Gyeongin Line

Gyeongin Line
The Gyeongin Line near Jemulpo station in 2008
Overview
Native name경인선(京仁線)
StatusOperational
OwnerKorea Rail Network Authority
Line number301 (KR)
LocaleSeoul
Gyeonggi
Incheon
Termini
Stations21
Service
TypeHeavy rail, Passenger/Freight rail
Commuter rail
Operator(s)Korail
History
Opened18 September 1899 (1899-09-18)
Technical
Line length27.0 km (16.8 mi)
Number of tracksDouble track
Track gauge1,435 mm (4 ft 8+12 in) standard gauge
Electrification25 kV/60 Hz AC Overhead lines
Route map

Gyeongbu Line
0.0
Guro
Gyeongbu Line
National Route 1
1.4
Guil
2.4
Gaebong
3.7
Oryu-dong
For Gyeonggi Chemical
National Route 46
5.6
Onsu
Seoul/Bucheon
6.9
Yeokgok
8.4
Sosa
9.5
Bucheon
National Route 39
Former Gimpo Line
11.2
Jung-dong
12.2
Songnae
Seoul Ring Expressway
Bucheon/Incheon
13.4
Bugae
14.9
Bupyeong
16.6
Baegun
18.1
Dongam
19.3
Ganseok
20.5
Juan
Gyeongin Expressway
21.5
Dohwa
Former Juin Line
22.5
Jemulpo
23.9
Dowon
25.1
Dongincheon (Formerly Sangincheon)[1]
For Port of Incheon
27.0
Incheon
terminus
Gyeongin Line
Hangul
경인선
Hanja
京仁線
Revised RomanizationGyeong-in-seon
McCune–ReischauerKyŏng-in-sŏn

The Gyeongin Line (Gyeonginseon) is a railway mainline in South Korea, currently connecting Guro station in Seoul and Incheon. Commuter services along the line through operates into Seoul Subway Line 1.

History

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Opening ceremony in 1899

The Gyeongin Line was the first railway line built on the Korean peninsula. It was opened by the Keijin Railway Company between Noryangjin, on the shore of the Han River across from Seoul, Geumchon, in Incheon, on September 18, 1899.[2] Soon after, the line was extended across the Han River into Seoul Station, and beyond Geumchon to the port of Incheon. When the construction of the Gyeongbu Line was completed from Busan to Guro on January 1, 1905, the Seoul-Guro section of the Gyeongin Line became part of the Gyeongbu Line.[2] The remaining Gyeongin Line from Guro to Incheon is 27.0 km (16.8 mi) long.[2]

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.[3] As part of the program, from November 1963, two additional tracks were laid to the north of the existing tracks from Yeongdeungpo station on the Gyeongbu Line to Dongincheon station.[3] The 27.8 km (17.3 mi) of new tracks, also called Gyeonginbuk Line, entered service on September 18, 1965.[3]

The line was among the first in South Korea to be electrified with the 25 kV/60 Hz AC catenary system, when two tracks over the 38.9 km (24.2 mi) between Seoul and Incheon entered service on August 15, 1974, for the Seoul Subway Line 1.[4] Electrification of the second two tracks started with the 14.9 km (9.3 mi) from Guro to Bupyeong, which went into service on January 29, 1999.[4] The 5.6 km (3.5 mi) until Juan followed on March 15, 2002, and the final 6.6 km (4.1 mi) on December 21, 2005.[4]

Operation

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Korail operated regular passenger service along the Gyeongin Line until the electrification of the line in the early 1970s, when passenger service was integrated into Seoul Subway Line 1. Line 1 trains using the Gyeongin Line provide up to ten trains an hour per direction, with services towards Guro, Cheongnyangni, Dongmyo, Seongbuk, Chang-dong, Uijeongbu, Yangju, Dongducheon and Soyosan.[5]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ Japanese Government Railways (1937), 鉄道停車場一覧. 昭和12年10月1日現在(The List of the stations as of 1 October 1937), Kawaguchi Printing Company, Tokyo, p 483
  2. ^ a b c "경영원칙 > 경영공시 > 영업현황 > 영업거리현황". Korail. Archived from the original on 2011-07-22. Retrieved 2010-11-27.
  3. ^ a b c "철마 110년, 영고의 자취 [12] 경제개발과 철도" (in Korean). Silvernet News. 2010-03-20. Retrieved 2010-11-30.
  4. ^ a b c "Electricity Almanac 2009" (PDF). Korea Electric Association. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2012-03-14. Retrieved 2010-10-27.
  5. ^ "Timetable (Incheon)". SMRTC. Archived from the original on 2011-06-14. Retrieved 2010-11-30.