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Athens–Piraeus Electric Railways

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The Athens–Piraeus Electric Railways ( Greek : Ηλεκτρικοί Σιδηρόδρομοι Αθηνών Πειραιώς , romanized :  Ilektrikoi Sidirodromoi Athinon Peiraios , ΗΣΑΠ ), commonly abbreviated as ISAP , was a company which operated the Piraeus - Kifissia line from 1 January 1976 to 17 June 2011. Piraeus - Kifissia line was the oldest urban rapid transit system of Athens metropolitan area. The line opened in 1869 as a suburban railway line connecting Athens with its port of Piraeus and it was gradually converted to full rapid transit operations, making it one of the oldest metro lines in the world. The line which ISAP S.A. operated evolved from the older Athens & Piraeus Railway and Lavrion Square-Strofyli railway .

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22-398: In June 2011 ISAP S.A. was absorbed by a new transport company, STASY . The line from Piraeus to Thision was inaugurated on 27 February 1869 as a steam train connecting Athens and its port, Piraeus , and was operated by Athens & Piraeus Railway Co ( Greek : Σιδηρόδρομος Αθηνών-Πειραιώς or Greek : Σ.Α.Π. Α.Ε. ) private company. The project was considered important, so Queen Olga and

44-399: A physical connection at Attiki station. From Piraeus the line runs eastwards to Neo Faliro and then north to Thision. 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 Lavrion Square-Strofyli railway through Patissia,

66-600: Is a Greek public transport operator of the Athens Metro and the Athens Tram . It is the metro and tram subsidiary of Transport for Athens (OASA S.A.), and is responsible for the operation and maintenance of the metro and tram network, including rolling stock, 59 tram stops, and 62 of the 66 metro stations. STASY was created in 2011, as a merger of the Athens–Piraeus Electric Railways (ISAP),

88-609: Is a commonly used type of fully automatic railway coupling . Designed in 1903 by Karl Scharfenberg in Königsberg , Germany (today Kaliningrad , Russia), the coupler has gradually spread from transit trains to regular passenger service trains, although outside Europe its use is generally restricted to mass transit systems. The Schaku is superior in many ways to the AAR (Janney/knuckle) coupler because it also automates electrical and pneumatic connections and disconnections. However, there

110-412: Is commonly known. The merged company, which came into effect on 17 June 2011 under Ministerial Decree 28737/2637, became a subsidiary of Transport for Athens (OASA). ISAP's headquarters at 67 Athinas Street, near Omonoia Square , became the headquarters of STASY. Three different companies used to operate and maintain the Athens Metro and Athens Tram network before the creation of STASY: STASY

132-543: Is displayed during special events. The first generation rolling stock was numbered as in the following table: 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 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

154-467: Is no standard for the placement of these electro-pneumatic connections. Some rail operators have placed them on the sides while others have placed them either below or above the mechanical portion of the coupler. The face of the Scharfenberg coupler has a protruding cone and a matching cup. Inside the cone there is a rigid metal hoop connected to a revolving, spring-loaded metal disk with a notch on

176-756: Is responsible for the operation and maintenance of the Athens Metro and the Athens Tram , including the infrastructure, rolling stock, 59 tram stops and 62 of the 66 metro stations . GAIAOSE owns and maintains the surface section of Line 3 between Doukissis Plakentias and Athens Airport , and the operator of the Athens International Airport manages the Airport station. 37°58′59″N 23°43′39″E  /  37.98310°N 23.72755°E  / 37.98310; 23.72755 Scharfenberg coupler The Scharfenberg coupler ( German : Scharfenbergkupplung , abbreviated Schaku )

198-411: 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. 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

220-740: The Attiko Metro Operation Company (AMEL), and Tram S.A. , and its logo is an amalgamation of the oval-shaped format of ISAP's logo, and the blue and green colours from AMEL's logo. On 28 February 2011, the Greek Government enacted Law 3920/2011, which allowed the Attiko Metro Operation Company (AMEL) to merge with the Athens–Piraeus Electric Railways (ISAP) and Tram S.A. to form Urban Rail Transport S.A., or STASY as it

242-452: 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 (2000-2004) trains, with three phase AC motors were also constructed by Hellenic Shipyards S.A. using ADtranz-Siemens design and mechanical parts. During 1981-1984 ISAP leased six four-car, bright yellow trains of narrow loading gauge ( type G-I or Gisela ) from East Berlin's metro . In

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264-657: 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 ( Greek : Τράπεζα Βιομηχανικής Πίστεως ). Under the new ownership the railway procured additional rolling stock. Soon the line was extended to Omonoia Square with an underground section constructed with

286-474: The coupling. In the coupled position, forces on the hoops and disk will balance out, which means that the Scharfenberg, unlike many other couplers, is not dependent on heavy latches to stay locked. Small air cylinders, acting on the rotating heads of the coupler, ensure the engagement of the components, making it unnecessary to use force to get a good coupling. Joining portions of a passenger train can be done at very low speed (less than 3 km/h or 2 mph in

308-583: The cut-and-cover method. The line was electrified in 1904 using the 600 V DC, third rail, top contact system by Thomson Houston. In 1926 the SAP S.A. was bought by the Power and Traction Finance Ltd and renamed Ellinikoi Ilektrikoi Sidirodromoi (E.I.S., Greek : Ελληνικοί Ηλεκτρικοί Σιδηρόδρόμοι or Greek : 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

330-505: 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. 37°58′59″N 23°43′39″E  /  37.98310°N 23.72755°E  / 37.98310; 23.72755 STASY Urban Rail Transport S.A. ( Greek : Σταθερές Συγκοινωνίες , romanized :  Statheres Synkoinonies , ΣΤΑΣΥ ), commonly abbreviated as STASY ,

352-513: The final approach), so that the passengers are not jolted. One problem with the coupler is that it is often hard to connect it in a curve. Planned coupling is normally done on a straight flat track, while there has been trouble coupling a broken down train at an unplanned place. Rail equipment manufacturers such as Alstom offer the Schaku as an option on their mass transit passenger cars and locomotives. Presently, Scharfenberg couplers are in use on

374-421: The mergers is named STASY ( Greek : ΣΤΑΣΥ Α.Ε. ) and is a subsidiary of OASA S.A. The merger was officially announced on 10 June 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. ISAP's line connected

396-428: The opposite side. When ready to couple, the spring turns the disk so the hoop is extended from the cone. As the cars meet, the hoop enters the cup on the other coupler, stopping against the disk. The hoops are then pressed back into their own coupler, causing the disks to rotate until the notches align with the hoops. After the hoops have entered, the notches on the disks spring back into the hoop extended position, locking

418-439: 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, third rail , top contact system, also used by Athens Metro Lines 2 and 3. The two lines (ISAP and Metro Line 2) have

440-488: The suburbs of Nea Ionia, Irakleio, Marousi and terminates at Kifissia. At Neratziotissa passengers can change to the Athens Suburban Railway for Athens International Airport. 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

462-406: Was canceled in 2011. 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

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484-528: Was dictated by Law 2668 in 1998, 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. (AMEL), the company which operates Athens Metro lines 2,3, and with Athens Tram S.A. in a single new company. In March 2011, the Greek Government passed Law 3920 to allow ISAP and Athens Tram to be absorbed by Attiko Metro Operations Company (AMEL). The new company created from

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