea at 855 m (2,805 ft). In passenger traffic, the line is served by cross-country passenger trains connecting the capital Seoul
with Korea's east coast. In freight traffic, while coal transport declined, the line carries significant cement transport. In the winter, regular special trains take tourists along the scenic route.
, the United States
government agency administering the Marshall Plan
, also launched a plan to revive South Korea's economy, which included the construction of new railway lines. One new line under the plan was a 60.4 km (37.5 mi) line from Jecheon to the coal mines around Yeongwol and Hambaek to the east. Construction started in August 1949, but was interrupted by the Korean War
in 1950, work resumed in October 1952. The Jecheon–Yeongwol
section, with an original length of 38.1 km (23.7 mi), went into service as the Yeongwol Line on December 30, 1955. On March 9, 1957, the line was extended by 22.6 km (14 mi) to Hambaek, and was re-named the Hambaek Line.
Following the 1961 coup, the Supreme Council for National Reconstruction
started South Korea's first five-year plan, which included a construction program to complete the railway network, to foster economic growth. One of the first lines completed under the plan was the Hwangji Branchline, which would later become the eastern end of the Taebaek Line. The 9 km (5.6 mi) long spur from Baeksan on the Cheoram Line (today the Yeongdong Line
) to Hwangji (renamed Taebaek
in 1984) opened on December 20, 1962. Another project under the five-year plan was a 41.6 km (25.8 mi) railway between Yemi on the Hambaek Line and Jeongseon. The section climbing the mountains around Hambaek to Jeongsan (renamed Mindungsan in 2009), which would later become part of the Taebaek Line, was completed on December 19, 1966, and the entire railway from Jecheon to Jeongseon was renamed the Jeongseon Line, with the short Yemi–Hambaek branch retaining the Hambaek Line name. A 1147 m (3,763.1 ft) long track section on the climb after Yemi is the steepest on South Korea's network at 30.3‰. Also on December 19, 1966, a 10.7 km (6.6 mi) branch from Jeongsan to Gohan opened as the Gohan Line, which would also become part of the future Taebaek Line. The Jeongseon Line was completed to Jeongseon on January 20, 1967; this section and its later extensions form the present-day Jeongseon Line.
The 15 km (9.3 mi) long gap between the Gohan and Hwangji branch lines was plugged on October 16, 1973, when the entire railway from Jecheon to the junction with the Yeongdong Line at Baeksan was renamed the Taebaek Line. The centerpiece of the last section was the 4505 m (14,780 ft) long Jeongam Tunnel, which was the longest in South Korea before the opening of longer tunnels on the Jeolla Line
and the Gyeongbu High Speed Railway, and Chujeon Station at the eastern end of the tunnel is the one on the highest altitude in South Korea at 855 m (2,805 ft) above the sea.
on the east coast, altogether 85.5 km (53.1 mi), on December 5, 1975. At the same time, the Taebaek Triangle Line, a 0.8 km (0.497098189319845 mi) connection built for trains from Jecheon to Donghae to run without reversal at Baeksan, was also put in service.
To improve traffic on the steep climb from Yemi to Jodong, the Hambaek Line was extended to Jodong to provide a second track. The altitude difference was mastered with a spiral tunnel, the Hambaek 1 Tunnel, which was South Korea's longest spiral tunnel at 2450 m (8,038 ft). The altogether 4.2 km (2.6 mi) long Hambaek–Jodok link was completed on December 30, 1976. The electrification of altogether 15.9 km (9.9 mi) around the Hambaek Line went into service on April 1, 1977.
The first 18.3 km (11.4 mi) of the line from Jecheon to Ssangyong, which is nearing capacity with cement transport and mass transit, is being double-tracked for a higher capacity with a budget of 377.323 billion won, with a targeted opening in 2011.
cross-country trains. In the timetable valid from December 15, 2010, six pairs of daily trains run along the entire length of the line, reinforced by a seventh pair on Fridays to Sundays, with Jecheon–Taebaek travel times between 1 hour 49 minutes and 1 hour 58 minutes, depending on the number of stops. These trains connect Cheongnyangni Station in the capital Seoul
and Gangneung
Station on Korea's east coast, using sections of the connecting Jungang and Yeongdong Lines to reach the Taebaek Line. The Cheongnyangni–Taebaek travel time is between 3 hours 45 minutes and 4 hours 12 minutes, depending on the number of stops. The Jecheon–Mindungsan section is also served by two pairs of daily trains running between Jecheon and Auraji on the Jeongseon Line. On every 2nd, 7th, 12th, 17th, 22nd and 27th day of the month, one of these train pairs is extended to run between Cheongnyangni and Auraji as the "Jeongseon 5-Day Market Train", to transport passengers to and from the Jeongseon 5-Day Market.
In 1998, Korean National Railroad (today Korail) introduced special tourist trains operating in the winter months, identified by a snowflake
decoration, which enjoyed great popularity. Most of these trains also traverse the Taebaek Line. By the 2009/2010 season, the offer expanded to a dozen different tour packages, including trips to single destinations combined with local excursions, as well as round trips in the Taebaek Mountains along the Jungang, Taebaek, Jeongseon and Yeongdong Lines.
According to Korail's plans in 2009, travel times on the Taebaek Line are to be reduced after 2013 with the future series version of the Tilting Train Express
.
The line is also carries significant freight transport. The line was originally built primarily to serve coal mines along it, but coal transport declined in the nineties when the government rationalised the coal industry and closed down mines in the region. In the 2000s, cement transport from Ssangyong brings significant freight traffic to the line.
Jungang Line
The Jungang Line is a railway line connecting Cheongnyangni in Seoul to Gyeongju in South Korea, traversing central South Korea from the northwest to the southeast.-History:...
and Yeongdong Line
Yeongdong Line
The Yeongdong Line is a line of Korail. It connects Yeongju in North Gyeongsang Province with Gangneung in Gangwon Province. From Yeongju, it crosses the Taebaek Mountains and reaches the Sea of Japan at Donghae, thence proceeding north to Gangneung.At Yeongju, the line connects with the...
. The line was originally two spur lines, which were built across difficult mountainous terrain in stages, before a connection was built. The line includes the steepest section of the South Korean network, a short parallel line that is operated as a second track on the section includes South Korea's longest spiral tunnel
Spiral (railway)
A spiral is a technique employed by railways to ascend steep hills.A railway spiral rises on a steady curve until it has completed a loop, passing over itself as it gains height, allowing the railway to gain vertical elevation in a relatively short horizontal distance...
. The centerpiece of the last-built section west of Taebaek, is a tunnel that was the longest in South Korea at the time of its construction, and Chujeon Station at the eastern end of the tunnel is the highest altitude in South Korea at 855 m (2,805 ft). In passenger traffic, the line is served by cross-country passenger trains connecting the capital Seoul
Seoul
Seoul , officially the Seoul Special City, is the capital and largest metropolis of South Korea. A megacity with a population of over 10 million, it is the largest city proper in the OECD developed world...
with Korea's east coast. In freight traffic, while coal transport declined, the line carries significant cement transport. In the winter, regular special trains take tourists along the scenic route.
History
In 1949, the Economic Cooperation AdministrationEconomic Cooperation Administration
The Economic Cooperation Administration was a United States government agency set up in 1948 to administer the Marshall Plan. It reported to both the State Department and the Department of Commerce. The agency's head was Paul G. Hoffman, a former head of Studebaker. Much of the rest of the...
, the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
government agency administering the Marshall Plan
Marshall Plan
The Marshall Plan was the large-scale American program to aid Europe where the United States gave monetary support to help rebuild European economies after the end of World War II in order to combat the spread of Soviet communism. The plan was in operation for four years beginning in April 1948...
, also launched a plan to revive South Korea's economy, which included the construction of new railway lines. One new line under the plan was a 60.4 km (37.5 mi) line from Jecheon to the coal mines around Yeongwol and Hambaek to the east. Construction started in August 1949, but was interrupted by the Korean War
Korean War
The Korean War was a conventional war between South Korea, supported by the United Nations, and North Korea, supported by the People's Republic of China , with military material aid from the Soviet Union...
in 1950, work resumed in October 1952. The Jecheon–Yeongwol
Yeongwol
Yeongwol County is a county in Gangwon Province, South Korea.-External links:*...
section, with an original length of 38.1 km (23.7 mi), went into service as the Yeongwol Line on December 30, 1955. On March 9, 1957, the line was extended by 22.6 km (14 mi) to Hambaek, and was re-named the Hambaek Line.
Following the 1961 coup, the Supreme Council for National Reconstruction
Supreme Council for National Reconstruction
The Supreme Council for National Reconstruction, initially named the Revolutionary Committee, was a military junta that oversaw the government of South Korea from May 16, 1961 until the inauguration of the Third Republic of South Korea in 1963...
started South Korea's first five-year plan, which included a construction program to complete the railway network, to foster economic growth. One of the first lines completed under the plan was the Hwangji Branchline, which would later become the eastern end of the Taebaek Line. The 9 km (5.6 mi) long spur from Baeksan on the Cheoram Line (today the Yeongdong Line
Yeongdong Line
The Yeongdong Line is a line of Korail. It connects Yeongju in North Gyeongsang Province with Gangneung in Gangwon Province. From Yeongju, it crosses the Taebaek Mountains and reaches the Sea of Japan at Donghae, thence proceeding north to Gangneung.At Yeongju, the line connects with the...
) to Hwangji (renamed Taebaek
Taebaek
Taebaek is a city in Gangwon province, South Korea. Its name is shared with that of the Taebaek Mountains.-Climate:-Sister cities: Helong, Jilin since August 29, 1995 Baguio City, Philippines since April 25, 2006 Suzhou, China since March 8, 2005 Gaoan, China since June 23, 2004 Changchun, China...
in 1984) opened on December 20, 1962. Another project under the five-year plan was a 41.6 km (25.8 mi) railway between Yemi on the Hambaek Line and Jeongseon. The section climbing the mountains around Hambaek to Jeongsan (renamed Mindungsan in 2009), which would later become part of the Taebaek Line, was completed on December 19, 1966, and the entire railway from Jecheon to Jeongseon was renamed the Jeongseon Line, with the short Yemi–Hambaek branch retaining the Hambaek Line name. A 1147 m (3,763.1 ft) long track section on the climb after Yemi is the steepest on South Korea's network at 30.3‰. Also on December 19, 1966, a 10.7 km (6.6 mi) branch from Jeongsan to Gohan opened as the Gohan Line, which would also become part of the future Taebaek Line. The Jeongseon Line was completed to Jeongseon on January 20, 1967; this section and its later extensions form the present-day Jeongseon Line.
The 15 km (9.3 mi) long gap between the Gohan and Hwangji branch lines was plugged on October 16, 1973, when the entire railway from Jecheon to the junction with the Yeongdong Line at Baeksan was renamed the Taebaek Line. The centerpiece of the last section was the 4505 m (14,780 ft) long Jeongam Tunnel, which was the longest in South Korea before the opening of longer tunnels on the Jeolla Line
Jeolla Line
The Jeolla Line is a railway line in North and South Jeolla Provinces in South Korea. The line is served by frequent passenger trains from Seoul to Yeosu...
and the Gyeongbu High Speed Railway, and Chujeon Station at the eastern end of the tunnel is the one on the highest altitude in South Korea at 855 m (2,805 ft) above the sea.
Upgrade
The line was among the first foreseen for electrification with the 25 kV/60 Hz system in South Korea. Works started in 1972, already before the Taebaek Line was completed and officially re-named. The first trial run under the new voltage system in South Korea was conducted with a Class 8000 electric locomotive on the Jeongsan–Gohan section, then called the Gohan Line, on June 9, 1972. Regular electric service started on the 80.1 km (49.8 mi) long Jecheon–Gohan section on June 20, 1974. The rest of the line was electrified together with the section of the connecting Yeongdong Line until DonghaeDonghae
Donghae can refer to:* Sea of Japan , the Korean name used in both Koreas* Donghae, Gangwon, a city in South Korea* Lee Donghae, a member of K-pop boy band, Super Junior...
on the east coast, altogether 85.5 km (53.1 mi), on December 5, 1975. At the same time, the Taebaek Triangle Line, a 0.8 km (0.497098189319845 mi) connection built for trains from Jecheon to Donghae to run without reversal at Baeksan, was also put in service.
To improve traffic on the steep climb from Yemi to Jodong, the Hambaek Line was extended to Jodong to provide a second track. The altitude difference was mastered with a spiral tunnel, the Hambaek 1 Tunnel, which was South Korea's longest spiral tunnel at 2450 m (8,038 ft). The altogether 4.2 km (2.6 mi) long Hambaek–Jodok link was completed on December 30, 1976. The electrification of altogether 15.9 km (9.9 mi) around the Hambaek Line went into service on April 1, 1977.
The first 18.3 km (11.4 mi) of the line from Jecheon to Ssangyong, which is nearing capacity with cement transport and mass transit, is being double-tracked for a higher capacity with a budget of 377.323 billion won, with a targeted opening in 2011.
Operation
In passenger traffic, the Taebaek Line is served by Mugunghwa-hoMugunghwa-ho
The Mugunghwa-ho or Mugunghwa is a class of train operated by Korail, the national railroad of South Korea. Mugunghwa trains are the cheapest class of trains to operate cross-country. Prior to the introduction of the KTX in 2004, they were the most common passenger train along most railroad lines...
cross-country trains. In the timetable valid from December 15, 2010, six pairs of daily trains run along the entire length of the line, reinforced by a seventh pair on Fridays to Sundays, with Jecheon–Taebaek travel times between 1 hour 49 minutes and 1 hour 58 minutes, depending on the number of stops. These trains connect Cheongnyangni Station in the capital Seoul
Seoul
Seoul , officially the Seoul Special City, is the capital and largest metropolis of South Korea. A megacity with a population of over 10 million, it is the largest city proper in the OECD developed world...
and Gangneung
Gangneung
Gangneung is a city in Gangwon-do, on the east coast of South Korea. It has a population of 229,869 . Gangneung is the economic centre of the Yeongdong region of eastern Gangwon Province. Gangneung has many tourist attractions, like Jeongdongjin, one of the most famous towns in Korea...
Station on Korea's east coast, using sections of the connecting Jungang and Yeongdong Lines to reach the Taebaek Line. The Cheongnyangni–Taebaek travel time is between 3 hours 45 minutes and 4 hours 12 minutes, depending on the number of stops. The Jecheon–Mindungsan section is also served by two pairs of daily trains running between Jecheon and Auraji on the Jeongseon Line. On every 2nd, 7th, 12th, 17th, 22nd and 27th day of the month, one of these train pairs is extended to run between Cheongnyangni and Auraji as the "Jeongseon 5-Day Market Train", to transport passengers to and from the Jeongseon 5-Day Market.
In 1998, Korean National Railroad (today Korail) introduced special tourist trains operating in the winter months, identified by a snowflake
Snowflake
Snowflakes are conglomerations of frozen ice crystals which fall through the Earth's atmosphere. They begin as snow crystals which develop when microscopic supercooled cloud droplets freeze. Snowflakes come in a variety of sizes and shapes. Complex shapes emerge as the flake moves through...
decoration, which enjoyed great popularity. Most of these trains also traverse the Taebaek Line. By the 2009/2010 season, the offer expanded to a dozen different tour packages, including trips to single destinations combined with local excursions, as well as round trips in the Taebaek Mountains along the Jungang, Taebaek, Jeongseon and Yeongdong Lines.
According to Korail's plans in 2009, travel times on the Taebaek Line are to be reduced after 2013 with the future series version of the Tilting Train Express
Tilting Train Express
Tilting Train Express or Hanvit 200 is a South Korean experimental high-speed tilting train, which is currently being tested by the Korea Railroad Research Institute .-Technical details:...
.
The line is also carries significant freight transport. The line was originally built primarily to serve coal mines along it, but coal transport declined in the nineties when the government rationalised the coal industry and closed down mines in the region. In the 2000s, cement transport from Ssangyong brings significant freight traffic to the line.
Major stations
- Jecheon, the junction with the Jungang LineJungang LineThe Jungang Line is a railway line connecting Cheongnyangni in Seoul to Gyeongju in South Korea, traversing central South Korea from the northwest to the southeast.-History:...
, regular passenger trains also connect the Chungbuk LineChungbuk LineThe Chungbuk Line is a railway line serving North Chungcheong Province in South Korea. The line connects Jochiwon on the Gyeongbu Line to Bongyang on the Jungang Line, serving the major cities of Cheongju and Chungju en route. Cheongju International Airport is located near the rail...
; - Yeongwol;
- Yemi, the valley terminus of Hambaek Line;
- Jodong, the mountain terminus of Hambaek Line;
- Mindungsan (formerly Jeungsan), the terminus of Jeongseon Line;
- Sabuk;
- Gohan;
- Taebaek; and
- Baeksan, the junction with the Yeongdong LineYeongdong LineThe Yeongdong Line is a line of Korail. It connects Yeongju in North Gyeongsang Province with Gangneung in Gangwon Province. From Yeongju, it crosses the Taebaek Mountains and reaches the Sea of Japan at Donghae, thence proceeding north to Gangneung.At Yeongju, the line connects with the...
.