France's national rail company SNCF added 2,000 new trains to its regional fleet at a cost of 15 billion euros (more than $20 billion), according to reports.
There's only one problem: The new trains are too wide for the tracks at many of France’s stations. The order was placed based on dimensions from newer rail stations, which have wider clearances.
"We discovered the problem a bit late, we recognize that and we accept responsibility on that score," Christophe Piednoel, the RFF's director of communications told France Info radio, according to Reuters.
National rail operator RFF provided the original measurements to SNCF, the company that runs the trains. Some officials are blaming the mixup on this two-company system.
"When you separate the rail operator from the train company, this is what happens," Transport Minister Frédéric Cuvillier said.
Instead of fixing the trains, the RFF will spend more than $68 million to widen the stations themselves, some by just a few centimeters. This is expected to be completed by 2016, when the full order for the new trains is delivered.