Tempi: The Crucial 5 Minutes That Sealed the Trains’ Fate – Testimony of Station Master Paleophersalos

The revelations about the terrible train accident in Tempe are storming.

The inexperience of the accused Larissa station master is obvious. Station master Giorgos Zindros, who worked from 14:00 to 23:00 at Paleofarsala, the previous train station from Larissa, seemed concerned about the regulation of train traffic in Larissa, his 59-year-old fellow station master. Night shift shift, lucky night

As iefimerida.gr revealed in its testimony on March 6, shortly before the fatal accident, Mr. Jindros contacted Larissa to see what the picture was.

Difficulties in cooperation

“When the train left Paleofarsala (SS: Train 62 collided with a commercial train), I spoke to the station master of Larisa VS. (SS: 59-year-old station master of night duty under detention). PS He was inexperienced. And there is difficulty in working together when there are traffic irregularities,” said Mr. Jindros cited that there was a fatal train delay that night.

Thereafter, in public statements, Mr. Zindros – Contacted his other more experienced colleague who had a shift in Larissa until 11pm. His previous post.

“No one quits when they’re overworked”

“After talking to S., at about 22:45 hrs, I called B. on his cell phone and asked him where he was and he replied that he had left. I asked him why he left and he replied “How much should I sit? Will I protect him?“, Giorgos Zentros emphasized in his testimony about the changes, saying that “in general, when there is a workload, no one leaves”.

Besides, experienced station master Giorgos Gindros, who spoke to the Star, said that upon arriving at Larissa station on the fateful night, he immediately realized that his 59-year-old colleague had moved the key to the correct position after the accident.

“To see me. He thought it wasn’t registered. Looked straight. But I said to him: “Are you kidding me?” I tell him. He thought I “jumped” the train across the street! The train doesn’t “jump” straight ahead. It’s a forgotten suburb. Diagonal from the area, who said before: “Back off a little…” These conversations are heard. From there it was a diagonal turn for the suburban train. He forgot the last diagonal to bring it back into the straight line, saying, “I kept them straight and the train took off normally.” He brought it back after you know it,” reveals Giorgos Gindros, Paleoferzalo station master.

The full testimony of Giorgos Zindros follows:

• question: What quality do you have?
• Answer: I am station master of Larissa.
• question: How many station masters work in Larissa?
• Answer: 27 station masters are working, out of which 13 are old and 14 are new, who are posted as station masters in OSE from summer 2022. Station masters serve Kalambaka, Palaioforsalon, Larissa, Neo Bori, Lidochoro, Katerinis and stations. Volos.
• question: What are the responsibilities of Station Master?
• Answer: Safe handling of rail traffic and traffic safety.
• question: What are the duties of the Station Master when the arrival or departure of the train is imminent?
• Answer: It will ensure arrival and departure of train on correct route. It is mandatory to check the entry signals before entering the railway station. Namely, traffic lights. If it’s green, you can enter without warning. If they are red stops, it alerts the station master that it is approaching and waits for instructions. The Station Master shall telegraph by radio telephone and the train enters the station on the route indicated by the Station Master. Accordingly, when the train departs from the station, if the traffic lights are green, the train will depart if the station master receives the order to disembark and board the passengers. Head of station. If the traffic light is green, it departs without a 1001 telegram, while if the traffic light is red, the first departure must receive a 1001 template or a telegram from the station master to depart past the red traffic light. When a train departs from Paleofarsala station or from Nea Poros station, the station masters inform the station master of Larissa of the departure of the train, and he must report it if the train is on a single track.
• question: What should the Station Master do on receiving the notification that the train has departed from the previous station?
• Answer: To ensure safe entry of train into railway station. This is done by signal or manually. Signal-wise, entry will be made with traffic lights controlled by the electrical panel located in the Station Master’s office. Manually means that the locksmith arranges the spikes in the position indicated by the station master. The electrical control panel located in the station master’s office displays the traffic lights, spikes and trains inside the station. These lights have red, green and yellow colors and are activated by a button located on the control panel. With the keys on the control panel, the spikes are arranged in a straight line or sideways. The key has two positions Master (K) and (II) Bypass and one position (A) Auto for route planning. When the key is in (A) position, the path is drawn automatically, while the spikes are automatically rotated. When the key is in the (K) position, it means it is in a straight branch. That is, the moment one turns the key to position (K), the spikes automatically become straight. When the tips turn and lock, the corresponding light of the tip on the panel is non-pulsating yellow, while if not locked, the color is yellow and flashing. When the key is in position (II), it is on a freeway, and when relocking the light is steady yellow (A) and the lane is drawn automatically.
• question: On February 28, 2023, were you working?
• Answer: I worked a shift from 14:00 to 23:00 at the Paleofersalon station. Train 62 arrived at the station with a slight delay, loading and unloading passengers and waiting for Thessaloniki – Athens train 63. One train was waiting for another to replace the traction staff – drivers. Train 62 ran only on the descent until the entrance to Larissa, as the ascent was cut in the afternoon of the same day. When train 62 left Palaiofarsalon station at about 10:40, I informed Larissa Stationmaster Vasilios Samaras by land and telegraph that the train had departed in the opposite direction to Larissa station. The train moved in a single descending line up to the entrance of Larissa and with the lateral arrangement of the locksmith at key 101, it entered the second (2) normally ascending line. According to the working schedule, the last hour of each shift coincides with the first hour of the next, so at least two station masters should be present at his station during the hours 14:00 to 15:00, 22:00 to 23:00 and 06:00 to 07:00. . As can be seen from the service schedule, at Larissa station, on February 28, 2023, from 14:00 to 23:00, after shift change, K.P. Primitive and P.X. As a backup. The latter has a shift from 14:00 to 22:00, because he works on providing services – Vol. KP An experienced station master, while P.X. He recently became station master. Vasilis Samaras worked alone on the 22:00 to 07:00 night shift.
• question: Are there a couple of station masters on the evening shift at Larisa station?
• Answer: In the past, there were two station masters for each shift, but in recent years, due to lack of staff, there was one for each shift. After the new colleagues are recruited and certified at the end of January, two station masters work the morning and afternoon shifts and one the night shift. Schedule of Services Supervisor T.N.
• question: Did you contact KP on phone that night?
• Answer: When the train left Paleofursalo, I spoke to the station master of Larisa Vasily Samaras. Vasilis Samaras Inexperienced and has difficulty cooperating When there are traffic violations. After some time after talking to Samaras I called P. on his mobile at 22:45 and asked him where he was and he replied that he had gone. I asked him why he left and he replied “How much should I sit? Shall I protect him?”
• question: If the train is delayed, is the station master who is supposed to be on the train shift obliged to stay till the train arrives, or can he leave after the shift is over?
• Answer: Until he is replaced, he may leave. Generally When the workload is there, but no one quits. When KB departs, train 62 and suburban train 2597 arrive at Larissa station, after these trains, the train to Volos departs.
• question: When was the Electric Transport Control Board established at Larissa Station Office?
• Answer: When I came to Larissa in 1994 the traffic sign was already there. For the last four or five years it has fallen into disrepair and is not functional as it has been circulated through locks. It has been in operation since the beginning of November 2022 for the last four to five months. There was some training from the company visiting group ALSTOM, that is, some people came and showed the operation. We old people remembered painting and educated the young.
• question: Is there a light indicator on the control panel when the train enters or exits Larissa station?
• Answer: Yes, there is a light indicator. The railway tracks have some structure and when the train passes through it the red light on the control panel lights up and the lights flash in sequence within the control panel.
• question: What is the purpose of control panel?
• Answer: The range of Control Panel is 10 km on either side of the Station Master’s office i.e. 5 km to North and 5 km to South. So, when a train departs from a railway station, when the red lights on the panel light up, its track is visible at a distance of 5 kilometers on the control panel.
• question: Do you know approximately how far Chawi 118 is from Larissa station?
• Answer: I estimate it to be about 500 meters.
• question: What is the limit of the control panel after peak 118?
• Answer: I estimate it to be around 4-5 kilometers.
• question: How long does it take to travel this distance from a train moving like train 62, i.e. in reverse on the descending line?
• Answer: About 5 min.
• question: If the station master looks at the electrical control panel during the above time interval, can it be said that the train has moved in the opposite direction?
• Answer: Yes it can.
• question: February 28, 2023 Do you know if there is a fault in the electrical control panel?
• Answer: No I don’t know. However, any damage that may occur does not concern the entire board and cannot simultaneously affect the lights that make up the train track.
• question: Do you have anything else to add?
• Answer: I have nothing else to add.