I.S.A.P. is the
acronym for the
Athens-Piraeus Electric Railways (, Ilektrikoi Sidirodromoi Athinon - Pireos), the oldest urban
rapid transit system of
Athens metropolitan area in
Greece. The current line evolved from the older
Athens & Piraeus Railway and
Lavrion Square-Strofyli railway. Today it is often shown on maps and route diagrams as part of
Athens Metro, comprising Line 1 (Green Line), although it is owned and operated by a separate company.
History
Athens and Piraeus Railway
thumb|right|The old lever frame and track diagram of Omonoia station, now exhibited in the ISAP museum.The line from Piraeus to Thision was inaugurated in
February 27,
1869 as a steam train connecting Athens and its port,
Piraeus, and was operated by Athens & Piraeus Railway Co ( or Σ.Α.Π.). It was the fourth urban rapid transit system to be constructed in the world. The project was considered important, so
Queen Olga and the Prime Minister
Thrasyvoulos Zaimis attended the inauguration ceremony. There were 8 train 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 (). 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 600V DC, third rail, top contact system (today increased to 750V DC) by Thomson Houston.
Hellenic Electric Railways Company
In 1926 the operating company was bought by the
Power and Traction Finance Ltd and renamed
Ellinikoi Ilektrikoi Sidirodromoi (E.I.S., 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
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.
In 1976 E.I.S. was nationalized and renamed
Athens-Piraeus Electric Railway S.A. (I.S.A.P).
Network and stations
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 and is electrified using the 750V DC (originally 600V 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.
- Tavros, with a train reversing siding.
- Thission - 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.
- Attiki, passenger interchange with Athens Metro Line 2. At this station there is also a railway connection with the Athens Metro system.
- Heraklio, with a train reversing siding.
- KAT, near the KAT Hospital
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.
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. 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.
The first generation rolling stock was numbered as in the following table:
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.
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.
Other rolling stock
thumb|right|Freight railcar 41In 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 Gizella) form
East Berlin's metro.
Piraeus rolling stock works
thumb|right|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 is under consideration. If approved, it shall be built in two phases, reaching Nea Erithrea by 2015 and Agios Stefanos by 2018. The proposed new stations are:
- Kifissia (current terminal). A new underground station shall be built, as the line shall sink and enter a tunnel.
- Ethniki Odos Athinon-Lamias
Gallery
See also
