Gyeongbuk Line

This article is about the present railway line. For the defunct line, see Gyeongbuk Line (1924–1945).

The Gyeongbuk Line (Korean: 경북선) is a railway line serving North Gyeongsang Province in South Korea. The line runs from Gimcheon on the Gyeongbu Line via Sangju, Jeomchon (junction with the Mungyeong Line), and Yecheon to Yeongju on the Jungang Line.

Gyeongbuk Line
Overview
Native name	경북선(慶北線)
Status	Operational
Owner	Korea Rail Network Authority
Locale	North Gyeongsang
Termini	Gimcheon Yeongju
Stations	12
Service
Type	Heavy rail, Passenger/freight rail Regional rail
Operator(s)	Korail
History
Opened	Stages between 1924 - 1966
Technical
Line length	115.2 km (71.6 mi)
Number of tracks	Single track
Track gauge	1,435 mm (4 ft 8+1⁄2 in) standard gauge
Route map Gyeongbu from Gumi 0.0 Gimcheon Gyeongbu to Yeongdong 20.0 Oksan 27.1 Cheongni 36.0 Sangju 44.4 Baegwon 55.8 Hamchang 60.0 Jeomchon Mungyeong Line 66.9 Yonggung 73.3 Gaepo 85.0 Yecheon 101.6 Eodeung Jungang to Andong 115.2 Yeongju Jungang Line, Yeongdong Line

Gyeongbuk Line
Hangul	경북선
Hanja	慶北線
Revised Romanization	Gyeongbukseon
McCune–Reischauer	Kyŏngbuksŏn

Southbound freight on the Gyeongbuk Line, south of Jeomchon Station

History

Construction of the line was begun by the privately owned Chosen Industrial Railway; however, before the line was finished, that company merged with five others to create the Chosen Railway (Chōtetsu) in 1923, and it was the new company which completed the first section of the line, opening the Gimcheon–Sangju section on 1 October 1924, followed by the Sangju–Jeomchon section on 25 December. Chōtetsu then extended the line in several stages, first reaching Yecheon on 1 November 1928, then reaching Gyeongbuk Andong on 16 October 1931; however, the latter section was dismantled in 1944 to use the material elsewhere as Japan's military faced material shortages during the Pacific War. After the Liberation of Korea, the Chosen Railway was nationalised along with all other railways in the country.

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. Under the program, the Gyeongbuk Line was extended to Yeongju, to create a connection both with the Jungang Line and the Yeongdong Line, allowing the transport of coal from the latter. Work began in May 1962, the 28.9 km (18.0 mi) from Jeomchon to Yecheon was opened in January 1966, the 29.7 km (18.5 mi) from Yecheon to Yeongju was opened on 10 October 1966. The complete line is 115.2 km (71.6 mi) long, and remains single-tracked and unelectrified.

A 22.3 km (13.9 mi) long branch from Jeomchon to Mungyeong, the Mungyeong Line, was opened on 10 May 1969.

Operation

As of 2010, the line is served by both passenger and freight trains along its entire length, as is the Mungyeong branch. As of November 2010, the line is served by Mugunghwa cross-country trains from Busan and Dongdaegu, which travel in 2 hours 12 minutes from Gimcheon to Yeongju.

Route

Station	Hangul	Hanja	Connecting lines	Station distance	Line distance
Gimcheon	김천	金泉	Gyeongbu Line	0.0	0.0
Acheon	아천	牙川	closed 1994	7.7	7.7
Duwon	두원	杜院	closed 2006	5.1	12.8
Oksan	옥산	玉山		20.0	20.0
Cheongni	청리	靑里		7.1	27.1
Sangju	상주	尙州		8.9	36.0
Baekwon	백원	白元		8.4	44.4
Yangjeong	양정	楊亭	closed 2006	3.5	47.9
Hamchang	함창	咸昌		11.4	55.8
Jeomchon	점촌	店村	Mungyeong Line	4.2	60.0
Sanyang	산양	山陽	closed 2001	5.4	65.4
Yonggung	용궁	龍宮		6.9	66.9
Songam	송암	松岩	closed 1974	2.7	69.6
Gaepo	개포	開浦		6.4	73.3
Yulhyeon	율현	栗峴	closed 2001	3.4	76.7
Gadong	가동	佳洞	closed 2001	3.0	79.7
Yecheon	예천	醴泉		11.7	85.0
Dongyecheon	동예천	東醴泉	closed 1974	1.6	86.6
Gopyeong	고평	高坪	closed 2001 former Gyeongbuk Line	2.7	89.3
Misan	미산	眉山	closed 2001	4.5	93.8
Bomun	보문	普門	closed 2001	1.3	95.1
Jangsan	장산	獐山	closed 1974	3.2	98.3
Eodeung	어등	魚登		16.4	101.4
Miryong	미룡	美龍	closed 2001	4.0	105.6
Bangu	반구	盤邱	closed 2001	2.7	108.3
Yeongju	영주	榮州	Jungang Line Yeongdong Line	13.6	115.0

See also

• Korail