Top 10 Heaviest Trains Worldwide (Explained)

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🚅 As you might guess, trains come in all shapes and sizes. From a single-carriage passenger train weighing app. 40 metric tons to freight trains with multiple locomotives, dozens of wagons and thousands of tons of cargo.

In the US for example, a typical long-haul freight train can weigh anywhere from 3,000 to 18,000 tons, while in Europe, maximum weights are usually far less, and they go up to 4000 t.

However, there are examples of some EXCEPTIONALLY HEAVY AND LONG TRAINS, and, in this video, we are going to talk exactly about them!

This video includes: Mauritania Railway (Zouérat-Nouadhibou, 20,000 t), Daqin Railway (Datong-Qinhuangdao, 20,000 t), Quebec North Shore and Labrador (Labrador City, Labrador-Sept-Îles, Quebec, 30,000 t), Aurizon Iron Ore Train (Central Queensland-Esperance, 32,320 tons), Fortescue Railway (Pilbara-Port Hedland, 40,000 t), Railways of the Soviet Union (Ekibastuz, Kazakhstan-Urals, Russia, 43,400 t), Norfolk and Western (West Virginia-Ohio, 43,699 t), South African Railways (Sishen-Saldanha, 70,543 t), BHP Australia (Pilbara-Port Hedland, 72,191 t), BHP Australia (Yandi mine-Port Hedland, 99,734 t).

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[wordreet]

Just so you know, the smallest scale train models are usually called "N" Guage. I had a few 50+ years ago. They are 1/148th of full size. Even so, a tiny "N" Gauge model of that longest train would be 49 metres long!

[Burkutace]

Number 10: Yeah that's pretty heavy.

Number 1: Oh lord, he comin!

[gregg]

First time here.... retired Railroader with 35 years service.. excellent video, and most informative. Nice work.

[frankesparza]

Great video btw, here in Mexico trains run between 6, 000t and 15, 000t and longest trains are 2.5 km to 3 km long, although there have been trials, where trains were operated at 20, 000t. Here in Mexico, trains challenge difficult terrain, steep inclines and sharp curves, even though the majority of the network has an axle load of 32.5 tons per axle, greetings from Mexico!

[WSawchuk]

I was an engineer at Canadian National Railway for years, I have regularily operated Potash trains from the central prairies in Canada that were 28k to 36k tonnes. They go from the Potash mines in Saskachewan to the east coast of Canada. These potash trains have been operating since around 2018 and either run normally with a 2x1x1 DP setup or 2x2 DP setup. We also would carry regular trains of sand from the US to Alberta for frakking, those trains would be 20k+tonnes every few days.

[gordonbermejo]

BHP trains are now 268 cars for a average weight of 42, 000tonnes with a length of around 2950m and 4 SD70ace's. This is reduced from when they were running 320 cars for a length of 3300m with 6 loco's.
On average there about 24 trains each way per 24 hours, one every hour.

[andymanaus]

There are signs at some crossings in Australia which state: "The train that crosses this road takes 12 minutes to pass whether your car is on the track or not."

[owencarter]

I've been stuck at a railway crossing in the Pilbara while one of those iron ore trains went past. I just turned off my car engine and read a book for 10 minutes or so while I was waiting for it to go past.

[catonpillow]

A suggestion: Heaviest Locomotives! :)

[markcottierkw]

I just started a traineeship with BHP to operate those long and heavy iron ore trains in the Pilbara. Pretty exciting let me tell you 😃👍👍 Can't wait to be passed out!

[noneofyourbizness]

i work on BHP trains and tracks in the Pilbara region of Australia. Fly up there for 8 x 12hr shifts and then home for 8 days..and repeat. it's an extremely hot area of the world. In Jan of this year (2022) the temp reached a record breaking high of of 123 degrees F 51.9C ! Not a great day to be at workplace where there is no aircon.

[bruceb]

Excellent video, with all of the best in one place !! I know this video took a LOT of time to research and compile. Thank you, from a long time "Rail Fan".

[dpjazzy]

UP is running an iron ore train from Utah to long Beach. It's unloaded and sent to China via sea vessel. They weigh roughly 140 tons per car. Rough train weight is around 20k tons for 150 cars. Insanely heavy for the short length and minimum number of brakes. Typically we see 3 or more engines on the head, 2 or 3 on the rear and a few in the middle as well.

[marcusireland]

ngl i feel pretty proud to be Australian now

[bezi]

Railway is incredible! I love it for its power and grandeur :)
Great and interesting video ;)
Greetings from Poland

[bruceb]

One item that was not mentioned at all was "Draw Bar Pull". That may not be very important on fairly flat, level terrain, but it becomes very important in hills and mountains. Most of the long trains in this video appear to be on level ground, but there are a couple of them making long 270 degree loops while climbing. The Engineer of the train is responsible for checking the maximum draw bar pull, to see that the train does not break apart. Besides the great technical info of each "consist", was there any information available regarding the draw bar pull?

[shreeveda]

Moral of the story: Planet Earth can carry a lot of weight on its back. Magnificent. Great video.

[railwayjade]

I enjoyed this, I knew about the SA train and Aussie trains, but now learned about new companies in this vid. Very cool, thanks!

[skyhigh]

Still mindboggling, those relatively small electric traction motors operating on a none contact electromagnetic invisible force, pulling all that weight

[victorburk]

Thanks for the post! Very interesting.