[PaulRobinson]

An impressive feat, that is unlikely unachievable on a modern train network.

The tolerances are just a bit tighter, the risks and liabilities are higher, and the workforce just isn't "there" - this is from a time when rail was a huge money earner and could afford to employ a huge number of people. Today? Not so much, pretty much anywhere in the World.

[Suppafly]

>The tolerances are just a bit tighter, the risks and liabilities are higher, and the workforce just isn't "there"

Sure, but they do it with big machines that ride down the rails now instead of lining up thousands of men with sledge hammers.

[crote]

There are no ready-made gauge changing machines, though. Not exactly a big market for those.

[mikewarot]

There are ready-made machines that pull up track, and replace sleepers... it shouldn't be a major project to allow it to change the gauge of the rail as it resets it.

[wkat4242]

Once Spain and Portugal move from Iberian gauge that market will increase a lot. Which is kinda inevitable with the added environmental pressure on flights.

[wyan]

It is taking decades to achieve though!

[reaperducer]

There are no ready-made gauge changing machines, though. Not exactly a big market for those.

So what? I'd there isn't a machine, you build one.

Large industries like mining and shipping and the military don't just stop because they can't buy a needed item off the shelf because there isn't a market for it. They build stuff all the time.

I worked in a factory for a few years, and can tell you that if industries followed your "can't do" attitude, commerce would stop.

[owenversteeg]

Yeah, in theory, but the vibes are different.

Let’s say you have a problem and the only way to solve it is with a thingamabob. The thingamabob doesn’t exist, so you need to make the first one. Unknown to everyone, the military, the O&G/mining industry, and the rail industries all try to build one at the same time. Do you think they all cost the same? What about the time to design and build them?

The oil and gas people will call up some machinists and engineers the same day. Time is money and they need the problem solved. It doesn’t need to look pretty. I don’t think anyone would disagree that they would be the first with a thingamabob. First one might break, they’d get Bob on a Cessna from the nearest machine shop with a replacement.

The military would have some meetings, which would spawn more meetings, and eventually put out some requests for proposals. They’d review the proposals and ten years later they’d have their thingamabob. No doubt it would be the most expensive.

The rail industry… the modern, passenger rail industry in wealthy western countries? There might be proposals, or designs or prototypes with large amounts of money spent, but I think it is reasonable to say the thingamabob would never actually be built and used. Look at CAHSR or Stuttgart 21 or Turin-Lyon.

[red_admiral]

Switzerland has some for narrow (meter) gauge to standard gauge. I think it's to make the Glacier Express run without changing train. Had a bit of teething problems at the start but seems to be working well now.

That's not a "change gauge for a 100-wagon freight train" scale operation, and it's not "off the shelf" tech, but we're fairly close I think?

[Suppafly]

>There are no ready-made gauge changing machines, though. Not exactly a big market for those.

I'm not a train guy, but I'm pretty sure the machine that lifts the track up and allows them to swap out the ties is like 95% of what would be needed for a gauge changing machine.

[hedora]

In the US, rail tolerances seem to be getting looser over time, and derailments are still uncommon.

I’d guess that overseas modern non-high speed trains could deal with it. The passengers might not put up with it though.

[sehansen]

There have been around 3 derailments per day in the US in the past few years: https://www.nlc.org/resource/interactive-rail-safety-map-see...

[fuddy]

A country that would put up with US rail is a big ask.

[panick21_]

Derailments are incredibly common in the US.

[mschuster91]

> this is from a time when rail was a huge money earner and could afford to employ a huge number of people.

Well, back then the US had freshly banned slavery, so there was an ample workforce that could be hired for dirt cheap.

The Soviets and the Wehrmacht pulled off similar feats in WW2, but back then the rails and sleepers didn't have to be built to last many decades, so in addition to loads upon loads of forced labor from concentration camps and gulags, the work effort was massively reduced because easier technology could be used.