Less sticky subject

[Alan Feldon]

That track layout at Haparanda looks absolutely weird .

[Stefan Krebs]

Dear Alan,

Well spotted, I fully agree. And I spent an hour on google earth working out why that is.

Starting in Tornio (Finland) that station is terminus for standard gauge, and the standard gauge part is North of the broad gauge. While the broad gauge has various sidings in the goods area and a platform track with run-around at the station building, the standard gauge ends on a single buffer in front of the passenger station, akin to a tram line. There appears to be just one siding in the goods area to facilitate an engine run-around, with no evidence of current goods transfer, but signs of track reduction. Both gauges interlace into one gauntlet line just at the end of the station goods yard, heading Southwest to Sweden, but I can't find a picture how that junction looks, it appears to be just ahead of the first bridge out of Tornio station, 3 substantial spans (straight chord through truss) crossing a river arm of the Torne called Kirkkopudas.

Further along a broad (?) gauge line branches off South towards R