Athens-Piraeus Electric Railways
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| S.A. (corporation) | |
| Industry | Railway |
| Fate | Absorbed by STASY S.A. (2011) |
| Predecessor | Hellenic Electric Railways (ΕΗΣ) |
| Successor | STASY S.A. |
| Founded | 1976 |
| Defunct | 2011 |
| Headquarters | Athens, Greece |
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Area served
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Athens metropolitan area |
| Services | Railway Athens-Piraeus-Kifissia |
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Number of employees
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1003 (May 2011) |
| Parent | OASA S.A. |
| Website | http://www.isap.gr |
Southbound ISAP train enters Nerantziotissa station
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| Line length | 25.657 km (15.943 mi) |
|---|---|
| Track gauge | 1,435 mm (4 ft 8 1⁄2 in) |
I.S.A.P. is the acronym for the Athens–Piraeus Electric Railways (Greek: Η.Σ.Α.Π. - Ηλεκτρικοί Σιδηρόδρομοι Αθηνών-Πειραιώς, 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.
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 (Greek: Σιδηρόδρομος Αθηνών-Πειραιώς 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 (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 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.
In 1926 the operating company was bought by the Power and Traction Finance Ltd and renamed Ellinikoi Ilektrikoi Sidirodromoi (E.I.S., Greek: Ελληνικοί Ηλεκτρικοί Σιδηρόδρόμοι 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.
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