Preserved Steam Locomotives in Korea

Children's Grand Park, located in Gwangjin District of Seoul, is a comprehensive park with a zoo, botanical garden, and amusement facilities. Until 2018, two steam locomotives were preserved on the grounds. “Hyeogi” (혀기) refers to locomotives built for 762 mm narrow gauge, which is narrower than the standard gauge (1,425 mm) used by the Korean National Railroad. The Hyeogi Type 1 locomotive was described as follows on-site: “This locomotive was manufactured in Japan in 1951 and assembled at the KNR Busan Works. It operated between Suwon and Nam Incheon, as well as Suwon and Yeoju from 1951 to January 1973.” In 2009 it had a bright orange livery, but by 2015 it had been repainted entirely black. It is now preserved at Hwarangdae Railway Park.

The other locomotive formerly preserved at Children's Grand Park was Mika (미카) Type 5 No. 56. This engine is also now preserved at Hwarangdae Railway Park. During the Korean War (1950–1953), the Korean government and UN forces placed orders through the US Army Transportation Corps (USATC) for steam locomotives manufactured in Japan by companies such as Kisha Seizō, Nippon Sharyō, Mitsubishi, and Kawasaki. Since the Government-General of Korea had previously introduced up to the Mika-shi (Mika-4) class, this new postwar class was named Mika-5, meaning the fifth class in the Mikado (1-D-1) wheel arrangement. Its design closely resembled the prewar Mika-i class used by the South Manchuria Railway and Manchukuo National Railway. During the war, many locomotives were destroyed, and with the increased demand for freight transport, large orders for new steam locomotives were placed. Manufacturers also produced locomotives on speculation, anticipating future orders. However, as the war front stabilized and demand fell, many completed locomotives were left without buyers and were eventually scrapped after years in storage.

Mika (미카) Type 3 No. 161 is a preserved locomotive originally classified as Mika-sa during the era of the Government-General of Korea, with over 300 units introduced before the war. It was a standard freight locomotive specifically designed for Korean operating conditions, considering local coal and axle weight. From 1981 to 1983, it hauled weekend sightseeing trains between Busan and Gyeongju. After the service ended, it was preserved at the Korea Railroad Museum.

This passenger-type tender steam locomotive was built in 1942 by Kawasaki and assembled at the Gyeongseong Works (present-day Seoul) of the Government-General Railway Bureau. After the war, it was classified as Pasi (파시) Type 5 by the Korean National Railroad. It once operated on major trunk lines across Korea but was retired in 1967 when diesel locomotives took over. It was designed to suit Korea's terrain and to use domestically sourced coal, making it a representative example of express passenger locomotives. It is the only surviving Pacific-type (2-C-1 wheel arrangement) steam locomotive in Korea. However, the triangle-shaped cover installed over the chimney to prevent rain ingress is aesthetically awkward. It would be better to weld a circular disk inside the upper chimney as a less obtrusive solution.

The Hyeogi Type 11 is a large tender steam locomotive for 762 mm narrow gauge lines, with a 1-D-1 wheel arrangement. It was built in 1937 by Kisha Seizō and Nippon Sharyō as part of the former Chosen Railway 900 series. Although narrow-gauge railways generally limit transport volume due to smaller vehicle sizes, the design aimed to maximize locomotive size without requiring costly gauge conversion. These engines were introduced for lines like the Hwanghae Line (nationalized in 1944, now in North Korea) and the Gyeongdong Line (later nationalized and renamed the Suin Line) operated by the private Chosen Railway. After the war, locomotives remaining in South Korea were reclassified as Hyeogi Type 11. The tender still bears the emblem of the Chosen Railway. Notably, this locomotive shares the same design and specifications as the LDT100 class introduced on Taiwan's Taitung Line by the Government-General of Taiwan.

When I visited the museum in 2009, a boiler, driving wheels, and cylinder section of a D-type steam locomotive were displayed outside. However, during a later visit in 2015, only the chimney and some iron rings remained. These were part of a full-scale replica made by POSCO in 2005 for corporate advertising, later donated to the museum. The original Mate Type 2 No. 10 locomotive was destroyed during an air raid on December 31, 1950, while traveling from Kaesong to Seoul during the Korean War. It remained abandoned in the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) for over half a century and is now exhibited at Imjingak.

The Hyeogi Type 8-28 is a 1-C-1 tank locomotive for 762 mm gauge lines, exhibited outdoors at the Seoul Science Museum. According to the description on site, it was imported from Japan in 1934 and operated on the Suwon–Incheon (52 km) and Suwon–Yeoju (73.4 km) lines, contributing greatly to regional development. These lines were originally part of the Gyeongdong Line, operated by the private Chosen Railway before the war, and later became the Suin Line and Yeoju Line after nationalization in South Korea.

The Gyeongui Line, which runs approximately 500 km from Seoul to Sinuiju, was a major trunk line during the era of the Government-General of Korea. Due to the Korean War, the line was severed, and South Korea’s section currently ends at Dorasan via Imjingak. Since Dorasan Station is located within the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ), it can only be visited through a guided tour with prior permission. Ordinary visitors can only go as far as Imjingak. Positioned just before the Imjin River, Mika (미카) Type 3 No. 244 stands as a symbol of the hope that trains will one day run again across the peninsula. It bears the slogan “The Iron Horse Wants to Run.” Originally built in 1943 by Nippon Sharyō, this locomotive was formerly known as Mikasa 244 under the Government-General’s classification.

On December 31, 1950, during the Korean War, Mate (마테) Type 2 No. 10—a large freight locomotive with a 2-D-1 wheel arrangement—was en route from Kaesong to Seoul when it was bombed by U.S. forces at Jangdan Station due to the deteriorating war situation, rendering it immobile. At the time, UN forces had advanced nearly to the Chinese border, but the entry of the Chinese People's Volunteer Army reversed the tide, and the front lines were pushed back south. In the chaos, to prevent the locomotive from falling into enemy hands, it was reportedly targeted by friendly fire. Jangdan Station, later incorporated into the DMZ on the South Korean side, was abandoned, and the locomotive was left untouched for over 50 years. In November 2006, a preservation project was launched, supported financially and technically by POSCO. Experts carried out rust removal and conservation work over two years. In June 2009, the locomotive was unveiled to the public at the northern end of the “Bridge of Freedom” within Imjingak Park.

The DMZ Train was a three-car diesel multiple unit (KORAIL Class 9501, derived from the Mugunghwa series) modified to operate on the Gyeongui Line between Seoul and Dorasan, beginning in 2014. The lead car facing North Korea was decorated with an image of a steam locomotive symbolizing the message “The Iron Horse Wants to Run.” Service was suspended in 2019 due to efforts to prevent the spread of African swine fever, and it was officially discontinued in 2023 due to aging vehicles.