For the deactivation of four emergency switches that were operated on the 150 Years Railway until 2015 and prevented accidents like the one that occurred in Tempe on the evening of February 28, which claimed the lives of 57 people, speaks “K” professor of transport at the University of Thessaly, Thanasis Zeliaskopouloswho served as CEO of TRAINOSE from 2010 to 2015.

His name is the subject of heated debate these days after he was recently appointed to the position. member of the special commission investigate the causes of polynecrosis accident in Tempea position from which he eventually resigned because, he stated, “I would not want my ability to be used as an alibi to damage the integrity and impartiality of the committee’s work and conclusion.”

He indicated that he considered it “a duty” to participate in this committee, so he accepted the offer when asked.

“From the moment the railway was created until 2015, 4 safety barriers were working and working, so we didn’t have any serious accidents,” said K.even emphasizing that “it was hard for all four to fail at the same time”.

What is this:

Mandatory attendance and second station master at the station, as well as station master inspector who keeps them under his supervision.

Until 2015, there were rules for the operation of railways that prevented accidents like the one that occurred in Tempe, says Professor Thanasis Ziliascopoulos.

In addition to the station chiefs, he said, his presence was also necessary. train master, “ears and eyes” of the railway, as well as train traffic. “The security officer on the train is the head of the train, who has a route sheet, he is informed by the station chiefs, as well as the traffic monitoring center, etc. and gives instructions to the driver,” he says, emphasizing that he would have known about the presence of two trains on the line and would notify in time. His position, he claims, was abolished, and in the amended general rules of the road of March 2019, which was signed by the former Minister of Infrastructure and Transport Christos Spirtzesthe presence of the head of the train is not obligatory.

Mr. Zeliaskopoulos also mentioned the need to open it. traffic monitoring center, which was located in the OSB on Carolow Street and was staffed by experienced station foremen and machinists. The specific center, which worked 24 hours a day, contacted all railway employees, monitored the movement of trains throughout Greece, recording their course and preventing mistakes by stationmasters and drivers. As he notes, the traffic monitoring center has already disappeared since 2017, when the Italian company acquired TRAIN and then turned off Carolow Street. Today the building has traffic controller now only OSE, which monitors the progress of trains and records the movement for the day. However, experienced railroad workers report that with the abolition of the traffic monitoring center, “communication between OSE and TRAINOSE has been interrupted. The dispatcher listens only to the head of the station.

Finally, availability of keys at every change in the direction of the train, even if it is done with Remote control. “There should have been more locksmiths and station foremen. The presence of the head of the train and the work of the traffic monitoring center are necessary,” says Mr. Zeliaskopoulos.