Longest trains

Conventional freight trains can average nearly 2,000 metres.[1] Freight trains with a total length of three or four times that average are possible with the advent of DPUs (distributed-power units), or additional locomotive engines between or behind long chains of freight cars (referred to as a "consist"). These DPUs enable much longer, heavier loads without the increased risks of derailing that stem from the stress of pulling very long chains of train-cars around curves. The length of a train may be measured in number of wagons (for bulk loads such as coal and iron ore) or in metres for general freight. Train lengths and loads on electrified railways, especially lower voltage 3000 V DC and 1500 V DC, are limited by traction power considerations. Drawgear and couplings can be a limiting factor, tied in with curves, gradients and crossing loop lengths.

Contents

Bulk cargo

General cargo

Indian Railways term this as increased vehicle length (IVL). This reduces the traffic in this single-lined region; two goods train attached back to back, each train is led by two locomotives. The hardest thing is to get the whole train in one frame.

Soviet Union The longest and heaviest freight train ran on February 20, 1986 from Ekibastuz to the Urals, was carried out with the coal train. The composition consisted of 439 wagons and several diesel locomotives distributed along the train. The mass of is 43,400 tonnes and the total length of 6.5 km (4.03 mi).

Passenger

The length of passenger trains generally has to match the length of platforms, especially high-level platforms. These platforms cannot always be extended to suit extended train lengths due to bridges, tunnels, pointwork, narrowing track centres and stabling yards, though "selective door opening" can help long trains stop at short platforms.

Special test runs

(These are one-off to set records)

Ore

General cargo

Passenger

See also

References