Where is the longest train in the world

Round-the-clock on the steel roads of our planet are racing train. Statistics have estimated that annually around the world is transported about 20 billion passengers and more than 10,000 billion tons of cargo. If we add together the length of all distances over the year, the sum will be equal to 66 million turns around the Earth. But this is not all the feats to which technology and human thought are capable. If the United States, China and Russia are among the three leaders along the length of the railway tracks, then other countries are also fighting for the victory in the category "the longest train in the world".

Record-breakers from Africa and China

An attempt was made to collect a super-powerful and capacious cargo train in 1991 in South Africa. Several 660 wagons were added to several locomotives, the distance from the head to the tail of the train intended for transportation of iron ore was 7.2 kilometers. It is reported that the giant made only one flight, after which it was dismantled.

The industrious Chinese people did not pursue the breadth of scope, satisfied with more modest results. But on the roads of the Middle Kingdom, the longest train of 210 wagons, total length along with locomotives of 3 kilometers and a capacity of 20,000 tons, runs today. This train is intended for transportation of coal and building materials.

Competition between the US and Russia

In the United States, the largest train is a 5.6 km long train belonging to Union Pacific. However, it was just an experimental assembly, created in 2010 to test the capacity of new locomotives. The train, which completed one flight from Dallas to Long Beach, was soon divided into several parts.

But in the Soviet Union in the 80's along the roads of Kuzbass moved freight train with 439 cars, containing 43.5 thousand tons of coal. The length of this railway colossus was 6.5 kilometers, which significantly reduced the speed of movement in comparison with conventional trains.

Australian giants

The green continent also boasts one of the longest rolling stock in the world, which belongs to the mining company Rio Tinto. The train is used for transportation of iron ore, simultaneously containing 29 500 tons of cargo. To bring the machine in motion behind the cars with a total length of 2.4 km, three powerful locomotives are hitching, which push the train ahead of them.

Another record belongs to the Australian company BHP Billiton, also specializing in the extraction of minerals. It operates a train of 365 cars, a length of 3.2 kilometers, capable of transporting up to 44,500 tons of cargo in a single voyage. To move the giant from its place, it takes six to eight locomotives. However, this is not the longest train in the world.

Giant from Mauritania

The title "the longest freight train" by right belongs to the railway personnel traveling on a monorail in the Republic of Mauritania, which is in West Africa. A part of the route, 700 km long, runs along the sands of the Sahara desert. From the initial station to the final point the train moves 21 hours.

The total length of two hundred cars, controlled by four locomotives, reaches 2.5 km. Sometimes 10 trains are attached to the train, due to which its length is increased by another 300 meters. The train is used to transport coal and oil tanks. There are also cars for passengers. But the local population, not wishing to pay a fare, mainly travels in commodity containers, which is absolutely free and does not contradict the laws of the country.

Extra-large trains for travelers

The longest passenger train, consisting of 70 wagons, 1.6 km long, belonged to the National Railway Company of Belgium. The train made one flight between the cities of Ghent and Ostend, having traveled a little more than six kilometers. It was a one-time charity event, all proceeds from which went to the fund of a research institute dealing with oncology. The record was established in 1991, reports on the journey of an unusual train were broadcast live on Belgian television.

The longest passenger train operating today is Ghan, connecting several Australian cities to each other. Usually 16.26 cars are attached to the locomotive, but sometimes their total number can reach 99 pieces, which increases the length of the train to 1.2 kilometers. This giant spends more than two days on the road, the length of the route is about 3000 km.

His small victory was won also by the Russian "Sapsan", plying on the route Moscow ─ Petersburg. In 2014, the length of a double ligament of 20 wagons was measured. The figure of 500.2 m allowed "Sapsan" to receive the nomination "the longest train in the world among high-speed rolling stock".

Absolute leader among stately brethren

Most of the great achievements in the field of rail transportation belong to Australia. Mining company BHP in 2001 launched the longest train in the world, connecting the Yandi mine with the city of Port Hedland in the western part of the Green Continent. The train with 682 wagons with a length of 7.3 kilometers has about 181 million pounds of iron ore.

The total weight of the laden giant reached 99,734 tons. Moved it along the route in 275 km eight locomotives General Electric AC6000CW capacity of 6000 liters. from. each.

Today, this record is not beaten by anyone. But it is quite possible that in the near future somewhere in the world the wheels of a new super-train will be knocked on the rails.