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A Costly Blunder for French Rails A Costly Blunder for French Rails
(4 months later)
PARIS — Somewhere in France, a proud nation of ubiquitous trains and similarly ubiquitous state administrations, a railway bureaucrat is sweating. PARIS — Somewhere in France, a proud nation of ubiquitous trains and similarly ubiquitous state administrations, a railway bureaucrat is sweating.
Beginning in 2009, the national railway operator, the S.N.C.F., signed contracts worth more than $4 billion to buy 341 new-generation regional trains. Those trains are said to be more comfortable than their predecessors, and several centimeters wider.Beginning in 2009, the national railway operator, the S.N.C.F., signed contracts worth more than $4 billion to buy 341 new-generation regional trains. Those trains are said to be more comfortable than their predecessors, and several centimeters wider.
They are too wide, however, for about 15 percent of the country’s stations, an oversight that, after being revealed in Wednesday’s edition of Le Canard Enchaîné, became the butt of jokes, but also the target of public outcry.They are too wide, however, for about 15 percent of the country’s stations, an oversight that, after being revealed in Wednesday’s edition of Le Canard Enchaîné, became the butt of jokes, but also the target of public outcry.
The government has ordered an investigation, and the top two public rail executives are scheduled for a hearing before Parliament. Renovations costing a projected $68 million are underway.The government has ordered an investigation, and the top two public rail executives are scheduled for a hearing before Parliament. Renovations costing a projected $68 million are underway.
When buying the trains, the rail operator was given faulty station specifications by the R.F.F., a separate public entity that oversees rail infrastructure, the newspaper reported. It is not clear how the mistake was realized — fortunately, it does not appear to have involved a train, a station and twisted metal.When buying the trains, the rail operator was given faulty station specifications by the R.F.F., a separate public entity that oversees rail infrastructure, the newspaper reported. It is not clear how the mistake was realized — fortunately, it does not appear to have involved a train, a station and twisted metal.
Parliament is to weigh placing the two rail entities under one state corporation, Jacques Rapoport, the R.F.F.’s top executive, noted. The system of parallel bureaucracies “is not a high-performance system,” he said.Parliament is to weigh placing the two rail entities under one state corporation, Jacques Rapoport, the R.F.F.’s top executive, noted. The system of parallel bureaucracies “is not a high-performance system,” he said.