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Thessaloniki–Alexandroupolis railway
The Thessaloniki–Alexandroupolis railway is an about 440 km (270 mi) long railway in northern Greece connecting the Central Macedonian city of Thessaloniki with Alexandroupolis in Eastern Macedonia and Thrace, via Serres. There is a connection towards Sofia at the Strymonas station. This railway was built in 1896 by The Compagnie du Chemin de Fer Ottoman Jonction Salonique-Constantinople (JSC).
Currently (2004[update]), the line is used exclusively for freight transport, with the exception of one round trip between Thessaloniki and Serres as well as special services.
The western terminus of the Thessaloniki–Svilengrad railway is the New Railway Station, Thessaloniki. It runs north, passing Kilkis, until it turns east at the shore of Dojran Lake. It runs along the north shore of Lake Kerkini, and crosses the river Strymonas near Sidirokastro. The line north to Sofia (border crossing Promachonas/Kulata) branches off here. The railway continues east along Serres and Drama. It crosses the river Nestos at Paranesti and follows it until Toxotes. It passes Xanthi and Komotini, and reaches the Aegean Sea at Alexandroupolis, where it ends at the Alexandroupolis railway station, which is further connected to Pythio via the Alexandroupolis–Svilengrad railway
The line is single line. On the whole, the route has 36 tunnels and 251 bridges. It follows a particularly scenic route. The route first leads through a small pass where, at 320 metres (1,050 ft) above sea level, it reaches the highest point between Thessaloniki and Alexandroupolis before descending into the valley of the Nestos River.
The original track was built for vehicles with 13 tonnes (13 long tons; 14 short tons) axle load. The maximum gradients were below 20‰ with one section of 25 km (16 mi) reaching 25‰; the original rails had a weight of 30 kg/m (60 lb/yd) except in large gradients sections where the rails had a weight of 34 kg/m (69 lb/yd). The steel sleepers used weighed 50 kg (110 lb).
In 2018, the superstructure of the 116 km (72 mi) Thessaloniki-Serres section consisted of UIC 54 rails laid on B70 concrete sleepers. On the remaining 326 km (203 mi) to Alexandroupolis, rails with UIC 50 or UIC 54 profiles are laid on wooden, steel or bi-block concrete sleepers. The route between Thessaloniki and Strymonas is now suitable for 22.5 tonnes (22.1 long tons; 24.8 short tons) axle load and can be used at 160 km/h (100 mph). The remainder of the section is for 20 tonnes (20 long tons; 22 short tons) of axle load.
The Société du Chemin de Fer Ottoman Jonction Salonique-Constantinople, abbreviated JSC, was founded in October 1892. This company obtained, on September 10, 1892, the concession to build and operate a railway 442 km (275 mi) line between Thessaloniki and Alexandroupolis, named Dedeagatch at the time. In Alexandroupolis, the line would join the existing line to Constantinople and Edirne, via Pythio, operated by the Chemins de fer Orientaux. The JSC was formed according to Ottoman law with its main office in Istanbul and the shareholder committee in Paris.
The line fulfilled the strategic goal of a direct connection from Constantinople to Thessaloniki, by-passing Serbian or Bulgarian territories. Thessaloniki was (since 1888) connected with Constantinople by the Chemins de fer Orientaux, but this connection went through the before-mentioned countries, which were once part of the Ottoman Empire but split off at a later stage. The line was carefully built away from the border and the coast to avoid destruction by warfare[citation needed]. Except near Alexandroupolis the minimum distance from enemy countries and the sea was 15 km (9 mi) in order to keep the route out of artillery and gunboat fire reach. Alexandroupolis received at a later stage a bypass route in the North of the town, fulfilling the original requirement. This route had several horseshoe curves to master the steep grades in the geographic wise difficult country and is today closed and razed. Also, Thessaloniki received a Northern bypass, which connected the station Kallindria with Karasuli on the line to Mitrovica.
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Thessaloniki–Alexandroupolis railway
The Thessaloniki–Alexandroupolis railway is an about 440 km (270 mi) long railway in northern Greece connecting the Central Macedonian city of Thessaloniki with Alexandroupolis in Eastern Macedonia and Thrace, via Serres. There is a connection towards Sofia at the Strymonas station. This railway was built in 1896 by The Compagnie du Chemin de Fer Ottoman Jonction Salonique-Constantinople (JSC).
Currently (2004[update]), the line is used exclusively for freight transport, with the exception of one round trip between Thessaloniki and Serres as well as special services.
The western terminus of the Thessaloniki–Svilengrad railway is the New Railway Station, Thessaloniki. It runs north, passing Kilkis, until it turns east at the shore of Dojran Lake. It runs along the north shore of Lake Kerkini, and crosses the river Strymonas near Sidirokastro. The line north to Sofia (border crossing Promachonas/Kulata) branches off here. The railway continues east along Serres and Drama. It crosses the river Nestos at Paranesti and follows it until Toxotes. It passes Xanthi and Komotini, and reaches the Aegean Sea at Alexandroupolis, where it ends at the Alexandroupolis railway station, which is further connected to Pythio via the Alexandroupolis–Svilengrad railway
The line is single line. On the whole, the route has 36 tunnels and 251 bridges. It follows a particularly scenic route. The route first leads through a small pass where, at 320 metres (1,050 ft) above sea level, it reaches the highest point between Thessaloniki and Alexandroupolis before descending into the valley of the Nestos River.
The original track was built for vehicles with 13 tonnes (13 long tons; 14 short tons) axle load. The maximum gradients were below 20‰ with one section of 25 km (16 mi) reaching 25‰; the original rails had a weight of 30 kg/m (60 lb/yd) except in large gradients sections where the rails had a weight of 34 kg/m (69 lb/yd). The steel sleepers used weighed 50 kg (110 lb).
In 2018, the superstructure of the 116 km (72 mi) Thessaloniki-Serres section consisted of UIC 54 rails laid on B70 concrete sleepers. On the remaining 326 km (203 mi) to Alexandroupolis, rails with UIC 50 or UIC 54 profiles are laid on wooden, steel or bi-block concrete sleepers. The route between Thessaloniki and Strymonas is now suitable for 22.5 tonnes (22.1 long tons; 24.8 short tons) axle load and can be used at 160 km/h (100 mph). The remainder of the section is for 20 tonnes (20 long tons; 22 short tons) of axle load.
The Société du Chemin de Fer Ottoman Jonction Salonique-Constantinople, abbreviated JSC, was founded in October 1892. This company obtained, on September 10, 1892, the concession to build and operate a railway 442 km (275 mi) line between Thessaloniki and Alexandroupolis, named Dedeagatch at the time. In Alexandroupolis, the line would join the existing line to Constantinople and Edirne, via Pythio, operated by the Chemins de fer Orientaux. The JSC was formed according to Ottoman law with its main office in Istanbul and the shareholder committee in Paris.
The line fulfilled the strategic goal of a direct connection from Constantinople to Thessaloniki, by-passing Serbian or Bulgarian territories. Thessaloniki was (since 1888) connected with Constantinople by the Chemins de fer Orientaux, but this connection went through the before-mentioned countries, which were once part of the Ottoman Empire but split off at a later stage. The line was carefully built away from the border and the coast to avoid destruction by warfare[citation needed]. Except near Alexandroupolis the minimum distance from enemy countries and the sea was 15 km (9 mi) in order to keep the route out of artillery and gunboat fire reach. Alexandroupolis received at a later stage a bypass route in the North of the town, fulfilling the original requirement. This route had several horseshoe curves to master the steep grades in the geographic wise difficult country and is today closed and razed. Also, Thessaloniki received a Northern bypass, which connected the station Kallindria with Karasuli on the line to Mitrovica.