Hoeryong Tangwang Line

The Tomun Railway, which had completed its mainline from Hoeryŏng to Tonggwanjin on 1 November 1924,[2] expanded its network in order to serve the collieries around Hoeryŏng by building a 10.6 km (6.6 mi) branchline from Hoeryŏng to Kyerim, which was opened for service on 11 August 1928.[3]

Less than a year later, on 1 April 1929 the Tomun Railway was nationalised and absorbed by the Chosen Government Railway (Sentetsu).[2] Sentetsu continued to operate the line, and then further expanded it with the addition of a 1.1 km (0.68 mi) extension to Singyerim; this extension was opened on 21 December 1932,[4] but was subsequently closed.

The line has changed hands several times since its construction. Following the absorption of the Tomun Railway by Sentetsu in 1929, on 1 October 1933 the Hoeryŏng Colliery Line, along with the rest of Sentetsu's Tomun Line to Unggi, were transferred to the South Manchuria Railway (Mantetsu).[5] Mantetsu took over the management, operation and maintenance of these lines, until finally on 1 July 1940 it was transferred back to Sentetsu.[6]

Following the partition of Korea, all railways located in the Soviet zone of occupation, including the Hoeryŏng Colliery Line, were nationalised by the Provisional People’s Committee for North Korea on 10 August 1946, and following the establishment of North Korea, the Korean State Railway was created.[7] At some point, the stations at Yŏngsu and Pongŭi were closed, and Kyerim station was renamed Yusŏn.

Coal is shipped from mines on this line to the Kim Chaek Iron & Steel Complex at Kimchaek and the Ch'ŏngjin Steel Works in Ch'ŏngjin, with the order of collection from each line arranged in the order of the total weight of the outbound cars.[8] This line also serves the Hoeryŏng Tobacco Factory located near the former station of Yŏngsu.

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

• Japanese Government Railways (1937). 鉄道停車場一覧. 昭和12年10月1日現在 [The List of Stations as of 1 October 1937] (in Japanese). Tokyo: Kawaguchi Printing Company. p. 506.