Korail Class 5000 - Accidents and Conversions

Accidents and Conversions

• On May 12, 2007, a Class 4400 locomotive bound for Incheon crashed into trainset 5-19 at Yeongdeungpo Station. As a result, the two cars nearest to the locomotive (5119 and 5719) were seriously damaged and subsequently scrapped, while the remaining cars were refurbished into Class 319000 trainsets 319-06 and 319-07 (two trainsets of four cars). Although there is currently a trainset 311-19, please note that this trainset was renumbered from trainset 5-20, and that all trainsets from 5-20 to 5-78 were lowered down one number. (to 311-19 to 311-77)
  • Trainsets 5-79 and 5-80 were also converted into Class 319000 trains consisting of four cars, despite the fact that they were not involved in accidents. The gangways and interiors were refurbished while the cars from these trainsets were being converted.
• On May 1, 2010, trainset 311-74 (which was known as Class 5000 trainset 5-75 at the time of the accident) was involved in an accident with Class 1000 trainset 1-58 at the Guro Car Depot. As a result, car 1158 suffered major damage and was scrapped, while 5075 suffered minor damage at the front, so the whole trainset was taken to be renumbered into Class 311 trainset 311-74 with car 5075 being repaired.
• Trainsets 5-86~5-92 were converted as well. All cars from these trainsets were first renumbered into Class 321000 trainsets 321-01~321-07, but because the Class 321000 trainsets had eight cars while the Class 311000 trainsets had 10 cars, 14 cars (out of 70 cars) were left over after the first conversions, and were converted into newer Class 321000 trainsets (trainsets 321-15~321-18) along with spare Class 6000 cars and four newly-built cars. However, due to a shortening of Class 321000 trainsets 6 cars in October 2011, 42 cars (including 14 ex-Class 311000 cars) were initially left over. Because of passenger complaints, Class 351000 trainsets 351-61~351-64, which were newly built for the Suin Line, were loaned to the Jungang Line to compensate for the lost cars until the Suin Line opened, and then two Class 361000 trainsets (trainsets 361-14~361-15) from the Gyeongchun Line were repainted and deployed on the Jungang Line. At the same time, Korail began extending trainsets back to eight cars, starting with 321-01~321-04 back to 8 cars in mid-2012, and then with other trainsets. The remaining stranded cars (including some ex-Class 311000 cars), were converted into one trailer car and one motor car for Class 351000 trainsets 351-34~351-40 (totaling 14 cars) and the others were converted into trailer cars and motor cars for 8th batch Class 311000 trainsets 311-83~311-87. Trainsets 351-34~351-40 were subsequently deployed onto the Bundang Line, and trainsets 311-83~311-87 were deployed onto Line 1.