Post #1097600
2026-04-12 10:19 UTC
Replies (5)
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@tml@mementomori.social 2026-04-12 10:33
@zeenix@toot.cat Sigh, the minister (from the right-wing xenophobic and very car-friendly "Finns" party) says it was "bureaucracy" that prevented this from happening earlier. As if there wouldn't have been ample time to sort out agreements during the years while the line was being electrified. The electrification was ready around early 2025, if I recall correctly. No, it was just laziness from politicians, and unwillingness to spend money on actually running passenger trains on the line, in addition to the investment to electrify it (during the previous centre-left government). Also, it there had been a political will, it would have been perfectly possible to run passenger trains all the time, using diesel rolling stock. That was done until the late 1980s. But nah, "can't be done before the line is electrified", was the excuse.
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@tml@mementomori.social 2026-04-12 10:36
@zeenix@toot.cat Wonder what the word "direct" is supposed to mean in the headline. Removing it doesn't change the meaning at all. It isn't like Finnish trains would be able to run any further than Haparanda anyway, or Swedish trains into Finland. Different gauge. (Sure, Swedish trains could run over the bridge to Tornio station, as they did in the 1980s. The few kilometres between Haparanda and Tornio are double-gauge. But it makes more sense to use just one station for changing trains, and the Haparanda one is better suited for it.)
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@zimfam@universeodon.com 2026-04-12 11:02
@zeenix@toot.cat "where are you going?" "Europe" "Okay, and where will you be departing from?" "umm, Europe."
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@halla@kde.social 2026-04-12 11:05
@zeenix@toot.cat Ooh! I so wanna make that journey -- with a week long stop in Oulu, my favorite summer destination!
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@raymaccarthy@mastodon.ie 2026-04-12 11:34
@zeenix@toot.cat I wish Ireland had a rail link with anywhere. At least since Brexit there are many more ferries to mainland Europe. Being an Island is a difficulty as well as the gauge only used also in parts of Australia.