Probably a better source is this:<p><a href="http://www.france24.com/en/20140521-french-trains-wide-old-stations-sncf-order/" rel="nofollow">http://www.france24.com/en/20140521-french-trains-wide-old-s...</a><p>a) This only applies to very old platforms, build by standards over 50 years ago.
b) If the trains were ordered by the older standards, i can imagine an issue that newer platforms would need to be widened (modern trains try to provide gapless entry).<p>So, all in all, the problem was found late (unfortunate), but the real problem is: platforms following different standards which should probably be unified anyways.
The article makes it sound horrible, but I wonder how bad it really is.<p>For instance, they've "only" spent $50m so far compensating. That's only 0.33% of the total $15bn budget for the trains.<p>Even if they end up spending a whole $1bn widening platforms - that's "only" a 6.66% cost blowout.<p>In the context of infrastructure projects, a <10% budget blowout doesn't sound so bad :P
I read some speculation on a reddit thread that this was no accident but a backhanded way of forcing modernization: Enough money and effort goes into supporting old trains and train stations in terms of switching trains, personnel, repairs, little bridges to fit smaller trains into wide stations etc that the difference between that and going ahead with the modernization wouldn't be that big.<p>But if there were political objections to such a renovation project from some unknown group, this would be a good way to force their hand.
<i>Construction work has begun on widening hundreds of platforms.</i><p>I hope he means narrowing them, otherwise the problem is just going to get worse :)
So I wonder if they will re-do the stations or re-do the trains. It seems the older stations which are too narrow would probably benefit from an upgrade, but I could imagine they might not have the space to make them any wider than they are now.
Ah, the SNCF... they are professionals in wasting public money and slackers in everything. I can't remember the number of times my train was delayed, cancelled, or stopped in the middle of the countryside for no reason. And when shit happens, there's one thing you can expect from them: zero communication and zero responsibilities.