Kŭmsŏng-class locomotive

Starting in 1967, the Voroshilovgrad Locomotive Factory in Voroshilovgrad, USSR (now Luhansk, Ukraine), began production of 64 K62-class variants of the M62 for the Korean State Railway.[3] The Kim Chong-t'ae works subsequently reverse-engineered these locomotives, along with their diesel engines and other components imported from the USSR.[4] These efforts led to the production of the Kŭmsŏng class locomotives using both copied components and Russian-made parts.[1]

In testing, the first prototype, numbered 8001, the goal of attaining a maximum speed of 100 km/h (62 mph) was achieved,[1] and the copy of the Kolomna 14D40 engine produced 1,470 kW (1,970 hp). However, reliability issues prevented mass production.[5] The second unit, 8002, has been on display at the Three Revolutions Exhibition in P'yŏngyang since it was built.[1] The first two units were both painted in a yellow and red livery, strikingly different from the blue and green scheme applied to the Soviet-made versions. 8001 is in service, pulling trains on the P'yŏngŭi Line.[6]

Another view of Kŭmsŏng 8002.

There are a number of noticeable external differences between the Kŭmsŏng class locomotives and the Soviet-built M62s. The most immediately evident is the number and arrangement of the side windows, and the shape of the cab windows. Also very different are the headlights: the top light is round on the Kŭmsŏng instead of rectangular, and the main headlights are mounted in pairs, and higher up, than on the M62.[7] Another readily noticeable difference is that the bogie frames are constructed with welded steel profiles.[8]

Like the M62, some Kŭmsŏng class locomotives have also been converted to Kanghaenggun-class electric locomotives.[9] Two have been seen so far - #0309 in dark green and white,[10] and #399 in dark blue and white, but it is not known whether these were converted from existing Kŭmsŏng class locomotives originally built as diesels, or if the electrics use newly-built bodies.