Exhibition of Artifacts Including Photos of 'Suin Line' Restored After 25 Years to Be Held

Suin Line

[Asia Economy (Suwon) = Reporter Lee Young-gyu] An exhibition that allows visitors to see the footsteps of the 'Suin Line,' which was fully connected for the first time in 25 years with the start of operations on the Suwon~Handaeap section on the 12th, will be held.

The Suwon Museum is hosting a small exhibition commemorating the full opening of the Suin Line, titled "The Suin Line Returned to the Arms of Citizens," on the second floor of the History Hall until February next year.

At this exhibition, visitors can see over 30 artifacts and photos that recall the history and memories of the "slow narrow-gauge train."

Among the exhibits are the conductor's uniform worn by Kim Ji-hyung (83), who worked as a Suin Line conductor from the early 1970s until the line ceased operations, Suin Line tickets including the commemorative ticket for the end of service (December 31, 1995), route maps, lunchbox labels sold at Suwon Station during the Japanese colonial period, and photos of the last operation of the Suin Line.

On January 1, 1905, with the start of the Gyeongbu Line, trains made their debut in Suwon City. During the Japanese colonial period, the Japanese laid railroads to exploit Korea's resources. In 1930, the Su Ryeo Line connecting Suwon and Yeoju was opened to exploit rice from Yeoju and Icheon, and in 1937, the Suin Line was established to exploit sea salt from the west coast.

Although these railroads were installed for exploitation purposes, the Suin Line and Su Ryeo Line served as important transportation means for people traveling between Suwon, Yeoju, and Incheon.

The Suin Line was a narrow-gauge (762 mm) railway, narrower than the standard gauge (1435 mm), and was also called the "Little Train."

As road networks developed and passenger numbers steadily declined, the Suin Line ceased operations on December 31, 1995. The slow narrow-gauge train, which had disappeared into the annals of history, returned after 25 years as a state-of-the-art double-track standard gauge electric railway.

The double-track electric railway of the Suin Line opened its first phase between Oido and Songdo in June 2012, and the second phase between Songdo and Incheon in February 2016. With the opening of the Suwon~Handaeap section, the entire line (52.8 km) from Suwon Station to Incheon Station was connected in mid-this month. The Ansan section shares existing urban railway tracks. The Suwon section is 5.35 km long and includes Gosaek Station and Omokcheon Station.