Athens–Piraeus Electric Railways

This article is about the Greek Railway. For the International Society for Aviation Photography, see International Society for Aviation Photography. For the history of Line 1 after merging with AMEL S.A. in STASY SA on 10 June 2011, see Line 1 (Athens Metro).

Athens-Piraeus Electric Railways S.A.

File:ISAP-logo.png
Company type	S.A. (corporation)
Industry	Railway
Predecessor	Hellenic Electric Railways (ΕΗΣ)
Founded	1976
Defunct	2011
Fate	Absorbed by STASY S.A. (2011)
Successor	STASY S.A.
Headquarters	Athens , Greece
Area served	Athens metropolitan area
Services	Railway Athens-Piraeus-Kifissia
Number of employees	1003 (May 2011)
Parent	OASA S.A.
Website	http://www.isap.gr

I.S.A.P. is the acronym for the Athens–Piraeus Electric Railways (Template:Lang-el, Ilektrikoi Sidirodromoi Athinon - Pireos), the oldest urban rapid transit system of Athens metropolitan area in Greece. Opened as a suburban railway line connecting Athens with the nearby major port city of Piraeus, it was gradually converted to full rapid transit operations, making it one of the oldest metro lines in the world. The current line evolved from the older Athens & Piraeus Railway and Lavrion Square-Strofyli railway. In June 2011 ISAP was absorbed by a new transport company, STASY S.A.

History

Athens and Piraeus Railway

The old lever frame and track diagram of Omonoia station, now exhibited at the ISAP museum.

The line from Piraeus to Thision was inaugurated on February 27, 1869 as a steam train connecting Athens and its port, Piraeus, and was operated by Athens & Piraeus Railway Co (Template:Lang-el or Σ.Α.Π.). The project was considered important, so Queen Olga and the Prime Minister Thrasyvoulos Zaimis attended the inauguration ceremony. There were 8 trains in each direction daily and 9 trains in each direction on Sundays.

In 1874 the Athens & Piraeus Railway Company was bought by the Bank of Industrial Credit (Template:Lang-el). Under the new ownership the railway procured additional rolling stock. Soon the line was extended to Omonoia Square with an underground section constructed with the cut-and-cover method.

The line was electrified in 1904 using the 600 V DC, third rail, top contact system (today increased to 750 V DC) by Thomson Houston.

Hellenic Electric Railways Company

A 1925 season ticket of SAP

In 1926 the operating company was bought by the Power and Traction Finance Ltd and renamed Ellinikoi Ilektrikoi Sidirodromoi (E.I.S., Template:Lang-el or Ε.Η.Σ., translated as Hellenic Electric Railways). In 1926 the sister company Ilektriki Etaireia Metaforon or H.E.M., also part of Power Group, took over the 1,000 mm (3 ft 3+3⁄8 in) metre gauge Lavrion Square-Strofyli railway. This line was eventually converted to standard gauge, double track and became an extension of the existing line, reaching Attiki in 1948 and Kifissia in 1958.

Athens-Piraeus Electric Railways

In 1976 E.I.S. was nationalized and renamed Athens-Piraeus Electric Railways S.A. (I.S.A.P).

A merger of ISAP with Athens Metro was dictated by Law 2668, however it was postponed indefinitely and the required Presidential Decree was never issued. In January 2011 the Greek Government announced their plans to merge ISAP with Attiko Metro Etaireia Leitourgias S.A., the company which operates Athens Metro, and with Athens Tram in a single new company.

In March 2011, the Greek Government passed Law 3920 to allow ISAP and Athens Tram to be absorbed by Athens Metro Operations Company (AMEL). The new company created from the mergers is named "STASY S.A." (Template:Lang-el) and is a subsidiary of OASA S.A. The merger was officially announced on June 10, 2011,.

STASY is based at the former ISAP head offices, near Omonoia Square in Athens. Kostas Vassiliadis, a former chief engineer (1976-1991) and later CEO of ISAP between 1997 and 2000 became Chairman and CEO of the merged company until the end of 2012

Network and stations

km 0.000 Piraeus museum Piraeus depot Kaminia Faliro depot 2.110 Neon Faliro 3.980 Moschato 5.560 Kallithea 6.140 Tavros 7.015 Petralona Thision depot 8.580 Thiseio 9.070 Monastiraki Omonoia depot 9.985 Omonoia 11.000 Victoria 12.245 Attiki Attiki depot to Athens Metro 13.160 Agios Nikolaos 13.726 Kato Patisia 14.448 Agios Eleftherios 15.262 Ano Patisia 16.554 Perissos 17.230 Pefkakia 17.918 Nea Ionia 19.246 Heraklio (Neon Iraklion) 20.846 Eirini Irini depot 21.824 Nerantziotissa OSE 23.453 Marousi 24.631 KAT 25.657 Kifissia km

Network

Today the only line of ISAP connects the port of Piraeus with the northern suburb of Kifissia. As it was originally designed for steam traction, the line runs mostly above ground. However there are no level crossings. It is built to 1,435 mm (4 ft 8+1⁄2 in) standard gauge and is electrified using the 750 V DC (originally 600 V DC), third rail, top contact system, also used by Athens Metro Lines 2 and 3. The two systems (ISAP and Metro Line 2) have a physical connection at Attiki station.

From Piraeus the line runs eastwards to Neo Faliro and then north to Thision, approximately parallel to the main road connecting Athens and Piraeus. Between Monastiraki and Attiki the line runs underground. At Monastiraki passengers can change to Metro line 3 and at Omonoia and Attiki to Metro line 2. From Attiki the line continues north, following the alignment of the old "Attica Railways" through Patissia, the suburbs of Nea Ionia, Irakleio, Marousi and terminates at Kifissia. At Nerantziotissa passengers can change to the suburban line serving Athens International Airport.

Stations

• Piraeus, next to the port, is the southernmost station of ISAP. The Electric Railways Museum of Piraeus, a small museum of urban transport (ISAP and former tram lines) is located in the station, at the former Post Office. A train depot and rolling stock repair facilities are located next to the station. Part of the station and most adjacent engine sheds and works were destroyed by Allied bombing during World War II, on January 11, 1944.
• Faliro, near Faliro Coastal Zone Olympic Complex (Peace and Friendship Stadium and Karaiskákis Stadium) and close to a terminal of Athens Tram S.E.F. (Σ.E.Φ.) The station includes a rolling stock depot.
• Moschato
• Kallithea
• Tavros, with a train reversing siding.
• Petralona
• Thiseio - The original terminus of the line when it opened in 1869. Next to the passenger station there is a train depot and the permanent way maintenance department, with some specialized departmental rolling stock.
• Monastiraki, passenger interchange with Athens Metro Line 3.
• Omonoia, passenger interchange with Athens Metro Line 2.
• Victoria
• Attiki, passenger interchange with Athens Metro Line 2. At this station there is also a small depot and the railway connection with the Athens Metro system.
• Agios Nikolaos
• Kato Patissia
• Agios Eleftherios
• Ano Patissia, with a train reversing siding.
• Perissos
• Pefkakia
• Nea Ionia, with a train reversing siding.
• Heraklio, with a train reversing siding.
• Eirini, near the Athens Olympic Stadium. The signalling and control center for the ISAP line and a train washing facility are located next to the station.
• Nerantziotissa, passenger interchange with the Proastiakos suburban services.Also the Mall Athens is accessible from the station.
• Maroussi
• KAT, near the KAT Hospital
• Kifissia, the northernmost terminus.

Rolling stock

Steam locomotives

In the early period (1869–1904) the railway used 22 steam tank locomotives of about 6 different types. The majority were of 2-4-0T configuration, made in the United Kingdom by Hudswell Clarke and Sharp Stewart. After electrification, some the steam locomotives were sold to the Hellenic State Railways (SEK).

Table of steam locomotives

Name(s)	Type	Quantity	Manufacturer	Serial Nos.	Year	Notes
Constantine	0-6-0T	1	Hudswell Clarke		1868
Olga, George	2-4-0T	2	Hudswell Clarke		1868
	0-4-2T	1	Neilson & Co.		1866
	2-4-0T	1	Sharp Stewart		c.1878
	2-4-0T	6	Sharp Stewart / Hudswell Clarke		1879–1884
	2-4-0T	2	Sharp Stewart		1892
Marina	0-6-0ST	1	Manning Wardle		1892	to SEK 51, class Δα (1st)
	4-4-0T	2	Neilson & Co.		1892	to SEK 301–302, later 21–22, class Γα
	0-4-2T	3	Saint-Léonard		1896

First generation EMUs

Since electrification (1904) the railway used almost exclusively electric multiple unit (EMU) trains. The vehicles are classified in batches (or deliveries). The first four batches consisted of wooden passenger cars on iron or steel frames. Currently only a short train of two wooden railcars is preserved, modified with the addition of Scharfenberg couplers at each end and is displayed during special events.

Batch	Year	Description	Photograph
1st		Locomotive hauled stock
2nd	1904	40 railcars (20 DM and 20 T) made by Thomson Houston/Desouches David & Cie. Withdrawn in 1985.
3rd	1914	9 railcars made by Baume et Marpent/Desouches David & Cie. Withdrawn in 1985.
4th	1923	12 railcars of the Baume et Marpent design, built at Piraeus Works. Withdrawn 1985.
-	1947–1948	Rebuilding and modernization of damaged rolling stock

The first generation rolling stock was numbered as in the following table:

Marking	number	type
A1 to A11	11	DT
Γ417 to Γ427	11	DT
F410 to F418	18	T
B601 to B621	21	DM
Total	61

Second generation EMUs

The fifth (1951), sixth (1958) and seventh (1968) batches were of steel construction, made by Siemens-MAN. At the same time Scharfenberg couplers were introduced.

Batch	Year	Configuration	Type	Numbering	Description	Photograph
5th	1951	DM-DT or DM-DTL	DM	901-912	24 railcars, in 12 EMU-2 trains. Withdrawn in 1995.
			DTL	701-706
			DT	801-806
6th	1958	DM-DT or DM-DTL	DM	913-928	32 railcars, in 16 EMU-2 trains. Withdrawn in 2003-2004.
			DTL	707-714
			DT	807-814
7th	1968–1969	DM-DT or DM-DTL	DM	929-937	18 railcars, in 8 EMU-2 trains. Some rearranged in EMU-5 trains. Withdrawn in 2003-2004.
			DTL	715-718
			DT	815-819

Third generation EMUs

Currently ISAP uses only modern trains of batches 8, 10 and 11. Batch 8 (1983–1985) consists of five-car trains made by Siemens-MAN. Trains of batch 9 were made by LEW in the German Democratic Republic and have been withdrawn. The trains of the 10th batch (1994), similar to those of the 8th batch, were built by Hellenic Shipyards S.A. using Simenes-MAN design and mechanical parts. The 11th batch (2002) trains, with three phase AC motors were also constructed by Hellenic Shipyards S.A. using ADtranz-Siemens design and mechanical parts.

Batch	Year	Configuration	Type	Numbering	Description	Photograph
8th	1983–1985	DM-T-DM+DT-DM	DM	101-145	75 railcars made by MAN/Siemens in EMU-5 sets.
			T	201-215
			DT	301-315
9th	1983–1985	DM-M+M-DM	DM	1101–1125	50 railcars made of aluminium by LEW (type GIII) in EMU-4 sets later rearranged in EMU-6 (DM-M+M-DM+M-DM). In limited use after 1999 and all withdrawn until 2004.
			M	2201–2225
10th	1993–1995	DM-T-DM+DT-DM	DM	146-175	50 railcars made by MAN-AEG/Siemens-Hellenic Shipyards in EMU-5 sets.
			T	216-225
			DT	316-325
11th	2000–2004	DM-T-DM+DM-T-DM	DM	3101-3180	120 railcars coupled in 20 EMU-6 trains. Made by ADtranz-Siemens-Hellenic Shipyards. Nine railcars were destroyed by terrorists at Kifissia station on 2009-03-02.
			T	3201-3240

Other rolling stock

Freight railcar 41

In 1904 two electric locomotives, numbered 20 and 21, were bought from Thomson-Houston.

In 1911 the railway bought from Goossens two steeple-cab electric locomotives (numbered 31 and 32) and a self-propelled electric freight railcar (41), capable of operating from third line or overhead line. These could operate over the Piraeus Harbour tramway, the Piraeus-Perama light railway as well as on the mainline to Thision and Omonoia. Freight railcar 41 was used initially to carry bags of transcontinental mail unloaded from passenger liners in Piraeus. Locomotive 32 is still in use, with the overhead collector removed.

In addition the railway owns a road-rail Unimog car and a ballast tamper.

During 1981-1984 ISAP leased six four-car, bright yellow trains of narrow loading gauge (type G-I or Gisela) form East Berlin's metro.

In the early 1980s consideration was given to the purchase of 60 secondhand cars of London Underground R Stock, built between 1938 and 1959, but ultimately no deal was made and new carriages were purchased instead.

Piraeus rolling stock works

The Royal Saloon (1888)

Athens & Piraeus Railway, in common with most railways of the steam era, had its own rolling stock heavy maintenance works, located next to Piraeus station. In 1926 this became property of E.I.S. In addition to maintenance, repair and rebuilding, Piraeus works constructed a significant number of railway cars, mostly between 1880 and 1960. The most significant projects were the construction of 12 electric rail cars in 1923 and the rebuilding of rolling stock destroyed by allied bombing in 1944. Another noteworthy project was the construction of a small number of electric trams, based on a Dick Kerr model (1939).

An excellent example of the technical skill available at Piraeus works is the Royal Saloon (1888), a present to King George I of Greece. This luxurious vehicle was much admired and it was exhibited at the 1888 "Olympia Fair" (First Athens International Exhibition) held in Zappeion. The Royal Saloon survives to date, and is exhibited in the Railway Museum of Athens.

Proposed northern extension

An extension to the north was under consideration that would have been built in two phases, reaching Nea Erithrea by the end of the first phase and Agios Stefanos by the end of the second phase. Due to lack of funding, this extension was canceled in 2011.

Gallery

• 
  Piraeus station, a historical sample of early 20th century industrial architecture
• 
  Preserved old ISAP rolling stock at Piraeus Depot.
• 
  Preserved electric locomotive no 32 and ballast tamper Y at Thision station sidings.
• 
  ISAP train at the Ancient Agora of Athens.

See also

• Piraeus-Perama light railway
• Lavrion Square-Strofyli railway
• Attica Railways
• Athens Mass Transit System
• Athens Metro
• Line 1 (Athens Metro)
• Budapest–Belgrade–Skopje–Athens-Piraeus railway

References

• 130 Χρόνια Ηλεκτρικοί Σιδηρόδρομοι Αθηνών-Πειραιώς Α.Ε. (130 years of Athens-Piraeus electric railways). ISAP. 1999–2005. ISBN 960-86477-0-3.
• Durrant, A. E. (1972) [1966]. The Steam Locomotives of Eastern Europe. Newton Abbot, Devon, UK: David and Charles. ISBN 0-7153-4077-8. {{cite book}}: Invalid |ref=harv (help)
• Nathenas, G.; Kourbelis, A.; Vlastos, T.; Kourouzidis, S.; Katsareas, V.; Karamanis, P.; Klonos, A.; Kokkinos, N. (2007). Από τα Παμφορεία στο Μετρό (in Greek). Vol. 2. Athens: Μίλητος (Militos). ISBN 978-960-8460-91-1. {{cite book}}: Invalid |ref=harv (help)
• Zartaloudis, I.; Karatolos, D.; Koutelidis, D.; Nathenas, G.; Fasoulas, S.; Filippoupolitis, A. (1997). Οι Ελληνικοί Σιδηρόδρομοι (Hellenic Railways) (in Greek). Μίλητος (Militos). pp. 22–37. ISBN 960-8460-07-7. {{cite book}}: Invalid |ref=harv (help)

Further reading

• http://www.isap.gr/: Official website
• Ελληνικοί Ηλεκτρικοί Σιδηρόδρομοι 1869-1969 (Hellenic Electric Railways 1869-1969) (2nd ed.). Athens, Greece: Hellenic Electric Railways. 2005 [1970]. ISBN 960-86477-1-1. {{cite book}}: Invalid |ref=harv (help)