High-speed rail in Menghe

MGY-201 train on a viaduct over the outskirts of Chŏngdo

Interior of a first-class car on MGY-200 family trains

Two linked MGY-251 trainsets outside Dongchŏn Old Station

Menghe currently operates the largest high-speed rail network in Septentrion. At the end of 2020, the country contained over 21,000 kilometers of operational high-speed track, for a total route length of over 10,500 kilometers. This is over three times as long as the next-longest high-speed network, found in Dayashina. This track is built with a design speed of 300 km/h (186 mph) in the mountainous east, and 350 km/h (217 mph) on the plains, and it is fully separated from freight and conventional-speed passenger traffic.

Equally impressive is the speed with which this network developed. Menghe Railways opened its first high-speed passenger service at the end of 2006, after five years of construction and testing. This line, which linked Sunju and Insŏng over level terrain, was built with extensive help from Themiclesia, and the line's extension to Junggyŏng relied extensively on Themiclesian engineering partnerships. By the early 2010s, however, Menghean engineers were already planning tracks and designing rolling stock domestically, and today Menghe is a front-tier competitor in the market for domestically developed high-speed train technology.

Official classification

Menghe's Railroad Regulatory Agency defines a high-speed railway as "a 1435mm-gauge track built to safely support top speeds in excess of 300 kilometers per hour, which is reserved exclusively for use by passenger trains with a top speed of at least 250 kilometers per hour, and which is part of the national railway grid." This definition excludes sections of conventional track which have been modified to allow top speeds of up to 250 kilometers per hour, especially if they also run low-speed trains. It also excludes maglev trains and high-speed monorails, as well as test circuits which do not overlap with passenger networks. The figures for distances of high-speed track in this article refer exclusively to track meeting this definition.

Menghe Railways further distinguishes between "G trains" and "K trains" in its ticket pricing and train scheduling. G trains (Gosok Ryŏlcha) are trains that run exclusively on high-speed track, as defined above, and which have a top speed of at least 250 kilometers per hour (most G trainsets built after 2010 have a top speed of 350 km/h). Except where otherwise indicated, the term "high-speed train" in Menghe refers exclusively to G trains.

K trains (Kwaesok Ryŏlcha) are trains which have top speeds of between 180 and 250 kilometers per hour. They sometimes run on high-speed track, but they may also run on conventional track engineered for speeds of up to 250 kilometers per hour. They have the same ticketing process as high-speed G trains, and use the same 1250mm high platforms, but have cheaper fares. To avoid confusion with "genuine" high-speed trains, they are usually called "fast trains," "fast express trains," or "fast-speed trains" in Anglian literature.

Tier	Letter	Menghean name	Translation	Top Speed	Description
Tier I	G (高)	고속 여객 렬차 / 高速旅客列車 Gosok Yŏgaek Ryŏlcha	High-speed train	300-350 km/h	Direct service between major urban centers on dedicated high-speed track.
	K (快)	쾌속 여객 렬차 / 快速旅客列車 Kwaesok Yŏgaek Ryŏlcha	Fast express train	200-250 km/h	Direct service between major urban centers on tracks upgraded for increased speeds. They sometimes run on dedicated express track. Includes trains that exclusively run between two cities, e.g. the Sangha-Hwasŏng fast express.

History

Early interest

Menghe's high-speed rail program can trace its origins to 1993, when the Minister of Railroads aired a proposal for a national high-speed rail network before the Supreme Council. Choe Sŭng-min reportedly expressed a strong interest in the project, but also suggested that it be postponed until Menghe had reached a higher level of economic development.

To prepare for the eventual construction of high-speed rail links, the Ministry of Railraods commissioned a number of feasibility studies on high-speed rail around Menghe, examining possible locations for the first lines. Two initial routes were considered: A Sunju-Insŏng line in the south, and a Donggyŏng-Dongrŭng line in the northeast. The choice of location became a source of fierce competition between the municipal governments of Donggyŏng and Sunju, building on top of the cities' existing economic rivalry.

Recognizing Menghe's lack of existing technological expertise, the Ministry of Railroads also sponsored a number of overseas ventures intended to gather expertise on high-speed rail. From 1997 onward, Menghean engineers were invited to Themiclesia, where they observed day-to-day operations in train cockpits and train control stations. Themiclesian personnel also traveled to Menghe to assist in surveying and planning efforts. These exchanges provided important knowledge on high-speed rail technology, and also facilitated the improvement of existing passenger lines in the "augmented-speed" category.

Improvement of existing lines

With strengthened track and new locomotives, the Sunju-Dongchŏn passenger line could reach a speed of 210 kilometers per hour

During the same period, the Ministry of Railroads also launched an "acceleration campaign" to improve the speed and timeliness of existing passenger rail services. This campaign was supported by the purchase of large numbers of DE19 and DE20 diesel-electric locomotives, capable of making 120 and 140 kilometers per hour, respectively, from Themiclesia; by the late 1990s, the government had begun transitioning toward domestic locomotive designs.

In densely populated coastal areas, especially Central and South Donghae Province, the Ministry of Transportation also began separating passenger and freight traffic, by building dedicated freight track in CargoMax loading gauge. The existing tracks were then converted to passenger-only, and upgraded with overhead wires, improved railroad ties, and track laid to improved tolerances, allowing speeds of up to 160 kilometers per hour. On some high-volume routes, the Ministry of Railroads also built dedicated regional and commuter tracks parallel to intercity ones, so that passenger trains traveling at different speeds would not interfere with one another. This was accompanied by a shift toward electric multiple units in place of diesel locomotives for passenger transport, though diesel and diesel-electric trains remained common in rural areas.

First high-speed rail line

While the "acceleration campaign" brought major improvements to passenger service, its fastest trains still made only 200 kilometers per hour, and the Ministry of Railroads remained interested in "genuine" high-speed lines. In early 1999, the Department of Railroads in Central Donghae Province announced plans to pursue a dedicated high-speed rail line between Donggyŏng and Dongrŭng. Despite some initial interest from Themiclesian and Casaterran rail companies, the outbreak of the 1999 Menghean financial crisis brought major concerns about Menghe's credit-worthiness, and the project was cancelled in 2000 before a single offer had been placed.

A renewed effort came in 2001, when the central Ministry of Railroads announced a second plan for a dedicated high-speed line. This line would follow the competing Sunju-Insŏng route, with future extention to Hwasŏng via Mindong and Unchŏn. This route would be built on more forgiving level terrain, especially for its future extension northeast, though it would require a 1.4-kilometer bridge over the Meng River. Encouraged by the speed of Menghe's economic recovery, the Themiclesian National Commission for Railways made a competitive offer, and in 2002 the Menghean and Themiclesian national governments agreed on a construction and technology transfer contract.

On the Menghean side, the Ministry of Railroads established the Menghean High-Speed Rail Corporation (MHSRC) to manage the line, with a 51/49 ownership split between the Menghean government and Themiclesian investors. Following the reorganization of the Cabinet structure in 2003, the controlling share was transferred to Menghe Railways, which had been split off from the Ministry of Railroads (now part of the Ministry of Transportation and Communications). Like Menghe Railways, the MHSRC was formally state-owned, but promotion of managerial staff was based on a mix of profitability metrics and service quality metrics. MHSRC also included a large number of Themiclesian personnel among its staff to oversee the transfer of technology; as per the terms of the 2002 contract, it would revert to full Menghean oversight in 2012.

Driven by a desire to make up for time lost during the financial crisis, and by the lingering militarist-productionist ethos of the early 2000s, the Ministry of Railroads (and after it, the Railroad Regulatory Agency) pushed for an accelerated construction schedule. Surveying for the high-speed track was completed in 2003, and rail construction took place in 2004 and 2005, bringing with it the construction of the new Insŏng South Railway station. In April 2004, planners began surveying work for the extension to Hwasŏng. Test runs on the Sunju-Insŏng line were conducted day and night through 2006, and the train completed its inaugural run on December 14th, 2006, slightly ahead of schedule and just in time for Menghe's winter holiday week.

Building of new lines

The Donggyŏng-Dongrŭng line under construction.

With the Sunju-Insŏng line complete and the extension to Hwasŏng in progress, other Menghean cities began developing their own plans for high-speed rail. A high-speed route from Chanam to Onju opened in 2009, and a route from Junggyŏng to Sapo - intended to link up with the Hwasŏng line in the future - opened in 2010. Also in 2010, the previously cancelled high-speed route between Donggyŏng and Dongrŭng opened to passenger traffic, and work was already underway on a series of tunnels that would connect it to Anchŏn. At this stage, many new lines were built in segments, connecting the largest cities or the most favorable terrain first, and later expanding to link these sections together via costlier tunnels, bridges, and rural routes.

During this period of expansion, Menghe also sought new technology-transfer partnerships with foreign investors. MHSRC jointly developed the MGR-300 trainset series with Eisenmaat, basing the design off of a widened Siemens Velaro; the resulting train was substantially faster than the Themiclesian-derived MGR-200, with a top speed of 350 km/h for regular service and 380 km/h on test track. MHSRC also used new technology to improve the speed of the MGR-200 series, resulting in the improved MGR-250.

Four major milestones came at the end of 2012, when the tunnel link between Donggyŏng and Jinyi opened. With this route complete, trains could run directly from Donggyŏng to Sunju, roughly parallel to the core mainline route built across the country in the early 1900s. The Dongrŭng-Anchŏn route also opened, allowing uninterrupted high-speed service between Donggyŏng and Hyangchun with a separate segment from Chilsan to Yŏngjŏng awaiting connection. With the opening of these routes, Menghe ended the year with 7,101 kilometers of high-speed track in operation, surpassing Dayashina as the country in Septentrion with the most high-speed track. And fourth, the joint-ownership contract with Themiclesia reached its expiry date, meaning that MHSRC was an entirely domestic venture.

Domestic development

The MKR-400 "fast train," Menghe's first domestic design with a top speed of over 200 km/h.

During the first decade of Menghe's high-speed rail construction, nearly all equipment was partially or entirely reliant on foreign components. The MGR-200 and MGR-300 trainsets were foreign designs adapted for Menghe's network requirements, and foreign advisors contributed to the planning and construction of the track network. While the foreign-built trains ran well, and helped build economic connections between Menghe and its allies, the Ministry of Transportation and Communications nevertheless set the goal of making Menghe fully self-reliant in new high-speed rail procurement by the time the joint ownership agreement expired in 2012. This goal was based on three main reasons:

1. Encouraging domestic research and development will allow Menghean companies to move into more profitable sectors and create high-skill jobs as Menghe transitions out of its low-wage specialization.
2. In the unlikely event that relations with Themiclesia or Eisenmaat deteriorate, Menghe must be able to continue building new rolling stock and replacement parts.
3. Because MHHSR's license-production agreements only apply to products intended for use in Menghe itself, Menghe must develop its own designs without foreign patents in order to export high-speed technology to other countries.

This began with an effort, launched in 2006, to develop a fully domestic "fast train" with a top speed in the 200-250 km/h range for improved conventional routes. The resulting trainset, designated MKR-400, featured a power car at either end and eight passenger cars in between. It also featured multi-system propulsion, allowing it to run on both 25 kV AC high-speed overhead lines and 3 kV DC conventional-speed overhead lines. This made it useful for connecting routes where the high-speed track was not completely laid. It first ran passenger service in 2011.

Development of a fully indigenous high-speed (G-type) train proved more difficult. The MKR-400 project experienced repeated delays and fell short of design goals, and Menghe Railways faced legal challenges over components that appeared to be derived from foreign designs. Nevertheless, in 2014 the first production-model MGR-500 trainset rolled off the assembly line, and in 2015 it entered service between Yŏngsan and Junggyŏng. Menghe would later export trainsets of the MGR-500 series to Polvokia, Argentstan, and the Republic of Innominada.

Further expansion

New construction continued its rapid pace during the 2010s, as Menghe's domestic experience with high-speed rail construction caught up with its industrial capacity. Cities competed for contracts which would bring them onto the national high-speed grid, expecting lucrative gains from heightened passenger flow. Companies in the construction sector even pioneered new techniques for mass-producing elevated trackway sections and mechanically laying continuous welded rail, driving down construction costs on new routes.

While the first phase of construction had focused on the two highest volume areas - the Meng River Valley and the east coast - the Fifth New Five-Year Plan laid out an ambitious vision for a high-speed network linking all major cities. A long route from Songrimsŏng to Jinjŏng opened up the isolated interior cities, and new branches from Hwasŏng to Wŏnsan and from Sunju to Dongchŏn brought cities near the mainlines onto the grid. Much of this new construction took place on rugged, mountainous, and earthquake-prone terrain, necessitating special construction techniques to control costs and minimize risk. The Chŏngdo-Donggyŏng and Goksan-Daegok segments, which opened in 2016 and 2017 respectively, represented the greatest terrain challenges.

In the late 2010s, Menghe expanded its high-speed rail network beyond its frontier areas to serve international traffic. The Trans-Hemithea High-Speed Railway was announced in 2014 as a joint venture between Nukkumaa, Themiclesia, Dzhungestan, Menghe, and Dayashina, and it provided the impetus for the extension of the Baekjin-Jinjŏng line to the western city of Suhait. Meanwhile, in the wake of the Innominadan Crisis, Menghe extended the southwestern branch of the high-speed network from Quảng Phả to Ban Xoang, and began work on a high-speed mainline in Argentstan and the Republic of Innominada. The resulting "South Sea High-Speed Route" will include a long-distance sleeper train from Ryŏngdo to San Miguel, and is scheduled for completion in 2023, though security concerns and construction problems could delay this date to 2024 or 2025 for the Republic of Innominada's section.

Opening dates of existing lines

• 2006: Insŏng-Sunju
• 2009: Onju-Sungdŏk-Myŏng'an-Chanam
• 2010: Junggyŏng-Sapo, Donggyŏng-Taean-Dongrŭng, Unchŏn-Mindong-Insŏng
• 2011: Boryŏng-Haeju-Hyangchun, Gyeju-Anchŏn, Sapo-Hwasŏng-Unchŏn
• 2012: Dongrŭng-Gyeju, Anchŏn-Gŭmchŏn-Boryŏng, Junggyŏng-Taekchŏn-Jinyi
• 2013: Jinyi-Donggyŏng, Ranju-Yŏngjŏng, Sunju-Giju-Pyŏng'an
• 2014: Hyangchun-Chogwan-Chilsan-Ranju, Yŏngjŏng-Goksan, Jinyi-Songrimsŏng-Baekjin
• 2015: Hwasŏng-Yŏng'an-Wŏnsan, Hapsŏng-Ryŏjin-Jinjŏng, Sunchang-Hwasŏng, Tongju-Dongchŏn
• 2016: Songrimsŏng-Hapsŏng, Baekjin-Chŏngdo-Donggyŏng, Unchŏn-Chŏnjin-Onju
• 2017: Pyŏng'an-Hồng Xuyén-Thu Bồn-Quảng Phả, Yŏngjŏng-Gyŏngsan, Goksan-Daegok
• 2018: Daegok-Gungye-Pungsu, Junggyŏng-Mu'an-Yŏngsan-Hyangchun, Pungsu-Chanam
• 2019: Hwasŏng-Sangha, Jinjŏng-Suhait, Hyŏnju-Gwangjin-Pyŏng'an, Sunju-Tongju
• 2020: Jŏksan-Pyŏngchŏn-Junggyŏng, Quảng Phả-Muang Sing-Ban Xoang, Sunchang-Ramchung

Planned opening dates

• 2021: Sangha-Biyang, Busin-Insŏng, Dài Nióng-Hyŏnju
• 2022: Hapsŏng-Danam-Nungang-Jŏksan, Winam-Onju, Muang Sing-Samtay
• 2023: Kaesan-Wichang-Unchŏn, Ramchung-Changban-Pungsu

Concerns and scandals

Yŏng'an station, under construction in 2010, was the centerpiece of a major embezzlement scandal within the municipal government.

Due to the sheer volume of funds involved, and the importance of high-speed rail connections to economic development, the campaign to construct new high-speed rail connections produced many opportunities for corruption. Two consecutive heads of the Railway Regulatory Agency, Ri Yŏn-sŏk and Jŏng Ha-yun, were prosecuted for corruption in 2011 and 2015 respectively; both had accepted sums totaling over ₩20 billion (about $1 billion USD) to expedite the approval of new high-speed lines. Construction companies also collected bribes in order to win lucrative railway-building and station-building contracts.

The "frontier lines" running into the west and southwest, while motivated by political imperatives rather than corruption, resulted in similar shortcomings. Passenger traffic between Ban Xoang and Quảng Phả is low, as is ridership on the northern sections from Jinjŏng to Suhait and from Ryŏjin to Songrimsŏng. While crowded trains are common along the east coast, where dense populations and short travel distances make high-speed rail competitive with air travel, the long-haul rural routes still struggle to compete with air traffic for a small passenger market. These concerns led Menghe Railways to revise downward its initial estimate for ridership on the in-progress Hapsŏng to Jŏksan section, which mainly connects to small rust-belt cities with low tourist and commuter demand.

Other concerns related to passenger safety and environmental impact. The RRA demanded "world-class standards" in Menghe's high-speed rail network, but the almost militarized rush to build new rail lines on tight schedules, construction teams and engineers often bypassed regulations in order to meet ever-shortening deadlines. After the 2015 derailment of a high-speed train from Sapo to Hwasŏng, the RRA promised to tighten regulation, and required a more stringent series of test runs before new lines could be opened. Yet the following year, the CEO of Menghe Railways assured investors that his company would complete all ongoing projects on schedule, leading to continued concerns about the dangers of accelerated construction.

The final challenge came in 2019, when the Ministry of Economic Development ordered a temporary freeze in the construction of new high-speed track as part of the Seventh Five-Year Plan. Ongoing intercity links could continue work, but planned routes and routes in the surveying stage would have to undergo a period of budgetary review to ensure that ridership and economic impact are proportionate to investment costs. The proposed Wŏnsan-Kaesan-Jinjŏng route, which would run a 40-kilometer tunnel through the Chŏnsan Mountains in order to bring a mining city of under 1 million people onto the network, was singled out for particularly harsh criticism. In addition to concerns over safety and corruption, Menghean public-sector debt was rapidly rising in the late 2010s, driven by increased military spending and bold investment in infrastructure projects with diminishing marginal returns, and all of these factors contributed to a broader effort to rein in spending on superfluous transit projects.

Passenger service

Operating hours

While most of Menghe's conventional passenger lines still run reduced service at night, most high-speed lines have no service between 11:00PM and 5:00AM. This allows regular maintenance to be carried out at night. The only major exceptions are the Baekjin-Suhait route, which is part of the Trans-Hemithean High-Speed Railway, and the Baekjin-Ban Xoang mainline, which offers sleeper service across the country. These trains, however, run infrequently, leaving gaps of a few hours each night to check the track.

Infrastructure

Because Menghe's first high-speed rail line was built with Themiclesian assistance, both that line and all subsequent ones rely on Themiclesian or Themiclesian-derived standards and technology. In some areas, such as track gauge and train width, this happened to coincide with systems used in the rest of Menghe's rail transport system; in other areas, however, there are differences between Menghe's high-speed and conventional-speed infrastructure.

Tracks

Ballastless track on the Anchŏn-Ranju section of the Donghae High-Speed Line

Menghe's high-speed rail network is fully separated from regular-speed passenger and freight traffic. This makes it easier to schedule high-speed trains, as there is no need to schedule wide gaps to prevent them from overtaking other trains. Separation of freight and high-speed traffic also reduces wear on the tracks from heavy railcars. The one exception to this rule comes in the form of certain K trains, which run part of their route on conventional track and part on high-speed track. These trains attain a speed of over 200 kilometers per hour on the high-speed section, but still require special attention in scheduling.

Though separated from the rest of the network, Menghean high-speed trains run on dedicated standard-gauge rails 1435 millimeters apart, which is the standard in Themiclesia as well. To allow for a smoother ride, all high-speed rail lines use continuous welded rail, swingnose crossings in place of conventional switches, and slab-type ballastless track to minimize the deformation of rails.

Additionally, high-speed rail lines incorporate a cant that may feel uncomfortable at lower speeds, and steeper gradients which slower trains may be unable to meet: the section of track between Yŏngjŏng and Goksŏng reaches a maximum grade of 4.0 degrees, and is exclusively served by domestically built MGR-500 series passenger trains. Existing high-speed railways are also limited to trains with an axle load of 18 tonnes; higher axle loads can damage the track beyond its precise specifications.

Elevated track

In order to minimize interaction with other ground-level traffic, Menghean high-speed rail lines in densely populated areas are often elevated above the ground as viaducts or on top of raised embankments. At-grade crossings are not permitted, with roads, passenger crossings, and other railways either passing above or below the track. The only place where high-speed and conventional-speed tracks may cross is at the approach to a station, for example if the high-speed train is running southeast-to-northwest and the conventional track is running east-to-west.

Elevated track sections also reduce construction costs when building in mountainous areas, as they make it easier to maintain a relatively straight and level path despite rough terrain below. The mass production of elevated track sections, along with specialized machinery to install them, was a major contributing factor to keeping construction costs low in the 2010s.

Where elevated sections are not possible or not necessary, ground-level or embankment sections of track are fenced off to keep people and animals off the track, and overhead crossings include safety cameras to detect foreign objects which fall onto the track. Track security is the responsibility of the Railway Police, a subordinate body of the Internal Security Forces.

Where high-speed trains must go underground, tunnels are built to a wider diameter than the train's loading gauge would otherwise require, and are equipped with shock hoods at the entrances to muffle tunnel boom.

Power supply

All Menghean high-speed trains are electrically powered, relying on high-tension overhead lines suspended from catenaries above the track to supply power at 25 kV 50 Hz AC. This power system was inherited from Themiclesia. It stands in contrast to electrified lines elsewhere on Menghe's rail network, which use 3 kV DC overhead lines - a standard inherited from Kolodoria. The differing power systems require special care in the design of level crossings (on approach to stations), where pantographs cross breaks in the intersecting wire, and also require that parallel high-speed and conventional track be properly spaced and avoided if possible, to reduce negative interference in electromagnetic current.

The difference in power supply conditions between high-speed and conventional track also creates special challenges for K-trains which cross between networks. Crossover K trains use multi-systen locomotives or multiple units, capable of running on both AC and DC current.

Shorter high-speed trains are designed to operate with only a center or forward pantograph raised in order to prevent oscillations along the line. On longer trains (10 cars and above), the length is sufficiently great to permit raised pantographs on both the forward and rear cars.

Signaling equipment

Signalling on Menghean high-speed trains is fully automated, with train movement tracked and directed at centralized traffic control centers and information fed to train operators electronically as well as visually.

Because Menghe's first high-speed rail projects were built with extensive Themiclesian assistance, the two countries' signaling procedures and equipment are virtually identical, and once the Northern Road rail project is completed trains will be able to run the full distance without the need for built-in redundant electronics.

Loading gauge

"Form B," the maximum dimensions permitted on Menghe's high-speed track.

The loading gauge used by Menghean G trains is based on the MGR-200 EMU, which is too large to fit certain tunnels built in Menghean "Federal" loading gauge. Both loading gauges have a maximum width of 3800mm, allowing them to pass through the same platforms, but Form B trains may be up to 100mm taller, with a maximum height above track of 4500mm as opposed to 4400mm. More significantly, the Form B loading gauge has a squared-off top, inherited from the wind baffles around the pantograph equipment of the MGR-200.

Platform height

All Menghean G-class high-speed trains use a platform height of 1250mm, compared with 550mm on standard-speed passenger lines and 380mm on some older narrow-gauge lines. This dimension was also derived from the Themiclesian-licensed MGR-200 trainsets. Therefore, Menghean G-class trains require their own specially-built platforms at major stations, and other trains cannot be assigned to these platforms during peak travel periods. As Menghean G-class trains also require 25 kV AC overhead lines and different security gates, even if the platform heights were the same, the trains would not be compatible, so there was no initial effort to revise the MGR-200 family for 550mm platforms.

Short-distance K trains usually use either 550mm or 1250mm platforms for the entire route, but a few K trains stop at stations with both platform heights. The Railroad Regulatory Agency concluded that the 700mm height gap is too large for an able-bodied passenger to climb, even with two to three fold-out steps or an extending ladder. Instead, trains running these routes are built with two sets of doors, one at each platform height. On some trains the 550mm door is at one side of the carriage, and the 1250mm door is at the other; on other trains, especially bilevel ones, the doors may be side-by-side.

Express freight service

In 2014, alongside early negotiations on the Northern Road project, the MHSRC expressed its interest in developing a transcontinental high-speed freight line. Early proposals for the high-speed freight train, such as the MGHY-500 with aerodynamic fairings around intermodal containers, emphasized the ability to carry heavy freight. Calculations and simulations on these designs, however, revealed a wide range of practical challenges, including differing weight loads on empty and full trains, long acceleration and stopping times, poor performance on turns, and an inability to meet the loading gauge of existing tunnels.

Less than two years later, before any of the proposed designs had been built, the MHSRC scrapped its high-speed heavy freight program in favor of a lightweight high-speed train which could deliver mail, e-commerce packages, and other time-sensitive goods such as flowers and tropical fruit. Projections by the MHSRC found that compared to airmail services, the high-speed route would consume one-fifth as much fuel per tonne of freight, reducing costs and carbon emissions.

A prototype train, MGHY-750, was unveiled in November 2017, and features four roll-down doors on each side of the cargo car; cargo is loaded from the side platforms in containers sized to match existing air-mail carts. The MHSRC has placed an initial order for twelve trainsets, each of which consists of two end and three middle sections; two of these units can be linked at the ends to form a single ten-car train.

In addition to serving on the Northern Road, the MGHY-750 may also be used for domestic mail and e-commerce service, as part of Menghe's ongoing transition toward a consumer-driven economy.

Ownership and administration

As of 2017, all high-speed rail services in Menghe are provided by the Menghean High-Speed Rail Corporation, or MHSRC. Informally and in marketing, this is also known as Chŏllima Rail, after the flying horses painted on the side of each train. Like other state-owned enterprises in Menghe, it has been corporatized: its funds are independent of the national treasury and it is formally run for profit, though it also receives healthy subsidies to support expanded operations.

After the completion of the Northern Road project, foreign high-speed trains will be allowed to run on Menghean territory, but their schedules must be approved by the Ministry of Transportation and Communications.

Rolling stock

Train types

The MGY-200 is based on the Themiclesian K17

Jointly developed MGY-221 trainset

MGY-253 "Chŏllima"

All rolling stock on the Menghean high-speed rail system are electric multiple units. All are built with a top speed of 350 kilometers per hour, though on some lines they are run at reduced speeds. Currently, domestically-built trains make up the backbone of MHSRC's rolling stock, though some MGY-200s still remain in use.

Menghean designations for high-speed EMUs follow the designation MGY, for Menghe Gosok Yŏlcha (Menghe High-speed Train). The upcoming freight variant is designated MGHY, for Menghe Gosok Hwamul Yŏlcha (Menghe High-speed Freight Train). Numerals ending in "0" only indicate a family of trains as a whole, rather than individual models.

• MGY-200: Top speed of 350 km/h; entered service 2006
  • MGY-201: 8-car version
  • MGY-202: 12-car version
• MGY-220: Top speed of 300 km/h; entered service 2009
  • MGY-221: 8-car version (+2 power cars)
  • MGY-222: 12-car version (+2 power cars)
  • MGY-223: 12-car version including dining car (+2 power cars)
• MGY-250: Top speed of 350 km/h; entered service 2013
  • MGY-251: 8-car version (2 first-class, 6 second-class)
  • MGY-252: 16-car version (4 first-class, 12 second-class)
  • MGY-253: 16-car version (3 first-class, 1 elite-class, 1 dining car, 11 second-class)
  • MGY-254: 12-car version with 12 sleeper cars
  • MGY-255: 16-car version (3 first-class, 2 observer cars, 1 dining car, 11 second-class)
• MGY-400: Experimental train with a safe running speed of 400 kilometers per hour; in testing as of November 2017

• MGHY-750: High-speed express freight service for carrying mail and small parcels; first deliveries expected in late 2018

Standard seating classes

As it was imported from Themiclesia as a slightly modified K17, the MGY-200 used the same layout as Themiclesian high-speed rail cars, with 1+2 seats per row in business class (originally second class) and 2+2 seats per row in standard class (originally third class). In Menghean service, these were re-designated as first class and second class, respectively. Even with the new nomenclature, this made the train more spacious than conventional Menghean passenger rail, in part out of a concern that the more expensive high-speed service would attract fewer passengers.

Nevertheless, the Menghean government - and in particular Choe Sŭng-min - pressed to open Menghe's high-speed trains to a broader market. The jointly developed MGY-220 trainsets brought seating arrangements back into line with conventional Menghean passenger rail, as part of a move to increase capacity: first class had 2+2 seats per row, and second class had 2+3 seats per row. Ticket prices decreased proportionately, and the new trainsets were able to meet increased ridership on existing lines in the short term without revising schedules. The MGY-250 series trains used the same layouts in first-class and second-class cars.

Other classes

High-speed sleeper cars are available only on the MGY-254, which runs on the overnight Donggyŏng-Sunju route. All are first-class sleepers, with two bunks per cabin, softer bedding, desks and coat hooks, and doors separating the cabin from the hallway. Each car has a more expensive "elite sleeper" cabin at one end with additional space and a private bathroom; at the other end is a public bathroom for other travelers.

The sixteen-car MGY-253 train was the first to introduce an "elite class" modeled after Themiclesian business-class conditions, with three large seats per aisle and greater leg room between rows. Menghean netizens soon derided it as "fly-bottle class" (Paritong-sŏk), joking that the state only offered the elite service so that anyone who used it could be investigated for corruption.

The limited-production MGY-255 train uses "observer cars" at either end, with angled seats facing outward toward larger windows on the sides, and additional windows on the roof. This car type is mainly marketed toward tourists who wish to get a better view of the surrounding scenery. Currently this train only runs on the Donggyŏng-Junggyŏng-Chŏlsŏng route, and makes up a fraction of the overall traffic there, but there are some plans to put observer cars on the Trans-Hemithean High-Speed Railway.

Since 2011, MHSRC has considered proposals for a "third-class" car design with three seats on each side of the aisle, similar to the padded benches on Menghe's third-class conventional passenger rail. This service would mainly cater to short-distance travelers with less luggage. A few virtual designs and models were drawn up, but feasibility studies noted concerns about the service's viability, and as of January 2018 no "third-class" cars are in operation.

General passenger conditions

All cars in Menghean high-speed passenger trains, regardless of class or type, have both heating and air-conditioning. Temperature is automatically regulated according to pre-set standards, and remains constant as the train moves through different climate conditions - as, for example, on a winter train from Baekjin to Bokju. Squat toilets are not present on Menghean high-speed trains, with sitting toilets present at one end of each car.

Stations

Departures floor of Haeju West Railway Station, the largest high-speed rail terminal in Menghe

Layout

High-speed rail stations in Menghe are large, enclosed structures, often compared to airline terminals in terms of their size and layout. In all cases, the station is divided into three main levels: a "departures hall" on top, an "arrivals hall" directly below it, and the physical train platforms on the bottom. The departures and arrivals halls are connected to the platforms by stairs, elevators, and escalators, but are not connected to one another beyond the main entrances.

Security

Security and boarding procedures also borrow from airline terminals. Before entering the "departures" section of the main hall, passengers must first pass through a security checkpoint, where they present their tickets and personal identification (either a foreign passport or Internal ID Card) and have their bags subjected to a scan or search. Once inside the departures main hall, passengers cannot enter the gate to their platform until 20 minutes before the train departs, and guards at each gate check their tickets to ensure they are boarding the correct train. At some stations, passengers must have their tickets checked at the entrance to the arrivals level.

Locations

Owing to the large size of the new station design, and the separation of high-speed from augmented-speed and conventional passenger rail lines, high-speed rail stations in Menghe are usually built in new locations near the city outskirts rather than being run through existing stations. When the latter approach is chosen, as in Donggyŏng Central Station, it usually requires a major expansion to the station building. In all cases, high-speed stations often serve as major transportation hubs, linked to metro lines and in some cases built alongside airports.

Ticketing

In contrast to conventional and augmented-speed rail lines, which increasingly allow citizens to pay with automated transit cards when they enter and exit, the Chŏllima high-speed rail provider requires that all passengers purchase tickets with a fixed start and end station before boarding. As on an airline, each ticket matches a passenger to an individual seat on the train; no standing room is provided. Passengers are not allowed to board at any station other than the one specified on their ticket, and will be charged a heavy fine if they depart at a later station than their ticketed destination.

Tickets can be purchased from service windows or automated machines at train stations, though most passengers buy them ahead of time online and pick them up upon arriving. In 2017, the MHSRC launched a pilot program allowing train passengers on the Donghae Line to use QR codes on handheld smart phones in place of physical tickets when entering stations and boarding at gates.

Accidents and incidents

In 2009, a trio of Letnevian "zatsepniks" managed to climb onto the outside of a MGY-221 train as it left Baekjin Station, and were not detected until shortly before the train arrived in Chŏngdo. Railway Police had to stop the train, delaying all others behind it and those scheduled to pass it, in order to apprehend the suspects, who were charged with reckless hooliganism and endangering public safety. In Menghe, this was received as a humiliating sign of gaps in train security, and was met by a steep increase in police presence in and around train stations.

The Internal Intelligence Agency reports that Menghe's high-speed rail network has also become a target for terrorism, on the part of Mamluq nationalists, Siyadagi secessionists, and, more recently, West Innominadan sympathizers. During the leadup to May 25th celebrations in 2014, a secessionist with ties to the Gang of Eight was intercepted outside Donggyŏng Central Station with a bag containing homemade explosives, an event the IIA publicized as proof of its effective counter-terrorism effort. Critics allege that the security routines in and around Menghean high-speed rail stations are seldom thorough, and usually amount to some form of security theater.

The deadliest accident on the Menghean rail system took place on July 5, 2015, when a MGY-251 train en route from Yŏngjŏng to Hwasŏng derailed at 325 kilometers per hour, causing 89 deaths and leaving 102 passengers injured, 29 of them in critical condition. The proximate cause was buckling in the rails, brought on by high temperatures and facilitated by flooding around the embankment. As the official investigation continued, however, it revealed numerous problems with the track's construction: the subgrade was insufficiently deep, railroad ties were spaced too far apart, and engineers had not conducted proper stressing when laying the continuous welded track. Construction officials had also bribed regulators to secure approval of the project, and had silenced workers who threatened to speak out about the unsafe cost-cutting measures. In the wake of the investigation, six officials in administrative and construction positions were sentenced to death, and dozens more were prosecuted. Large sections of the Yŏngjŏng-Hwasŏng line were rebuilt to updated standards, and as of January 2018 this section remains out of commission for testing. Purchases of high-speed rail tickets fell sharply after the accident, but they have since then recovered, and are now back above pre-2015 levels.

Effect on other forms of transportation

Compared with airline service, Menghean high-speed rail is significantly cheaper, and for distances of 500 kilometers or less it is also faster due to the reduced time in security. The government has also increased its promotion of high-speed rail for domestic travel in recent years, as air travel consumes more fuel per passenger.

Overall, however, it is difficult to tell whether the expansion of Menghean high-speed rail has come at a greater cost to conventional rail or air travel, as real incomes for all citizens have increased rapidly from 2006 to the present, allowing more people to afford all forms of transportation. The surge in rural-to-urban migration has also created a growing market for annual travel during extended holidays.

See also

• Rail transport in Menghe
• Passenger rail transport in Menghe
• Themiclesian High Speed Rail
• Trans-Hemithea High-Speed Railway
• Transportation in Donggyong