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by dheera 52 days ago
Yeah some overnight trains can adjust their gauge on the France/Spain border.

On the China/Mongolia border on the other hand they disassemble the train, lift the train cars up one by one (with passengers inside), switch out the boogies and then reassemble. 3 hour process, you can fully sleep through it and not notice.
3 comments
andrewshadura 51 days ago
Not notice loud banging and violent shaking underneath you? You can sleep through that, with practice, but you will notice it.
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dheera 50 days ago
It's actually rather quiet from the relatively sound-proof interior, and there is no noticeable shaking.

These aren't American trains.

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andrewshadura 39 days ago
I took those trains many many times, years ago. A lot of shaking and a lot of banging because that’s how they change bogies. The vibration spreads across the carriage’s frame from underneath. And no, those aren’t American carriages. They’re formerly East German.
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lostlogin 52 days ago
If it’s taking 3 hours on a passenger train, a 5-10 minute transfer seems vastly more efficient.
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taschmex 52 days ago
Yes, but most people can't sleep through a train transfer
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gpvos 52 days ago
On a night train such as the Transsib that takes several days to get from A to B anyway, being able to sleep through it and not needing to lug your stuff around is usually considered more important.

(Although in some cases you are woken up for border formalities.)

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dheera 51 days ago
> (Although in some cases you are woken up for border formalities.)

Yeah although you can just stay in bed for this. I've been on the train. The Chinese officials just wake you up, stamp your passport, and off you go to sleep.

Then the Mongolian officials came on, asked me a couple questions to see whether I respected their country, why I was going there, grumbled something unintelligble, stamped my passport and moved on.

Much better than getting in line for 2 hours if you ask me (which is what happened at the Bulgaria/Turkey border and the Georgia/Armenia border when I crossed those)

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gpvos 52 days ago
For day trains as well, more often within Spain than on the border with France.
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