Jon Worth
@jonworth.eu
EU politics and sustainable transport, especially railways.
Brit who became German and lives in a village in France. When he's not escaping it on a train or a folding bicycle.
Teaches at College of Europe, still writes a blog, photographs with a drone.
Brit who became German and lives in a village in France. When he's not escaping it on a train or a folding bicycle.
Teaches at College of Europe, still writes a blog, photographs with a drone.
Sure, a local will get the geopolitics. The military concerns. The political debate. I don’t dispute that at all.
But it’s perfectly possible to speak Finnish, be Finnish, and not understand the headaches re-gauging a railway. I’ll explain the latter.
But if you think I’m not entitled to comment 🤷♂️
But it’s perfectly possible to speak Finnish, be Finnish, and not understand the headaches re-gauging a railway. I’ll explain the latter.
But if you think I’m not entitled to comment 🤷♂️
November 25, 2025 at 3:18 PM
Sure, a local will get the geopolitics. The military concerns. The political debate. I don’t dispute that at all.
But it’s perfectly possible to speak Finnish, be Finnish, and not understand the headaches re-gauging a railway. I’ll explain the latter.
But if you think I’m not entitled to comment 🤷♂️
But it’s perfectly possible to speak Finnish, be Finnish, and not understand the headaches re-gauging a railway. I’ll explain the latter.
But if you think I’m not entitled to comment 🤷♂️
And some Finns got blocked. Sorry.
You assume I can’t do rail analysis about Finland because I’m not Finnish, and attack me as a result, so bye bye.
That you hold one passport or another is not a necessary qualification for understanding railways.
You assume I can’t do rail analysis about Finland because I’m not Finnish, and attack me as a result, so bye bye.
That you hold one passport or another is not a necessary qualification for understanding railways.
November 25, 2025 at 3:15 PM
And some Finns got blocked. Sorry.
You assume I can’t do rail analysis about Finland because I’m not Finnish, and attack me as a result, so bye bye.
That you hold one passport or another is not a necessary qualification for understanding railways.
You assume I can’t do rail analysis about Finland because I’m not Finnish, and attack me as a result, so bye bye.
That you hold one passport or another is not a necessary qualification for understanding railways.
Start by looking at cost benefit of re-gauging. That’s a serious analysis. Then you conclude 1) you do it where there’s standard gauge, 2) you add rather than replace. That means: the north.
November 25, 2025 at 3:12 PM
Start by looking at cost benefit of re-gauging. That’s a serious analysis. Then you conclude 1) you do it where there’s standard gauge, 2) you add rather than replace. That means: the north.
You’re not going to re-gauge the tracks. So 🤷♂️
November 25, 2025 at 2:58 PM
You’re not going to re-gauge the tracks. So 🤷♂️
Give it a year or two. And - sadly - more money wasted.
November 25, 2025 at 2:57 PM
Give it a year or two. And - sadly - more money wasted.
When the Léman express was launched.
November 25, 2025 at 2:56 PM
When the Léman express was launched.
Nope. Haparanda is 800km from where everyone in Finland lives. There’s no case to re-gauge Helsinki or Turku. There might be a case for a bit of standard gauge in the north, in addition to broad gauge.
November 25, 2025 at 2:55 PM
Nope. Haparanda is 800km from where everyone in Finland lives. There’s no case to re-gauge Helsinki or Turku. There might be a case for a bit of standard gauge in the north, in addition to broad gauge.
Put up a wire
Or - if you must - use a battery
(Before any reply guys get started)
Or - if you must - use a battery
(Before any reply guys get started)
November 25, 2025 at 2:51 PM
Put up a wire
Or - if you must - use a battery
(Before any reply guys get started)
Or - if you must - use a battery
(Before any reply guys get started)
Used to be. It’s now 25kV
November 25, 2025 at 2:49 PM
Used to be. It’s now 25kV
You could run Polish ones to Finland though. Theoretically.
November 25, 2025 at 2:44 PM
You could run Polish ones to Finland though. Theoretically.
Thankfully not all Finns are in favour of the foolish idea. By all means build a standard gauge line to Oulu. But re-gauging the rest, it’s a waste of time and money.
November 25, 2025 at 2:44 PM
Thankfully not all Finns are in favour of the foolish idea. By all means build a standard gauge line to Oulu. But re-gauging the rest, it’s a waste of time and money.
Amount I care: zero, here. In rail terms it makes no sense whatever language you speak. And I’m of course understanding of Finnish fears with a border to Russia. But re-gauging railways doesn’t assuage those fears, if you’re logical.
November 25, 2025 at 2:42 PM
Amount I care: zero, here. In rail terms it makes no sense whatever language you speak. And I’m of course understanding of Finnish fears with a border to Russia. But re-gauging railways doesn’t assuage those fears, if you’re logical.
Back then, yes. This post was because Grescoe regurgitated it all yesterday.
November 25, 2025 at 2:40 PM
Back then, yes. This post was because Grescoe regurgitated it all yesterday.
So in which case we're fucked then. Because re-gauging is a damned expensive thing for scant benefits.
November 25, 2025 at 2:19 PM
So in which case we're fucked then. Because re-gauging is a damned expensive thing for scant benefits.
Kindly: read the article linked in the thread.
November 25, 2025 at 1:41 PM
Kindly: read the article linked in the thread.
Indeed, exactly, sadly. BaWü putting out total crap about this on Sunday via dpa did not help.
November 25, 2025 at 1:40 PM
Indeed, exactly, sadly. BaWü putting out total crap about this on Sunday via dpa did not help.
Well other than going via Haparanda is a *ridiculously long route* and taking a ferry is quicker!
November 25, 2025 at 1:40 PM
Well other than going via Haparanda is a *ridiculously long route* and taking a ferry is quicker!
Indeed! And more often than not you separate out the gauges in stations for that reason, and interlay them only in places without any points.
November 25, 2025 at 1:12 PM
Indeed! And more often than not you separate out the gauges in stations for that reason, and interlay them only in places without any points.
If it’s one of the Baltics to do that it won’t be Estonia, as there are pretty much no gains there because Rail Baltica doesn’t intersect with much else. Latvia has no city but Riga, so change unlikely there. Lithuania would make the most sense of the three.
November 25, 2025 at 1:08 PM
If it’s one of the Baltics to do that it won’t be Estonia, as there are pretty much no gains there because Rail Baltica doesn’t intersect with much else. Latvia has no city but Riga, so change unlikely there. Lithuania would make the most sense of the three.
Sort of. We’ve not tested that really. The previous Commissioner loved re-gauging. This one not so much.
November 25, 2025 at 1:06 PM
Sort of. We’ve not tested that really. The previous Commissioner loved re-gauging. This one not so much.
I don’t think it’s economic. And Rail Baltica is at least a solid idea but a project management cock up. And knowing what the EU is incapable of doing… don’t try getting the EU project managing a tunnel.
November 25, 2025 at 1:05 PM
I don’t think it’s economic. And Rail Baltica is at least a solid idea but a project management cock up. And knowing what the EU is incapable of doing… don’t try getting the EU project managing a tunnel.
Errr look at the photo in the post you’re replying to 😀 That’s a 1435-1520 track in Lithuania. For 1435-1520 you need 4. 1435-1668 you can manage with 3.
November 25, 2025 at 1:03 PM
Errr look at the photo in the post you’re replying to 😀 That’s a 1435-1520 track in Lithuania. For 1435-1520 you need 4. 1435-1668 you can manage with 3.
Right. But I assume it’ll be mostly (all?) freight initially
November 25, 2025 at 1:02 PM
Right. But I assume it’ll be mostly (all?) freight initially