The Suwon – Inchon narrow gauge line: the shortest stretch

Korean narrow gauge

The shortest individual stretch on the SuIn line which can still be found is the short part of the line within Suwon city between the main railway line and the Deogyeongdaero (덕영대로). This part of the line was the connection between the line running through Suwon to the station and the country side. The bridge over the main railway line was lifted after 1995, right after closure. But the track bed and everything else is still very visible there. The pictures were taken in July 2013.

This part of the line can easily be seen on Google Earth by zooming in at this location (switch to satellite view as well). The former line is the grey railway line in the map, and this part is the stretch between the (blue) railway line (the Korail main line) and the (yellow) main road to the right of the former line. The length of the track bed here can’t be more than approx. 100 meters.

The end of the line in within Suwon. This is the last part with tracks left, from this point onwards in Suwon not a single track can be found. View towards the west (Inchon).
The end of the line in within Suwon. This is the last part with tracks left, from this point onwards in Suwon not a single track can be found. View towards the west (Inchon).

More pictures after the break.

The shortest stretch on the line: the part in Suwon between the main road and the main railway line.

A map of this particular part of the line. The part between the two red lines (1) is the narrow gauge line in the pictures below. At (2) a new main road has been built. There must have been a bridge here at this point, but it is completely gone. At (3) the line has become part of a park, this is the topic of another article. The part at (4) going to the west is the line to Inchon, which can still be readily found in the country side.

Standing on top of the same track bed, looking into Suwon. On the other side of the road the track bed has been destroyed (lowered), but it is possible to walk the whole length, it is now part of a foot path.
Standing on top of the same track bed, looking into Suwon. On the other side of the road the track bed has been destroyed (lowered), but it is possible to walk the whole length, it is now part of a foot path.
Looking towards the main (standard gauge) railway line on the former track bed in Suwon.
Looking towards the main (standard gauge) railway line on the former track bed in Suwon.
The end of the line within Suwon, looking towards the mainline and Inchon. Someone had made a fire in his garden. The bridge over the railway is gone; the electrical wires are part of the catenary of the Korail mainline. In the distance (to the top right) the track bed can be seen, near the airport.
The end of the line within Suwon, looking towards the mainline and Inchon. Someone had made a fire in his garden. The bridge over the railway is gone; the electrical wires are part of the catenary of the Korail mainline. In the distance (to the top right) the track bed can be seen, near the airport.

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