Completion of Phase 2 of Seoul Metropolitan Urban Rail Youn-Keun Bhang
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Feature Urban Railways in Asia Completion of Phase 2 of Seoul Metropolitan Urban Rail Youn-keun Bhang construction of the Seoul rail network has transforming it from a single-core city to Introduction not followed a coherent long-term plan a multi-core city. Line 2 is Seoul’s only for a transportation network. Instead, the loop line and it starts and ends at City Hall Since the Seoul Metropolitan Subway network has grown piecemeal to meet the Station. It is also the longest line and (SMS) began operating in 1974 with the needs of population concentration. As a carries most passengers. opening of Line 1 belonging to the Seoul result, there are many winding and Line 3 was constructed to supplement the Metropolitan Subway Corporation circular lines, and some lines are poorly functionality of Line 2 and general use of (SMSC), the Korean capital has shown a used. For example, the Bundang Line and the subway system by radiating out from continuing population increase (1.8% in Ilsan Line belonging to the Korean the city centre and crossing Line 2. It the 1990s) and growth in the number of National Railroad (KNR) only carry some connects the Ilsan Kyeonggi-do district in road vehicles (12.4%). In 1999, the Seoul 19% of the transport market. north-west Seoul to the Bundang district metropolitan area (11,700 km2) had a In addition, building of modal transfer in south-east Seoul. The line is being population of 21.32 million (46% of the stations requires huge capital but extended in stages. national population of 47.54 million) and generates relatively low profits, so a Line 4 was also constructed to supplement 5.14 million vehicles (also 46% of the coherent pro-active plan has never been Line 2 and to relieve overcrowding and nation’s total of 11.16 million vehicles). developed. Consequently, even when congestion in the city area. It was also As a result, the costs of new infrastructure facilities for changing mode between road extended in stages and passes through the required to relieve traffic congestion in and rail are built after completion of a line, congested city centre district, north of the Seoul and neighbouring Inchon had they are often inadequate, resulting in a Han-gang River. grown by 15.6% annually from Won1.7 transfer rate between private cars, etc., trillion (US$1 = Won1200) in 1990 to and public transport of less than 1.2%. Phase 2 Seoul Metropolitan Rapid Won5.4 trillion in 1999. For example, although there are 69 Park Transit It is estimated that the population of the n’ Ride facilities, the parking fees are high Phase 2 of the Seoul Metropolitan Rapid Seoul metropolitan area will increase to and the walking distances long, so the Transit is composed of lines 5, 6, 7, and 25.78 million by 2020, with traffic volume usage rate of parking for transfer to rail is 8. These so-called Phase-2 lines were rising from 45 million journeys/day in only 47%. built to address the construction and 1999 to 78 million journeys/day in 2020. The so-called Phase-1 lines are lines 1, 2, operational problems of the Phase-1 lines In 2001, the population of Seoul City 3, and 4. Line 1 was the first subway built and they present an improvement on alone was 10.33 million and the in the development of the SMS. Phase 1. Construction on Line 5 began population density was 17,062/km2. Construction began in 1971 and Line 1 in 1990 and was completed in 1996. It The Seoul metropolitan area has a radial opened on 15 August 1974. Line 1 covers radiates from the city centre to connect road network with Seoul City at the axis. the core metropolitan area between Seoul the eastern and western sides of the Seoul At the same time, cross-links between the Station and Cheongnyangni Station and metropolitan area passing through the radial roads are poor, causing connects with KNR’s Gyeongin, Yoido district, which has a high concentration of traffic in Seoul City. The Gyeongbu, and Gyeongwon lines. concentration of offices, and extending to rail network also falls far short of the needs Line 2 was constructed to promote Kimpo International Airport. of the wider region. Road traffic volumes balanced development of Seoul City by Line 6 connects Seoul’s north-east and in and out of Seoul are growing by an annual average of 5.8% while the Seoul Metropolitan Urban Rail Lines coverage by the railway network is substantially less (41.1 km/1000 km2) than Line 1 Line 2 Line 3 Line 4 Line 5 Line 6 Line 7 Line 8 in other large developed cities. Operating length (km) 7.8 60.2 35.2 31.7 52.3 35.1 46.9 17.7 No. of stations 9 49 31 26 50 38 42 17 No. of trains 160 834 480 470 608 328 496 132 History of Urban Rail Time between RH 3.0 2.5 3.0 2.5 2.5 4.0 2.5 4.5 Construction departures (min) NH 4.0 5.5 6.0 5.0 5.0 6.0 5.0 6.0 Construction cost 330 10,712 10,304 8,315 30,253 25,496 27,851 8,502 Phase 1 of Seoul Metropolitan (Won100 million) Subway Construction period (years) 1971–74 1978–84 1980–85 1980–85 1990–96 1994–2000 1990–2000 1990–99 Since work began on Line 1 in 1971, Note: RH = Rush hour, NH = Non-rush hour 16 Japan Railway & Transport Review 35 • July 2003 Copyright © 2003 EJRCF. All rights reserved. Comparison of Phase 1 and Phase 2 Urban Rail Construction Phase 1 Subway Phase 2 Subway Notes time between departures was improved Gauge Standard from 2.5 minutes to 2 minutes to increase Power 1500 Vdc Overhead 1500 Vdc Overhead Track bed Gravel Concrete in all areas capacity. The control system was Platform length 205 m Lines 5, 6, 7: 165 m Reduction of 40–80 m upgraded from chopper control to variable Line 8: 125 m voltage variable frequency (VVVF) inverter Carriage size (m) 3.2 W x 4.5 H x 20 L 3.2 W x 4.0 H x 20 L Height reduction of 50 cm Control operation Lines 1, 2: ATS ATC/ATO Shift from semi-automatic control for improved braking and better Lines 3, 4: ATC (2 staff) (1 driver or unmanned) to fully automatic passenger comfort. This change also Rolling stock Lines 1, 2, 3, 4: 10 cars Lines 5, 6, 7: 8 cars Line 8: 6 cars extended the inspection interval, reducing Power control Line 1: Resistance control VVVF control Prevention of overheating, manpower and repair costs. Moreover, Lines 2, 3, 4: Chopper control reduced energy the weight saving helped cut energy costs. Carriage body Steel Light SUS Increased life cycle, reduced maintenance The carriage body material was changed Ventilation Line 1: Natural ventilation Forced ventilation to SUS 301L in order to cut weight, extend Lines 2, 3, 4: Semi-forced (forced intake and ventilation (Forced intake, output) service life, eliminate painting and reduce natural output) repair costs. Station air-conditioning 8.4 100 All underground stations were fitted with (%) air conditioning to maintain reasonable temperatures in the tunnels. Forced north-west districts and forms the basis of on central government is too heavy. From ventilation was chosen to improve air a transfer system connecting all lines 1991, the government contributed 30% circulation in main tunnels. passing through the city centre. (25% in Seoul) towards the cost of Completion of Line 6 established a web- constructing subway systems by regional like rail network in the metropolitan area. autonomous bodies. Then this amount Performance Line 7 links Uijongbu City with south-east was increased to 50% (40% in Seoul) from Seoul via north-east Seoul and south of 1998. However, more recently and in Passenger ridership the Han-gang River. It runs broadly order to discourage construction of Construction of the Seoul metropolitan parallel and inside the southern part of economically non-viable subways, the subways has been successful from the Line 2 and relieves congestion at Sindorim government is starting to refuse financial perspective that passenger cars play a and other Line-2 stations and also absorbs support if the local government does not smaller role in the city’s transportation, some of the traffic demands of KNR’s bear at least 50% of the construction costs. decreasing from 19.6% in 1999 to 15.4% Gyeongin Line. The government is also understood to be in 2002). At the same time, the Line 8 links Seoul’s more highly populated actively encouraging investment metropolitan railways’ share has increased residential areas of Gangdong Gu, Songpa participation from the private sector. from 33.8% in 1999 to 37.8% in 2002. Gu, and Songnam City, increasing On the other hand, persistent debt and accessibility from Seoul to various Differences between Phase 1 and recently exposed safety inadequacies are metropolitan sub-centres and facilitating Phase 2 lines serious problems. smooth access to Seoul for citizens of The Phase-2 lines were built to overcome In recent years, lines 1 to 4 have shown Songnam City. Services operate with just the shortcomings of the Phase-1 lines. All annual increases in passenger ridership; six carriages per train, the smallest train track beds were built with concrete to in 2002, they carried a total of 1.44 billion set of any metropolitan line. After eliminate dust generation, improve the passengers.