Electric Railway: The condition of the line on the Faliro–Piraeus section is extremely poor (photos)

Those who frequently use the Electric Railway and get off at Piraeus station will already have noticed that trains on the section from Faliro to Piraeus move at very low speeds.

When we say low (and we note this for those who do not have relevant experience), we mean it. For many years now, the speed limit on this section has been set at 25 kilometres per hour. Many drivers move even more slowly.

Why this sluggishness? Because it is common knowledge that the line on this specific section is in very poor condition. It shows what, in the terminology used by staff, are called “misalignments” and “subsidence.” The former means that the track is not straight and that its curves have problems. As for the latter, in certain sections the track has “fallen” or “sunk,” which is why great caution is required.

The recommendation for the speed limit on this section was made by the track inspection staff and has not changed in recent years, because the condition of the line itself has not changed.

In order to address the problem — which of course poses safety risks — STASY has so far replaced approximately 1,300 sleepers. However, it appears that this intervention is not sufficient to significantly improve the situation.

It is characteristic that the sleepers that were replaced, as an informed source told NEWS 24/7, were removed in sacks because they had disintegrated. They resembled, we were told, a biscuit that has crumbled and turned into powder.

It goes without saying that employees have addressed repeated appeals to the management of STASY, demanding a complete reconstruction of the line, which would naturally also lead to the restoration of normal speeds at that point. The management’s interventions to date, however, as noted above, have not provided the solution that workers consider necessary. The problem is clearly visible in this photograph as well.