5 Of The longest trains To travel and haul freight

Trains have been an integral part of human transportation for over two centuries now and have played a significant role in shaping the world as we know it today. From the early steam engines that revolutionized the Industrial Revolution to the high-speed trains of today, trains have always captured people's imagination.

But trains are more than just modes of transportation, they have also found their place in folk culture and have become symbols of adventure, romance, and nostalgia. From folk songs and poems to paintings and films, trains have inspired countless works of art that celebrate their power and grace.

Indian Pacific

The Indian-Pacific Railway is the world's second-longest railroad. This 2,700-mile-long railroad connects Perth on the Indian Ocean coast to Sydney on the Pacific coast. A great machine is required to travel such a long distance. 

The NR class is a class of Australian diesel locomotives built for National Rail by A Goninan & Co. between 1996 and 1998.  

These 145-ton locomotives are 72 ft long and 9 ft wide. They produce around 4000 hp. As you board the mighty Indian Pacific train, you'll be filled with excitement as this unforgettable Australian adventure begins. 

Whether traveling from the Indian Ocean to the Pacific or the other way around, you'll be crossing the world's longest straight railway track.

The Ghan

The Ghan takes its name from the Afghan cameleers, who traveled to Australia in the 19th century and helped open up inland Australia to European settlers ferrying goods and supplies with their ‘ships of the desert’. 

The famous journey was previously dubbed ‘The Afghan Express’ before being shortened to ‘The Ghan’. 

This legendary train evokes a frontier spirit, and a romantic connection to the land, and traveling on it creates a moving and unforgettable life experience. 

The 100-ton locomotive is pulling a massive 2,156 tons behind it. It can reach speeds of up to 100 mph. Its diesel-electric engine can produce up to 3,300 bhp. 

The Ghan is the world’s longest train to carry paying passengers. Consisting of 44 carriages and two locomotives, the train carries tourists 1,850 miles between Adelaide and Darwin over two nights and three days. 

Train du Desert

The 437-mile journey from the iron ore mines in the northwest region of Zouerat to the Atlantic port of Nouadhibou, which opened in 1963, is one of the world's most remarkable train journeys.

The Train du Desert is a constant contender for the title of the world's largest train, weighing around 17,000 tons fully loaded and measuring 1.6 miles in length.

They are made up of three or four diesel-electric EMD locomotives, 200 to 210 cars each carrying up to 84 tons of iron ore, and occasionally two or three service cars. These 184-ton locomotives are 68 ft long and can produce 3000 hp.

The total traffic volume per year is 16.6 million tons.

The Shenhua No. 3 train connects the mining center of Datong in Shanxi Province to the port city of Qinhuangdao in Hebei Province. The name of this route is The Daqin Line. The 1.6-mile-long Shenhua 3 is one of the world's longest freight trains, primarily used for coal distribution.

The HXD1 locomotives are based on the Siemens' EuroSprinter derived design of the China Railways DJ1 locomotive. These 184-ton 115 ft long locomotives produce a continuous 12,900 hp. Six of these monsters haul 300 cars. Annually, the line transports hundreds of millions of tons of coal.

In 2001, BHP Billiton's "Mt. Goldsworthy" freight train set the Guinness World Record for the longest and heaviest freight train. 

This long-distance freight train was propelled by eight powerful General Electric AC6000CW diesel locomotives. 

Each of these locomotives weighs approximately 212 tons and measures 76 feet in length. 

They generate 6000 horsepower. 

The train covered 171 miles between the Yandi mine and Port Hedland in Western Australia thanks to this massive power. 

The line's 99,734-ton, 4,5-mile-long, 682-car train, driven by a single driver, was capable of transporting 82,000 tons of iron ore.