Park Man-ho, Icheon-Mungyeong project leader with the Chungcheong Projects Division at Korea National Railroad ’s Chungcheong Regional Office, gives a briefing on the construction of a railway connecting Icheon, Chungju and Mungyeong. (Photos: KR, NewsWorld)

The Icheon-Chungju section, the first part of the planned Icheon-Mungyeong railway line, is now undergoing a safety check prior to its opening to commercial service at year-end.

The upcoming opening is expected to improve railway services in the central inland region, dramatically improve logistics and traffic convenience and spur the development of the regional economy by building a railway network with the Gyeonggang, Chungbuk and Gyeongbuk lines.

The project to build the Icheon-Mungyeong Line, stretching 93.2 km in total length, consists of nine construction portions. The first phase is 53.96 kilometers long and connects Bubal Station in Icheon and Chungju. It is to be put into commercial operation by the end of this year.

The second phase, a 39.22 km-long portion, is scheduled to be opened to traffic by December 2023.

The project’s total cost amounts to 2,486.7 billion won. Until last year, 1.5 trillion won had been poured in, and 400 billion won will be executed this year.

Icheon-Mungyeong Railway Line Route Map

The Icheon-Mungyeong Line will consist of earthwork standing at 36.1 km in length, bridges stretching 16 km and tunnels measuring 41.1 km in total length. EMU-260(KTX-EUM) trains are to be put on the line. The progress of the first phase stood at 96.8 percent, while that of the second phase was 71.8 percent.

The names of the five stations of the first phase, built by Kukdong E&C, are Ganam, Gamgokjanghowon, Angseongoncheon, 222 signal station and Chungju stations that were decided on by a committee on the deliberation of station names. Four stations in the second-phase part of the project have not yet decided.

A go-ahead on the master plan for the project was approved in December 2006. Railway subbase work for the first, third and fourth construction sections of the first phase broke ground in December 2014. Railway subbase work for the second and fifth sections started in June 2015.

Railway subbase work for the sixth and eighth construction sections began in June 1917 and May 2018, respectively, as planned and got under way in a thorough fashion, said Park Man-ho, Icheon-Mungyeong project leader with the Chungcheong Projects Division at Korea National Railroad ’s Chungcheong Regional Office.

Subbase and track work on the first phase section between Bubal and Chungju stations had been finished, and all processes, including final touches on the construction of stations and systems, had been completed as of the end of June. The first phase line is now on-line with a 25,000 voltage electricity connected with a power grid.

The progress of the subbase work on the second phase Chungju-Mungyeong section has reached 71.8 percent, while design and work on structures and systems is underway.

Trains are test-operated to verify the safety of the Incheon-Chungju railway line.

Work on tracks and electric lines will be launched this year, and the second phase line is scheduled to be opened to commercial operation in December 2023.

Park, a project management professional, stressed the prevention of major industrial disasters as his division’s top priority. He is a seasoned professional engineer and project management professional.

He had a 4.5-year stint as a supervisor with a Chinese railroad construction project site in Ürümqi, Xinjiang Province, China, a region with extreme weather — up to 52 degrees Centigrade in summer and minus 35 degrees in winter.

Park said KR is devoting itself to ensuring safety, the key to the railway, and ride quality. He described his determination, saying, “Even one defect is never allowed.”

Part said KR is doing its utmost to make the railway line a safe, high-quality one by preventing major industrial disasters through regular safe management, introducing smart safety equipment and building a voluntary management system on on-site quality management. Chungju citizens expect the opening of the first phase section line to boost the regional economy.

A view of the Gamgokjanghowon station.

It will improve railway services for residents in the inland areas of Gyeonggi-do, Chungcheongbuk-do and Gyeongsangbuk-do. Residents will see their train commuting time from Bubal to Chungju stations reduced to about nine minutes instead of a one hour and 45 minute bus ride.

The commuting time from Chungju to Mungyeong will be reduced to about 13 minutes, instead of about one hour and two minutes on a bus.

It will have an effect of building an integrated transportation system crisscrossing the central inland region, improving train operation efficiency through transfer and connection with the existing lines such as Chungbuk and Gyeonggang lines.

In the future, it will build a railroad network, to be connected with the planned Suseo-Gwangju line, Gyeonggang Line and Nambu Inland Line to reinvigorate the economy of the central inland region and contribute to balanced national development.

The construction of the Incheon-Mungyeong section is characterized by differentiation safety management features, compared to the previous ones. In the third section, Hanyang employed the NATM engineering method to build the Taepyeong Tunnel, an 8.79 km-long tunnel.

The tunnel is outfitted with an integrated anti-disaster system in which regular remote surveillance and control is possible from the situation room, evacuation zones designed to minimize damages in an emergency case and conduct swift rescue operation in case of train fires and other safety accidents.

Cross-checks and joint inspections have been made to prevent the subsiding of railway tracks for safety and ride comport.

A view of the Namhangang Grand Bridge.

On the fifth section, DL E&C built the blue Namhangang Bridge, a 1.49 km-long bridge with a Langer’s arch structure, presenting a contrast with the background of the Namhangang.

A passage, designed to regularly inspect the bridge regular bridge, is made on the lower part of the bridge. The Namhangang Bridge with awesome lighting is expected to serve as a landmark of the district.