2. Oversized Trains at French Stations
Year: 2014
Location: France
Company: Miscommunication between RFF and SNCF
Estimated Damage Value: $68 million*
In 2014, France’s railway scene witnessed a major blunder when SNCF received incorrect dimensions from RFF for its trains, leading to a $68 million debacle. This mishap highlighted the critical nature of railway transport in France.
A costly error saw 2,000 new trains, worth over $20.5 billion, being too wide for French stations in 2014. Dubbed ‘too fat’ by media, this resulted from RFF’s outdated measurements, causing nearly $70 million in losses for SNCF.