ArishMell · 70-79, M
If that tragic and entirely preventable incident was the one I think, there was a similar collision in Germany more recently.
The cause? Inadequate signalling systems, relying on fallible humans to think the line ahead was clear yet being unable to ascertain this.
The "answer"? The cheap, cowardly way out: let the Police immediately treat the unfortunate station-master who unwittingly waved the train away onto an occupied line, as a criminal.
This was learnt way back in the 19C when rail travel was expanding rapidly in Britain, and once properly interlocked signals and points on block-operating systems, were introduced the incidence of collisions dropped to being very, very rare. No radios, no computers... instead, simple but very rugged and very reliable mechanical systems, with simple telegraphic and telephone communications between its human operators who were not acting alone but co-operating as a team.
Put simply both the Greek and the German drivers would have been unaware of a train approaching on the same line, but should have been held back by a big red STOP signal until the oncomer was safely past and the road clear. He might also have been able to see the points ahead, not set for his train. If not, that railway was poorly designed in the first place, and not put right since.
The cause? Inadequate signalling systems, relying on fallible humans to think the line ahead was clear yet being unable to ascertain this.
The "answer"? The cheap, cowardly way out: let the Police immediately treat the unfortunate station-master who unwittingly waved the train away onto an occupied line, as a criminal.
This was learnt way back in the 19C when rail travel was expanding rapidly in Britain, and once properly interlocked signals and points on block-operating systems, were introduced the incidence of collisions dropped to being very, very rare. No radios, no computers... instead, simple but very rugged and very reliable mechanical systems, with simple telegraphic and telephone communications between its human operators who were not acting alone but co-operating as a team.
Put simply both the Greek and the German drivers would have been unaware of a train approaching on the same line, but should have been held back by a big red STOP signal until the oncomer was safely past and the road clear. He might also have been able to see the points ahead, not set for his train. If not, that railway was poorly designed in the first place, and not put right since.
My brother's gf and some of his closest friends used that line very often to travel to Athen's and back to Thessaloniki ,especially since his gf moved to Athen's with the military for her placement job after her graduation. My brother always uses planes ,he travels to her via plane every month/two months and he/we lost a friend we had known since highschool in the accident. My parents have been going to protests in-between work and it has been quite hard on all of them , traumatic even .
On that note there are some important things to be known about Greek trainlines and why this happened and how it isn't just human error or an accident . Trainline operators and workers have filed multiple complaints and lawsuits against the company to the European Union because tracking systems had not been in place for years and the entire system was run manually,with safety boards being infested and eaten by mice,in the same century when you can see second by second where your Uber driver is on your phone and your car alerts you when you're closeby objects and you can see where a flight is at exact point times ,train lines were run entirely by humans and often on double lines in the same direction to each other.
Furthermore , the country's (now former) transportation minister was questioned only a couple of months ago on the safety of the trainlines after the lawsuits became known by the Greek communist party and he immediately shut down their concerns even demanding an apology off of them for raising doubts over the effectiveness of his work .
Lastly , in 2019 , when the party New Democracy was elected , a legislation stating that any physical harm or even death occuring to any of the passengers of the trains would not result in financial compensation of the victims or their families was passed and signed by the Greek gov. at the time in contrast to every other European country or European law
On that note there are some important things to be known about Greek trainlines and why this happened and how it isn't just human error or an accident . Trainline operators and workers have filed multiple complaints and lawsuits against the company to the European Union because tracking systems had not been in place for years and the entire system was run manually,with safety boards being infested and eaten by mice,in the same century when you can see second by second where your Uber driver is on your phone and your car alerts you when you're closeby objects and you can see where a flight is at exact point times ,train lines were run entirely by humans and often on double lines in the same direction to each other.
Furthermore , the country's (now former) transportation minister was questioned only a couple of months ago on the safety of the trainlines after the lawsuits became known by the Greek communist party and he immediately shut down their concerns even demanding an apology off of them for raising doubts over the effectiveness of his work .
Lastly , in 2019 , when the party New Democracy was elected , a legislation stating that any physical harm or even death occuring to any of the passengers of the trains would not result in financial compensation of the victims or their families was passed and signed by the Greek gov. at the time in contrast to every other European country or European law
ineedadrink · 51-55, M
@PepsiColaP What a disgusting situation. And that last sentence, un fucking believable!
HannibalAteMeOut · 22-25, F
@PepsiColaP I'm so sorry for your friend. It was shocking seeing all that. We have nothing reliable in this country.
@HannibalAteMeOut it really was and it was criminal of the media to hide all the continuous failings of the national railway or for some to continue to this day and assign what happened to the error of one human and not the negligence and greed of those most responsible

SW-User
You just never know when your time is up, or how. A kid that I went to school with, that we used to give lifts to school, died in the Paddington rail crash in the UK. His was the last body to be identified and it had to be identified from dental records because of the fire. The crash in Greece seems remarkably similar.
HannibalAteMeOut · 22-25, F
@SW-User true it's so weird thinking about it and how easily it could be any of us
HijabaDabbaDoo · F
What caused it to crash?
HannibalAteMeOut · 22-25, F
@HijabaDabbaDoo it was on the same lane with another one (non passenger one) and the railway controller was new to the job and left alone there at night so it was his mistake. But it's not like trains here are in great condition and workers have been complaining for a long time. Add corruption and half-privatization and it makes sense. The infrastructure & transportation minister resigned in shame now.
HijabaDabbaDoo · F
@HannibalAteMeOut that's awful. I'd hope something comes from this negligence
ineedadrink · 51-55, M
@HijabaDabbaDoo Totally agree, and too often in these situations nothing does.
Teirdalin · 31-35
[media=https://youtu.be/-n_cn9oKJzo]
PiecingBabyFaceTogether · 31-35, M
Damn that's horrible 😔 poor souls.
LordShadowfire · 46-50, M
What are the odds of this? Your country, my country, and now probably half a dozen other countries are going to follow suit.

SW-User
It was your mother who loved you before you were born - who carried you for a long months close to her heart and in the fullest of time took God's hand in hers and passed through the valley of shadows to give you life. It was she who cared for you during the helpless years of infancy and scarcely less dependent years of childhood.
As you have grown less dependent, she has done the countless, thoughtful, trouble-healing, helpful and encouraging things which somehow only mothers seem to know how to do
As you have grown less dependent, she has done the countless, thoughtful, trouble-healing, helpful and encouraging things which somehow only mothers seem to know how to do