The Ch'à Ângnyà Ân Ich'à Ân Line is an electrified standard-gauge secondary mainline of the Korean State Railway running from P'yà Ângsan on the P'yà Ângbu Line to Sep'o on the Kangwà Ân Line. The line is the southernmost of the three east-west transversal mainlines in North Korea.
The Ch'à Ângnyà Ân Ich'à Ân line plays an important role in the movement of freight between the east and west coasts of the DPRK, relieving the burden on the P'yà Ângra Line. As of 1985, the Sep'o Ch'à Ângnyà ÂnâÂÂChihari section is under the jurisdiction of the Hamhà Âng Railway Bureau, whilst the Chà ÂngbongâÂÂP'yà Ângsan section is administered by the Sariwà Ân Railway Bureau.
There are 18 stations, of which 3 are halts. Ich'à Ân Ch'à Ângnyà Ân and Chà Ângbong stations are designated freight concentration points, where goods to and from counties in the area without rail service are transferred between road and rail. Ich'à Ân Ch'à Ângnyà Ân Station handles passenger and freight for Ich'à Ân, Ch'à Ârwà Ân, P'an'gyo, and Pà Âptong counties, while Chà Ângbong Station handles them for Kosan, Sinp'yà Âng, Singye and Suan counties.
As freight movements between the east and west coasts of the DPRK grew in the years after the end of the Korean War, congestion on the P'yà Ângra Line became a major issue. To relieve this, the Korean State Railway undertook the construction of a third, more southern transversal line through the mountainous south-central region of the DPRK. Work began in 1957, and the first section to be completed was the section from P'yà Ângsan to Chihari, which was opened to traffic in 1962, whilst the rest of the route, from Chihari to Sep'o Ch'à Ângnyà Ân, was opened in October 1972.
Electrification of the line was completed in 1980.
Both passenger and freight trains operate on the Ch'à Ângnyà Ân Ich'à Ân Line, with freight being considerably more significant.
In order to reduce congestion on the P'yà Ângra Line, much transit freight is routed via the Ch'à Ângnyà Ân Ich'à Ân Line. Steel products from the Hwanghae Iron & Steel Complex in Songrim on the Songrim Line and cement from the February 8 Cement Complex in West Pongsan on the P'yà Ângbu Line make up a major portion of eastbound through traffic.
Westbound traffic is 1.6 to 1.9 times greater than eastbound. Westbound, the primary commodities shipped are ore (18.4âÂÂ18.6%), wood (16.3%), fertiliser (12âÂÂ13.1%), and marine products (7.3âÂÂ7.5%); these four commodities make up roughly 56% of westbound cargo. Over half - 50âÂÂ60% - of eastbound cargo is grain; ores (8.6âÂÂ11.2%), metals (9.9âÂÂ10.7%), and cement (3.2âÂÂ3.7%) accounts for much of the rest. Grain from the rich granary of Hwanghae is shipped east exclusively along this line, whilst the westbound ore is primarily magnetite from the Tà Âksà Âng and Musan Mining Complexes destined for the Hwanghae Iron & Steel Complex on the Songrim Line. There is also a uranium concentrate plant at P'yà Ângsan.
In the 2002 passenger timetable there is a single daily long-distance train shown as operating on this line, between Haeju and Hyesan. Train 104â¢107 from Haeju comes to the line via Sariwà Ân, departing P'yà Ângsan at 0:54 and Sep'o at 6:06 AM, continuing on to Hyesan via Wà Ânsan, Hamhà Âng and Kilju. The return trip from Hyesan, train 108â¢111, departs Sep'o at 4:41 AM and P'yà Ângsan at 9:47 AM, continuing on to Haeju via Sariwà Ân. A commuter service is operated between P'yà Ângsan and Chihari.
A yellow background in the "Distance" box indicates that section of the line is not electrified.