The problem has already been initially fixed.
track damage, which caused the suspension of long-distance train services, has probably been found on the track section between Kouvola and Lahti, says the head of the track maintenance department Jukka P. Valjakka From the Railway Agency.
The problem point was found at night between Lahti and Kouvola, between Mankala and Niinimäki, about 32–45 kilometers from Lahti in the direction of Kouvola.
In the inspections carried out during the night, environmental defects were found on the track. They are depressions in the track.
Valjakka considers it very likely that the depressions have caused the notches observed in the wheels of the trains.
“The fault occurs when the locomotive stays in place for a while. The locomotive's wheel hits the rail,” Valjakka tells STT.
When the train runs over depressions, the train can be damaged, for example, by indenting the wheels. Valjakka says that the locomotive driver had noticed a problem on the track section and reported it last night.
Juha P. Valjakka tells HS that the surface of the rail has broken for several ten meters between Mankala and Niinimäki, so the damage is significant.
According to Valjaka, it is not yet clear which and whose locomotive has crashed on the spot. It is also impossible to say when the damage has occurred.
Valjakka compares the hum of a locomotive to the hum of a car. “It's a bit like going on ice with summer tires. The grip is not good enough.”
According to Valjaka, this kind of confusion sometimes happens in the rail network. So it is not a unique event. Valjakka cannot comment on why the result was such an exceptional and massive stoppage of all train traffic right now.
In any case, it is clear that the wheels of the trains had a lot of tracks.
“It [pysäytys] was the operator's decision. Surely there were safety aspects involved,” says Valjakka.
Juha P. Valjakka emphasizes that the now discovered problem spot between Lahti and Kouvola has probably caused notches in the trains' wheels, but the inspections are still in progress.
It is not yet known for certain whether there are also other causes of defects in the railway network.
Harness says that the potholes have now been provisionally repaired and you can drive over the spot at a reduced speed. The rails have been ground and welded.
Final repair may take a long time. “It may be that the rail needs to be changed completely,” Valjakka tells HS.
The Finnish Railways Agency and VR are reviewing the situation. The decision to start long-distance train service is made by VR.
VR announced on Monday that it will cancel all Tuesday long-distance train services due to track damage for safety reasons. According to VR, on Monday, notches caused by track damage were observed in the wheels of the train stock, after which the inspection of the stock and the track network began.
VR's rolling stock maintenance manager Take Ikonen according to the first damage to the fleet was noticed already on Sunday evening, when routine checks were carried out on one of the trains that came to the depot. After that, more were observed.
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