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Finland announces migration of its rail network to international gauge

(yle.fi)
461 points axelfontaine | 2 comments | 20 May 25 07:40 UTC | HN request time: 0.03s | source
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thih9 ◴[20 May 25 08:17 UTC] No.44039085[source]▶
> will cost billions of euros, affect more than 9,200 km of track, and take decades

How is a change like this going to be implemented? E.g. are they going to mainly update some tracks everywhere (and have two systems running in parallel), or all tracks in selected areas (and have passengers change), or something else?

Was there a comparable large scale rail infrastructure change in some other country?

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hapidjus ◴[20 May 25 08:23 UTC] No.44039129[source]▶
I think you can ”upgrade” the tracks to use three rails so you can handle both track widths. Also there are trains with adjustabe axle widths.
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1. cluckindan ◴[20 May 25 08:36 UTC] No.44039205[source]▶
Not possible here because the widths are too close together to install a third rail.
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2. pjerem ◴[20 May 25 08:46 UTC] No.44039276[source]▶
Given the small difference, maybe the easiest option is to "just" update the wheel axles of the entire fleet in the same time and at the same speed as the tracks.

Wheels are anyway wearing parts and are to be changed periodically.

BTW, I'm just speculating out loud.