Three weeks ago, the Finnish Transport Infrastructure Agency banned traffic on the Suupohja rail line — a stretch of more than 100 kilometres of track between Seinäjoki in South Ostrobothnia and Kaskinen in Ostrobothnia — because its track bed has crumbled in places and some of its bridges are beyond repair.
And the Suupohja line is not the only track closed for being potentially dangerous.
There are some 800 kilometres of railway track in the country in poor condition, most of which (500 km) is completely closed to traffic. The remaining 300 kilometres are under special watch, with their condition checked at frequent intervals. Speed and weight restrictions are in place on these routes to reduce strain on the tracks.
In total, Finland has around 6,500 km of railway lines.
The decision to close a line is not taken lightly. It is not just a question of low traffic levels on a line, but a number of factors. In most cases, it is because the track is in poor condition and there is no longer any real need to use it.
Of the country's almost 2,500 rail bridges, around four percent are in poor condition and just under half are classed as being in satisfactory condition. Efforts are being made to maintain them through repairs.
"The steel structures of the bridges are becoming fatigued and their load-bearing capacity is deteriorating. Over time, the supports may also start to move," explains Virpi Anttila, who heads the maintenance division at the Finnish Transport Infrastructure Agency.
The final blow to the Suupohja line was the condition of its bridge over the Kyrönjoki river.
The bridge's supporting structures below the tracks have suffered from severe corrosion, which has weakened the steel, making it unsafe.
"It can't be allowed that even a single train could collapse the bridge. Traffic will only resume if it can be done safely," says Anttila.
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