OSE Karaağaç Cut Off
Encyclopedia
The Karaağaç Cut off line is a 9 km railway line connecting the stations of Nea Vyssa
and Marasia in Greece (Evros Prefecture
). The section, part of the Alexandroupolis to Ormenio
/Svilengrad
line, is owned by the Hellenic Railways Organisation (OSE) and operated by TrainOSE S.A.
(CO) when the entire Thrace was part of the Ottoman Empire
. After the Treaty of Lausanne
was signed in 1923 and the borders between Greece and Turkey were drawn, the line was in Greek territory with the exception of a 10 km (6.2 mi) long section from Nea Vyssa to Marasia via Karaağaç that was in Turkey
. In order to get from Alexandroupolis to Dikaia
, Ormenio
and Svilengrad
in Bulgaria
, trains of the French-Hellenic Railway Company
(Chemin de fer Franco-Hellenique) and later of the Hellenic State Railways
would travel through Turkish territory. Trains stopped at Karaağaç, which was listed as Adrianoupolis /Edirne in timetables.
When the Hellenic Railways Organisation took over in 1971, they designed and constructed a 9 km (5.6 mi) direct connection between Nea Vyssa and Marassia within the Greek borders, bypassing Karaağaç and with a new intermediate station at Kastanies
. The new line section, which includes a new bridge over River Ardas, was opened in 1975 and is still in use. The station of Karaağaç
was abandoned and is now used as the administrative building of Trakya University
.
Nea Vyssa
Nea Vyssa is a village in the southern part of the Evros Prefecture in Greece. It was the seat of the municipality of Vyssa from the late 1990s until 2011. Nea Vyssa is connected by 2 roads to the GR-51 and has a road link to Edirne in Turkey...
and Marasia in Greece (Evros Prefecture
Evros Prefecture
Evros is one of the regional units of Greece. It is part of the region of East Macedonia and Thrace. Its name is derived from the river Evros, which appears to have been a Thracian hydronym. Evros is the northernmost regional unit. It borders Turkey to the east, across the river Evros, and it...
). The section, part of the Alexandroupolis to Ormenio
Ormenio
Ormenio is the northernmost place in all of Greece. It is located in the municipal unit of Trigono in the Evros Prefecture of Thrace, immediately south of the Bulgarian border. Ormenio is located west-northwest of Orestiada, about 200 km north of Alexandroupoli, about 40 km west of...
/Svilengrad
Svilengrad
Svilengrad is a town in Haskovo Province, South-central Bulgaria, situated at the border of Turkey and Greece. It is the administrative centre of the homonymous Svilengrad Municipality. As of December 2009, the town has a population of 18,132 inhabitants....
line, is owned by the Hellenic Railways Organisation (OSE) and operated by TrainOSE S.A.
History
The line connecting Alexandroupolis (formerly Dedeağaç) and Ormenio was constructed by the Chemins de fer OrientauxChemins de fer Orientaux
The Chemins de fer Orientaux was an Ottoman railway company operating in the northwestern Ottoman Empire. It served 2 main lines between Vienna and İstanbul with branch lines to nearby cities. The railway operated between 1869 and 1937...
(CO) when the entire Thrace was part of the Ottoman Empire
Ottoman Empire
The Ottoman EmpireIt was usually referred to as the "Ottoman Empire", the "Turkish Empire", the "Ottoman Caliphate" or more commonly "Turkey" by its contemporaries...
. After the Treaty of Lausanne
Treaty of Lausanne
The Treaty of Lausanne was a peace treaty signed in Lausanne, Switzerland on 24 July 1923, that settled the Anatolian and East Thracian parts of the partitioning of the Ottoman Empire. The treaty of Lausanne was ratified by the Greek government on 11 February 1924, by the Turkish government on 31...
was signed in 1923 and the borders between Greece and Turkey were drawn, the line was in Greek territory with the exception of a 10 km (6.2 mi) long section from Nea Vyssa to Marasia via Karaağaç that was in Turkey
Turkey
Turkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...
. In order to get from Alexandroupolis to Dikaia
Dikaia
Dikaia is a village in the northwestern part of the Evros Prefecture in Greece located west of Turkey and Edirne, southeast of Ormenio and Svilengrad, Bulgaria, north of Alexandroupoli and east of Kurdzhali, Bulgaria. Athens, the Greek capital, is nearly 1,100 km southwest...
, Ormenio
Ormenio
Ormenio is the northernmost place in all of Greece. It is located in the municipal unit of Trigono in the Evros Prefecture of Thrace, immediately south of the Bulgarian border. Ormenio is located west-northwest of Orestiada, about 200 km north of Alexandroupoli, about 40 km west of...
and Svilengrad
Svilengrad
Svilengrad is a town in Haskovo Province, South-central Bulgaria, situated at the border of Turkey and Greece. It is the administrative centre of the homonymous Svilengrad Municipality. As of December 2009, the town has a population of 18,132 inhabitants....
in Bulgaria
Bulgaria
Bulgaria , officially the Republic of Bulgaria , is a parliamentary democracy within a unitary constitutional republic in Southeast Europe. The country borders Romania to the north, Serbia and Macedonia to the west, Greece and Turkey to the south, as well as the Black Sea to the east...
, trains of the French-Hellenic Railway Company
French-Hellenic Railway Company
The French-Hellenic Railway Co. was a railway company in Greece which operated the former Chemins de fer Orientaux railway line from Alexandroupolis to Pythio, Ormenio and Svilengrad between 1929 and 1954....
(Chemin de fer Franco-Hellenique) and later of the Hellenic State Railways
Hellenic State Railways
Hellenic State Railways or SEK was a Greek public sector entity which was established in 1920 and operated most Greek railway lines until 1970.-History:...
would travel through Turkish territory. Trains stopped at Karaağaç, which was listed as Adrianoupolis /Edirne in timetables.
When the Hellenic Railways Organisation took over in 1971, they designed and constructed a 9 km (5.6 mi) direct connection between Nea Vyssa and Marassia within the Greek borders, bypassing Karaağaç and with a new intermediate station at Kastanies
Kastanies
Kastanies , older form Kastania, is a town located in northern part of the peripheral unit of Evros, Greece, and is part of the municipal unit of Vyssa. It is situated by the Evros River which forms the border with Turkey.-Geography:...
. The new line section, which includes a new bridge over River Ardas, was opened in 1975 and is still in use. The station of Karaağaç
Karaağaç Railway Station
The Karaağaç Railway Station , or before 1971 the Edirne Railway Station was the name of the former railway station in Edirne, located south-west of the city.-History:...
was abandoned and is now used as the administrative building of Trakya University
Trakya University
Trakya University , aka University of Thrace, established on July 20, 1982, is a state university located in Edirne, at Turkey's European part Eastern Thrace....
.