Summary
Transnet Freight Rail ran an empty 696-wagon train along South Africa’s Iron Ore Export Line on 18 October 2026, reaching Loop 18 on the corridor between Sishen and Saldanha, and says the formation, reported to be about 7.6 km long, is the longest freight train ever operated, according to International Railway Journal. The record is TFR’s own claim, and independent certification has yet to be confirmed. Engineering News reported the company’s statement on 19 October. The train set out from Saldanha Bay in the Western Cape and ran toward the Northern Cape. It was made up of 696 empty CR13/14 wagons, hauled by a combination of class 15E electric and class 43D diesel-electric locomotives placed at intervals along its length. TFR says it is the longest train ever compiled and run on that corridor. How radio distributed power works Radio distributed power links those locomotives by radio so that they work as a single synchronised unit. Traction and braking forces are then spread along the whole formation, which keeps them from building up at the front and limits the stress on couplings, wagons and track. TFR says controlling those lengthwise forces on a train of this scale is critical for safe handling and stable running. International Railway Journal reported that the system also reduces the risk of operational problems on trains of this length. The exercise was led by TFR’s Train Design Technology and Operations teams, working with Transnet Engineering, Transnet Rail Infrastructure Manager and the Railway Safety Regulator. Before the run, specialists modelled and simulated train dynamics, locomotive positioning, operating strategies, communication protocols, route readiness and infrastructure requirements. Russell Baatjies, TFR chief executive, said in a statement reported by Engineering News: “While setting a world record is a significant achievement, the real value lies in the technical knowledge and operational insights gained through this exercise. These learnings will contribute to the continued advancement of rail operations, support innovation and strengthen our freight rail capability into the future.” Specialist staff travelled with the train to monitor its handling and operational behaviour throughout the run. The statement, as reported by Engineering News, described the run as a dynamic train evaluation programme with two aims, a world record and technical knowledge about train design, train handling and operational performance. Data recorded on the locomotives will be compared with the simulation results to check TFR’s performance models and to refine future train designs and operating procedures. The record it would beat The Guinness Book of World Records lists the longest freight train as a 7.353 km consist run by Australia’s BHP Iron Ore on 21 June 2001, International Railway Journal reported. That train had 682 ore wagons and eight GE-built AC6000CW diesel-electric locomotives, 14 wagons fewer than the Transnet formation. The BHP train weighed 99,732.1 tonnes and was assembled to test a distributed train control system. Sources:
- International Railway Journal: https://www.railjournal.com/news/transnet-tests-696-wagon-train-in-heavy-haul-milestone/ - Engineering News: https://www.engineeringnews.co.za/article/tfr-sets-new-world-record-with-696-wagon-iron-ore-train-2026-10-19