Helsinki Central Station
Long-distance rail service in Finland is more or less normal this week, after last week's service was disrupted by both a one-day strike and an epidemic of 'square wheels' caused by damaged track.
The problems started last Tuesday, the day a scheduled strike by railway controllers, part of a series of strikes by different unions opposing planned changes to working life being considered by the government.
It got worse when inspectors found wheel damage on numbers of trains, leaving them riding rough and possibly in danger of failing. The problem was traced to a length of track between Lahti and Kouvola on the Mankala-Niinimäki section; 700 km of rail had to be inspected to find and then repair the damage.
But even that didn't mean that VR, the rail system, could get 'back on track,' since over 70% of the railroad's rolling stock had been over that stretch and had to be inspected for wheel damage, and where needed, repairs. Service began to be restored by late Wednesday, but was only complete by the weekend.
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