Finland's rail network: maximum availability under extreme conditions
How Siemens Mobility supports Finland's critical rail infrastructure with OEM quality overhaul services, proactive obsolescence management, and long-term partnership.
Where temperatures plunge to -40 °C and rail infrastructure faces relentless demands, reliability is not optional - it is essential. The Finnish Transport Infrastructure Agency (FTIA) relies on Siemens Mobility to keep thousands of point machines operating at peak performance - many of them over four decades old and still in use. Through an innovative partnership model that combines OEM expertise with local capabilities, Siemens Mobility has overhauled more than 3,000 point machines in just five years - achieving near-perfect availability while giving decades-old equipment a professionally extends their lifetime.
What does it take to become Finland's trusted lifecycle partner for critical rail infrastructure?
Point machines overhauled
Availability rate
Proven performance
Spare parts agreement
Keeping a nation moving – Under the harshest conditions
Finland's rail network is a lifeline – connecting communities, enabling commerce, and operating year-round in some of Europe's most unforgiving environments. For FTIA, maintaining thousands of mission-critical point machines is far more than a maintenance task. It is a strategic imperative.
Many of these Siemens BSG 9 point machines date back to the 1970s and 1980s. While their robust engineering has stood the test of time, decades of service in extreme conditions created a complex set of challenges:
Extreme climate demands
Point machines must operate flawlessly at temperatures down to –40 °C – through heavy snow, ice buildup, and dramatic temperature swings that push mechanical and electrical components to their limits.
Aging infrastructure at scale
Professional lifecycle management is crucial for the operational reliability of 40- to 50-year-old equipment. Lifecycle performance and environmental footprint of key components matter more than price.
Growing obsolescence risk
Original suppliers had exited the market. Lead times for critical spare parts grew longer, threatening service continuity and network resilience.
Uncompromising quality standards
As safety-critical infrastructure components, point machines and end position detectors demand the highest levels of availability and reliability – with zero tolerance for failure.
The stakes are clear: a single point machine failure can cascade into delays, rising costs, and disruptions across Finland's entire rail network. FTIA needed more than a maintenance provider. They needed a long-term partner with the expertise to deliver professional overhaul services – and the strategic foresight to manage lifecycle and obsolescence risks for years to come.
What makes a successful lifecycle partnership?
"In the end, the best part is seeing the fruits of our cooperation – like maximized availability, fewer faults in point machines and turnouts. All of this contributes to more reliable and efficient rail traffic operations in Finland."
Three pillars of lifecycle excellence
600 machines annually – with factory-quality precision
Every point machine is overhauled to the same standard as a new device leaving the Siemens factory with quality assurance and end-to-end project management.
- Point machines - 600 units per year
- End position detectors - 100 units per year
- Turnaround time - 3 to 4 weeks per machine
- 7-year maintenance cycle after each overhaul, creating a continuous lifecycle loop
Long-term agreements – eliminating supply risk
Reliable overhaul services require reliable parts supply. Siemens Mobility has established comprehensive spare parts frame agreements that guarantee material - removing uncertainty from FTIA's planning horizon.
- 10-year frame agreement with guaranteed quantities
- Emergency stock - complete point machines held in inventory as ready-to-deploy replacements
Proactive risk management – with a holistic obsolescence concept
For aging infrastructure, obsolescence is the silent threat. Siemens Mobility addresses obsolescence risks through continuous monitoring, strategic sourcing, and long-term availability planning.
- Zero supply disruptions since project inception
- Proactive reporting and strategic planning
- Complete risk transfer - FTIA gains full planning security
- Continuous monitoring of component lifecycles and supply chains
"The customer is extremely happy with the quality of our overhaul work. We have really brought it to the next level."
Proven results: Impact across every dimension
Up to 100% availability
Maximized availability across 600+ annual overhauls. Every machine is tested to factory standards and proven to perform flawlessly in –40 °C conditions.
Proven scale
More than 3,000 point machines professionally overhauled in five years, plus 100+ end position detectors annually. Siemens Mobility is by far the largest overhaul provider in Finland – delivering consistent quality at an unmatched scale.
Shaping a sustainable future
Professional overhaul gives decades-old equipment a second life, extending its lifecycle by 40 to 50 years. This dramatically reduces the need for new devices, significantly lowers material consumption, and substantially cuts CO₂ emissions – a tangible contribution to the circular economy.
Long-term partnership
Comprehensive Easy Spares® agreements and proactive obsolescence management provide FTIA with crucial 10-year planning security: guaranteed supply continuity and the confidence that comes from a trusted OEM partnership.