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- The Korean State Railway (Kukch'ŏl) operates a wide variety of electric, diesel and steam locomotives, along with a variety of electric multiple unit passenger trains. Kukch'ŏl's motive power has been obtained from various sources. Much, mostly steam and Japanese-made electric locomotives, was inherited from the Chosen Government Railway (commonly known as Sentetsu), the South Manchuria Railway (Mantetsu) and various privately owned railways of the colonial era. Many steam locomotives were supplied by various communist countries in the 1950s, including the Soviet Union, Czechoslovakia, Hungary, Poland, Romania, and China. Most electric locomotives were made in North Korea by the Kim Chŏng-tae Electric Locomotive Works, as new construction of domestic designs or rebuilds of older units; however, many diesel locomotives have been converted to electric operation at the same factory. Apart from small diesel switchers and draisines, almost all diesel and steam locomotives were manufactured outside North Korea. Due to ongoing economic difficulties in North Korea, maintenance levels are poor; locomotive serviceability is estimated at 50%. However, recently a major campaign to improve the operation and appearance of rolling stock and infrastructure, and a modernisation of the electric locomotive fleet has begun following an order issued by Kim Jong-un. (en)
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| rdfs:comment
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- The Korean State Railway (Kukch'ŏl) operates a wide variety of electric, diesel and steam locomotives, along with a variety of electric multiple unit passenger trains. Kukch'ŏl's motive power has been obtained from various sources. Much, mostly steam and Japanese-made electric locomotives, was inherited from the Chosen Government Railway (commonly known as Sentetsu), the South Manchuria Railway (Mantetsu) and various privately owned railways of the colonial era. Many steam locomotives were supplied by various communist countries in the 1950s, including the Soviet Union, Czechoslovakia, Hungary, Poland, Romania, and China. (en)
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