Timetable

[nfotis]

[quote=""dieselcrew":8gps3295"]
Of course we will visit the Peloponnese and its remaining narrow gauge lines. Which other railway highlights would you recommend? Thank you very much for any information!
[/quote]

I saw from your page that you visited already the Kalávryta rack railway.
Now, with the new Stadler trains it is a different experience (but, fortunately, the windows can be opened)

I also found this video on Youtube:
http://www.youtube.com/user/panakosXX#p ... igk1wt8TSA
Can you give me any information about the (tourist?) railway line and the operator of the draisines?

Your answers are highly appreciated!

This is the old Témpi valley route (standard gauge), along Pineios river (north of Lárissa)
This route has been disconnected from the mainline when the new alignment used tunnels.

The easiest way to visit the route is to get the 'Proastiakós' train from Lárissa to Rapsáni, because the other end of the route (near Eyaggelismós station) is far from an operating station.

I suggest also these scenic parts of the Greek network:
- The (still current) mainline between Tithoréa-Brálos-Lianokládi and Lianokládi-Domokós
- The Néstos river valley (after Dráma station)
- The Western Macedonia region (seen from Thessaloniki towards Édessa-Flórina, especially after Skýdra)

Hope this helps.

Cheers, and welcome in our forum!
N.F.

[Andreas]

This is the old Témpi valley route (standard gauge), along Pineios river (north of Lárissa)
This route has been disconnected from the mainline when the new alignment used tunnels.

The easiest way to visit the route is to get the 'Proastiakós' train from Lárissa to Rapsáni, because the other end of the route (near Eyaggelismós station) is far from an operating station.

Make it easier Nick... Just contact this member of the forum! He will organize something for you!

:arrow: memberlist.php?mode=viewprofile&u=511

Cheers
Andreas

[Marios Mitropoulos]

Hello!

The draisines that you mentioned and can be seen in the video you linked to are being used on an abandoned stretch of the main railway axis Athens - Thessaloniki.
But member nfotis has already covered that part.

I will add the following:
It is the local club of railway employees in Larisa that runs this service, but as far as I know NOT on daily basis.
And I totally agree with Andreas!
You can easily obtain more info about the service from the member Αποστόλης - ΣΦΣΛ.
Either he will post an answer here or you could send him a pm.

Will your group visit Greece by car or will you rely on transport solutions by rail?
(Travel by train is a less good alternative in Greece and rest of the Balcans as well, except for Bulgaria maybe, at least in terms of puctuality).

Concerning possible rail lines for visit I would like to mention the metre-gauge line from Velestino to Aerino.
The line used to start in Volos and end in Kalampaka, but the section from the Palaiofarsalos junction to Kalampaka has been rebuilt to standard-gauge in early 90´s.
The remaining section between Volos and Palaiofarsalos is now disused except for a short stretch from Velestino to Aerino (and hopefully soon even to Farsala) where the EMOS railway museum fellowship is running mostly draisines, but even other vehicles, among which a preserved Linke-Hofmann from the 30´s.
Personally I think that the museum railway of Thessalian metre-gauge (based at Velestino) can benefit a great deal from a possible collaboration with the dieselcrew team.

Best regards,
Marios

[erail]

[quote=""dieselcrew":31b6elyz"]Together with a few other members of the 'dieselcrew' (more information see also this thread, I will visit Greece next month (April 2010).

Of course we will visit the Peloponnese and its remaining narrow gauge lines... [/quote]
On Sunday 2nd of May, we are organising a railway excursion from Korinth to Tripoli and back to Corinth. If you haven't already booked dates for your travel, it would be great to join us! See topic (in Greek)http://www.Amnizia.com/forum/viewtopic. ... &sk=t&sd=a

[dieselcrew]

Thank you all very much for the helpful informations!

I will contact the forum member 'Αποστόλης - ΣΦΣΛ' concerning a ride on the old Tempi Valley line. I was searching for more informations about EMOS but I believe that EMOS has no own website. I will try to contact them by an e-mail address I found.

Unfortunately we can not join the mentioned railway excursion because we have to be back in Switzerland by the end of April. By the beginning of May, the snow removal of our railway line will start, this means a lot of work for the dieselcrew. Our photo gallery shows pictures of last year's snow removal campaign that took 3 1/2 weeks for 12 kilometres of railway line.

[ΜΠΑΚΙΡΤΖΗΣ ΔΗΜΗΤΡΗΣ]

Wow, hard work...

[Outsider]

[quote=""dieselcrew":2vd1mp2j"]Unfortunately we can not join the mentioned railway excursion because we have to be back in Switzerland by the end of April. By the beginning of May, the snow removal of our railway line will start, this means a lot of work for the dieselcrew.[/quote]
Well, then we should be able to read your trip report before the first of May!

[dieselcrew]

[quote=""Outsider":1cio952a"]Well, then we should be able to read your trip report before the first of May! [/quote]

You have to be patient, too much work at the moment. The trip report will follow later...

[Serie252]

Hello:

My name is Josu and I´m from Spain. I like the railway especially the nets in Europa. I have a few questions about the Hellenic rail. On the lines are being constructed and the split between Athens and Thessaloniki as the characteristics of these. And secondly, on the privatization plans have been announced as they are based, you want to do, to where you want to go and the vision that you have on them.

grettings from Spain.

[Σταμάτιος Κουτσούκος]

Greetings from Athens, Josu and welcome to Amnizia Forum! We are glad to have you here with us and be sure we will give you the most thorough answers to any question you may have regarding the railways in Greece.

When it comes to your first question, all lines currently under construction in Greece are designed for standard gauge (1,435 mm).The line between Athens and Thessaloniki has double track for most of its length, with the exception of a major single-track section crossing the mountainous terrain of central Greece. I do not have the actual lengths of the double and single track sections between Athens and Thessaloniki, but I am sure our friends here will come up with the numbers shortly. In any case, the single-track segments of the line between Athens and Thessaloniki are going to be replaced by double-track alignments within the next few years. The double-track sections are designed for speeds of 200 km/h in most segments, but 160 km/h is the top speed for diesel-hauled trains, which run on most of the length of the line. The electrification system used is 25 kV 50 Hz AC and is currently limited in lines around Thessaloniki and in the suburbs of Athens, but it is going to expand in the coming years and cover the whole Patra - Athens - Thessaloniki - Idomeni mainline.

Regarding the current privatisation plans, the news is that a 49% stake in the national train operating company (TRAINOSE) will be sold. The overall future of the Greek railways is not very clear, at least regarding their ownership, so people with better information than me will have to reply on that.

I hope to have covered some of your questions. Once again, welcome to our forum. ¡Saludos desde Grecia!

[Outsider]

As everywhere in EU, lots of detailed information of the railway infrastructure is available in the Network Statements; the Network Statement of EDISY can be downloaded here http://www.ose.gr/ose/files/EDISY_2007_ ... NT5527.pdf even if their latest (and the first!) one is already a couple of years old. ANNEX I contains data about the lines.

About selling TRAINOSE, I'm slighly wondering who would like to buy a 49% stake (not giving the decision power) in a highly unprofitable company, yet heavily dependent on (largely substandard) infrastructure! :roll:

[nfotis]

Hello from Athens,

note that 'we' are not railroaders, so when you ask 'you' I suppose this means our government. First, we are not inside the minds of our governors, so take everything I write below 'with a grain of salt' as Americans say

I have to tell you, our goverment sends all the time very mixed signals about rail privatization.
The only certain thing is that the network will not be up for sale.

On the other hand, Thriássio yard and logistics area is up for a 40-year concession (tomorrow the

GAIAOSE is the part of OSE working on this project, there are some announcements and accompanying material in these links:
http://www.gaiaose.gr/gr/nea.php?neo=211
http://www.gaiaose.gr/gr/nea.php?neo=212
http://www.gaiaose.gr/gr/nea.php?neo=213

Regarding TRAINOSE, yesterday they announced their intention to sell up to 49% of the company and give the management.

Unfortunately, this company the way it's operating, it loses 200+ million Euros per year with an income of approximately 100 million (ie., they spend around 3 Euros per one Euro they receive).

So, I wouldn't expect private companies interested in 'buying' TRAINOSE with an accumulated deficed of 450+ million Euros (if my memory serves me correctly) without insisting that the Greek government absorbs the debt and reworking extensively the internals of the company.

N.F.

[Serie252]

Thank you from Spain for all information. In Spain, we are the next becuase for our economic problems.

[Outsider]

Maybe it's worth to have an English thread devoted to news about Hellenic Railways Organisation (OSE), subsidiaries of OSE (currently Ergose and EDISY S.A.) and now independent operating company TrainOSE S.A.

To start with, some news the about future plans for OSE in English language Athens News newspaper http://www.athensnews.gr/articles/13395 ... 2010/28536

As well as an earlier acquisition of a 30-year concession in Piraeus port (OLP) by shipping giant Cosco, Chinese companies have also shown interest in the privatisation of OSE (Hellenic Railway Organisation), according to the finance ministry. This would be a huge win as it would be difficult to see who else would be willing to buy such an indebted company.

OSE is the farthest-reaching privatisation and is a fully state-owned entity. The company is bleeding over 1 billion euros per year and has a debt load of over 10 billion euros.

The OSE plans also come amid accusations of corruption, poor past management and overpriced orders that were not compatible with the existing trains. Analysts say that the endemic corruption and mismanagement taking place within OSE dates back at least to 1981.

The restructure includes closing down the group’s loss-making lines, streamlining its management and downsizing the staff. The government has also promised that all future acquisitions and maintenance concessions will be at market rates.

The state plans to sell 49 percent of the OSE operator, TrainOSE, to a strategic private investor and concede its management rights. It will develop OSE railway stations and other commercial real estate through concession agreements and special-purpose vehicles, it said.

It doesn't add much to what Fotis already wrote in another thread but anyway, Athens News is a useful site to look at for news about Greece, at least for us who cannot decrypt Greek

[Outsider]

An English article about situation of OSE in "International Railway Journal" online edition: http://www.railjournal.com/news-extra/o ... tdown.html