Well....I couldn't find any topics about the length of trains...I'm from europe...to be more precise, from croatia...and I'm very interested in trains,expecially in trains with diesel locomotives... and I want you to talk about the longest trains on the world, you can write which is the longest train, and how long is it...for example....there is one train about 10 km long, with 15 locomotives....and 436 vagons....we can make a list of the longest trains...put some good links here....thank you....
Posted by Geoff M (Member # 153) on :
The longest ever appears to have been a freight train in Australia at 7.353km long.
A regular "long" train would appear to be an iron ore train from Zouerate to Nouadhibou in Mauritania, at "regularly 3km" in length.
The longest passenger train may well have been a 70 carriage, 1733m long train in Belgium, a one-off event to raise money for charity.
Amtrak finally appears as a regular "long" passenger train - the Auto Train. Maybe someone here can give a typical car count or a length.
Geoff M.
Posted by Ocala Mike (Member # 4657) on :
Typically,the Auto Train stretches for about a half-mile (800 meters) or so, and consists of 2 P42 engines, 16 coaches/sleepers/diners/lounges, and 22-24 auto rack cars.
Long for a "passenger train" stateside, but then again, it's really a "mixed."
Posted by George Harris (Member # 2077) on :
Not current, but a common length for the east coast to Florida winter trains of the ACL and SAL used to be 18 cars, which at 85 ft each plus 3 E's at about 70 ft each (don't know the E unit's lengths) would be 1740 feet = 530 meters. Both the City of Miami and the City of New Orleans could get up to 24 cars with 4 diesels on the front, giving a train length of 2320 feet = 707 meters. These were not abnormal events or done for publicity purposes, but done on a regular basis in the late 50's early 60's, generally heavy travel weekends for the City of N. O. and for the peak winter season for the city of Miami. For those not familiar, the City of New Orleans was a 16.5 hour coach train Chicago to New Orleans, 921 miles = 1482 km on the Illinois Central Railroad and the City of Miami ran Chicago to Miami on the Illinois Central --> Central of Georgia --> Atlantic Coast Line --> Florida East Coast Railroad.
For freight, the normal US or Canadian freight train is generally up to about 110 cars with 3 to 4 diesels on the front and a gross weight of over 10,000 tons. This gives a length of around 6,000 feet, or about 1800 meters. Long trains can be 8,000 to 12,000 feet, commonly with some mid-train diesels remotely controlled from the head end.
Posted by rresor (Member # 128) on :
Back in the 1960s the Norfolk and Western Railway assembled a train at Kenova, WV and moved it to Portsmouth, OH to show how long a train they could run. It was 415 cars with 12 locos, for a total length of 4.5 miles or about 7.2 km. Total weight was about 40,000 tonnes. That may still be a record.
Coal trains operating from the Powder River Basin are routinely up to 135 cars of 143 tons each, for a trailing weight of 19,000 tons. Typical motive power is three 6,000 HP diesels, two on the head end and a remote control unit on the rear.
Posted by jp1822 (Member # 2596) on :
In terms of pure passenger oriented trains (i.e. auto racks on Amtrak's Auto Train don't carry passengers - just their vehicles) - I would think the current peak period VIA Rail's Canadian ranks towards the top. The train can have 4 diesel engines with in excess of 30 passengers cars (i.e. coaches, domes, diner, sleeper, dome/lounge). Most of the consist is weighted towards sleeper cars.
Posted by lucariello (Member # 5065) on :
The longest train of Italy are, of course freight train and there are often composed by 2 electric loco in double power and 30-40 cars... nothing comparated with your trains
Posted by vline (Member # 1132) on :
Hi guys, I haven't contributed for a while but thought this article may be of interest.
Though 40 cars on its inaugural service from Adelaide, South Australia to Darwin, Northern Territory on the completed north/south trans continental journey, 'The Ghan' regularly exceeds 30 passenger cars.