Where is the longest railway in the world?

Everyone is familiar with the Guinness Book of Records, which records all the most unusual human achievements. The tallest man in the world, the shortest, the fastest, as well as the largest building or the most gigantic sculpture made of coins - this book contains all this. Have you ever thought about the longest railway in the world? What is she like?

Trans-Siberian Railway

This is the name of the longest railway in the world. More than 100 years have passed since its construction, because construction was completed back in 1916, and began in 1891. But to this day it remains the longest railway in the world, connecting the capital of Russia with Vladivostok. On its way lie the largest industrial cities, such as Kirov, Perm, Yekaterinburg, Omsk, Novosibirsk, Taishent, Irkutsk, Khabarovsk.

The total length of the Trans-Siberian Railway is 9,289 km. It is capable of handling up to 100 million tons per year. In 2002, complete electrification took place.

The population of this little world is 160,000 figures, most of which are completely unique. The cost of this large-scale project is estimated at 16 million US dollars.

Own life

Time does not stand still here. You can see the change of day and night when the lanterns are lit. The operation of traffic lights, the movement of trucks, barges, even firefighters who put out a fire. Ordinary residents of the town do things that are familiar to us: riding and walking in parks, waiting for the bus at the bus stop, swimming in the river and even being obscene in the tall grass.

If you walk around this miniature town, you will understand that we are not much different from its inhabitants.

China breaks all records

China recently opened the New Silk Road, which will allow cheap Chinese goods to be exported to Europe.

The route "Yiwu - Madrid" passes through the whole of China, Kazakhstan, crosses Russia, Belarus, Poland, Germany, France and, in the end, stops in the capital of Spain. The train leaving Yiwu will arrive in Madrid in 21 days.

Today, this route is used only for industrial transportation of goods. But China invested $40 billion in such a large-scale project. And, as Chinese media confirm, it is not going to stop. The Chinese authorities are already considering options for developing trade routes through Turkey, as well as the option of building connections between the largest ports of the Indian Ocean.

The length of the train is measured by the number of cars loaded with ore, oil, etc., which are attached to the locomotive. The length of the car and the weight of the load can be limited by electric road sensors with a power of less than 3000 or 1500 V, which affects the traction force. Elevation changes, road bends, the length of the circular railway, and coupling devices are also limiting factors for the length of the train. It is not uncommon for the average length of a freight train to be 2,000 meters. Greater length can be achieved thanks to power plants, which allow the average length of the train to increase by 3-4 times, up to 8000 meters. The main advantage of using distributed power units is that they can pull long and heavy trains without the risk of derailment on sharp turns. The introduction of an additional locomotive in the middle of freight cars makes it possible to pull the cars more successfully, effectively distributing the load compared to how one locomotive does it, they are of course not but mega long.. So, without further ado, we present to you the list of 10 longest trains in the world.

10. "Ghan", Australia.

The Ghan is the only passenger train on this list that runs between Adelaide and Darwin. The entire journey is 2,979 km and takes 54 hours. The train is named after the Afghan camel drivers who came to the country in the 1880s. and used this train to explore the area. The entire train consists of approximately 16-26 stainless steel cars. But sometimes it includes up to 99 cars, and then the total length is 1200 meters.

9. Maruti freight train. India

The train was launched in 2011 by Indian Railways and runs between Bilaspur and Busawal. The average speed of the train is 50 km/h and it is pulled by 4 locomotives (2 in front and 2 in the middle). The train's cargo capacity is about 9,000-10,000 tons, consists of 118 cars and operates a total train length of up to 1,400 meters. Plans called for the train to be even longer, but issues related to the train's safety system, as well as sharp turns and slopes, were an obstacle to the plans. However, it is one of the longest freight trains in Southeast Asia and unarguably the longest in the country. Ninth among longest trains.

8. Rio Tinto Railway Service, Australia

Rio Tinto owns and operates Australia's largest private rail network. They have access to 15 mines as their backbone network spans over 1,700 km. They have 173 locomotives and 10,500 carriages at their disposal. Hamersley Iron and Robe River Iron often use this company at their iron ore sites. They assembled huge trains that connected an average of 226 cars, each of which could hold 105 tons. One such fully loaded train can carry 30,000 tons of cargo and has a length of up to 2,400 m.

7. Mauritanian Mining Railways, Mauritania

Mauritanian Railways is the country's national railway company. The company's trains transport iron ore from the ore mines in the city of Zouerate to the city of Nouadhibou, a distance of 704 km. People rarely use this road to travel on regular passenger carriages, many jump onto the carriages of this train itself. The train on this railway has a train up to 2500 meters in length; the entire train is pulled by 3-4 electric diesel locomotives. The result is 200-210 wagons, and each wagon holds about 85 tons. More than 16 million tons of ore are transported annually.

6. Daqing Railways. China

Daqing railway trains are used to transport coal along a 653-kilometer transport network in northern China. The railway passes through the provinces of Piqing and Tianjin and is managed by a joint stock company. The railway was built in 1984 and consisted of one track, then another was added to meet increasing needs. Freight trains passing through Daqing carry up to 20,000 kilotons of goods, the highest carrying capacity in the country. This is possible thanks to the powerful locomotives of the HXD1 and HXD2 models, which have a power of up to 10 MV, more powerful than the previous DJ1 model. Trains carrying coal usually consist of about 210 cars, up to 3,200 meters long.

5. Freight trains in Carajas, Brazil

The length of railways in the province of Carajas is 892 kilometers. The road was officially launched in 1982. The road connects the largest iron ore mines in the world from Carajas to the port of Ponta De Madeira in São Luis. More than 120 million tons of iron ore and 350,000 passengers travel along this road, which is considered the most profitable road in Brazil. The income generated from these quarries contributes to the development of the Brazilian economy. 10,756 wagons and 217 locomotives depart along a given route. More than 35 different trains travel along this road, including one of the largest trains in the world, consisting of 330 cars. The length of the train is about 3300 meters.

4. Train S-400 Association of American Railways, USA

Freight trains generate revenues of up to $60 billion and play an important role in the country's economy. Boxcars are used to transport mineral and renewable resources. Most freight trains are owned by private companies, and 15 to 20 percent of their budget is invested to further develop the company. One of the largest operating freight locomotives in the Association of American Railroads, the S-400 has many safety features such as electronically controlled aerodynamic and air braking systems that prevent cars from derailing during tight turns. The S-400 locomotive consists of 180 cars and reaches a length of up to 3659 meters. Fourth place among longest trains.

3. Radio distribution power trains, South Africa

The railway for transporting iron ore is 861 kilometers long. The road, built in 1976, connects iron ore mines from Sisheni in the Northern Cape to the port of Saldanha in the western province, and was originally used to transport iron ore and was not used to transport passengers. The road is one track with dozens of turns so that trains can turn around and go the other way. Initially, the train on this route consisted of electric locomotives pulling 210 cars, each of which carried cargo weighing up to 80 tons. Now the train can consist of 342 cars, so the total length is 3780 meters. The train's carrying capacity is up to 4200 tons.

2. Double-stack container trains, Canada

Double-stack container trains travel on Canadian National Railway using multiple locomotives that carry the entire load. Until the 1990s, the average freight train was up to 1,500 meters long thanks to energy distribution devices. Nowadays you can hardly see trains with a carrying capacity of up to 18,000 tons and a length of up to 4,000 meters. Regular freight trains reach 3,700 meters in length, and freight trains average about 3,000 meters. The longest freight train in Canada is 4,200 meters.

1. BHP Billitron mining train, Australia

The longest train in the world. BHP Billitron operates the Mount Newman Railway, which is used only for private transport of iron ore. The track is 426 km long and is one of the longest private railways in Australia. The road was officially launched in 1969. Train lines run from Newman to Port Hedland, a journey time of approximately 8 hours. They carry iron ore trains, consisting of an average of 250 wagons, with a total length of up to 2.6 km. But in 2001, the train broke all world records, becoming the heaviest and longest train in the world: another 682 cars were attached to the train, carrying 82,000 tons of ore. Thus, the total length of the train was 7350 meters. The train runs from Yandi Mine to Port Hedland using 8 locomotives.

The United States of America has the world's longest railway network, followed by China and India. We present to your attention the longest railways in the world based on their total operating length.

And so, let's go!

United States: 250 thousand km

The US railway network, with a length of more than 250,000 km, is the largest in the world. Freight lines make up about 80% of the country's entire railway network, and the total length of passenger lines is about 35,000 km.

The US freight rail network consists of 538 railroads (7 Class I railroads, 21 regional railroads, and 510 local railroads) operated by private organizations. Union Pacific Railroad and BNSF Railway are among the largest freight railroad networks in the world. Amtrak's national passenger rail network includes more than 30 rail routes connecting 500 destinations in 46 US states.

Currently, the United States has a plan to create a national high-speed rail system with a length of 27 thousand km by 2030. Construction of the California High Speed ​​Rail Link, the nation's first high-speed rail project, already began in 2014. Three other high-speed projects are also in development, including the Midwest High-Speed ​​Rail line connecting Chicago to Indianapolis or St. Louis, the Texas High-Speed ​​Rail and the Northeast High-Speed ​​Corridor.

China: 100 thousand km

China's railway network, with a length of more than 100 thousand km, ranks second in the world. In 2013, the extensive network operated by the state-owned China Railway Corporation carried 2.08 billion passengers (second largest after Indian Railways) and 3.22 billion tons of freight (second largest after the US rail network).

Railroad is the main mode of transport in China. The country's railway network includes more than 90 thousand km of conventional railway routes and about 10 thousand km of high-speed lines. By 2050, the country's total railway network should exceed 270 thousand km.

The rapid expansion of China's high-speed rail network in recent years makes it the largest in the world. The Beijing-Guangzhou High Speed ​​Line (2,298 km) is the world's longest high-speed rail line. According to forecasts, by 2020 the total length of the Chinese high-speed rail network will reach 50 thousand km.

Russia: 85,500 km

The entire Russian railway network, managed by the state monopolist Russian Railways (RZD), covers more than 85,500 km. In 2013, Russian Railways transported 1.08 billion passengers and 1.2 billion tons of cargo - the third largest volume of cargo after the United States and China.

The Russian railway network includes 12 main lines, many of which provide direct connections to European and Asian national railway systems such as Finland, France, Germany, Poland, China, Mongolia and North Korea. The Trans-Siberian Railway (Moscow-Vladivostok line), with a length of 9,289 km, is the longest and one of the busiest railway lines in the world.

In 2009, Russian Railways launched a high-speed express service between St. Petersburg and Moscow (“Sapsan”), which was not particularly successful due to the fact that its movement flows along the same tracks as regular trains. Following this, a dedicated express corridor was planned between the two cities with a proposed investment of $35 billion.

India: 65 thousand km

India's nationwide railway network, the fourth largest in the world, is owned and operated by Indian Railways and covers an operational route of over 65,000 km. In 2013, the Indian railway network transported about 8 billion passengers (1st place in the world) and 1.01 million tons of cargo (4th place in the world).

The Indian railway network is divided into 17 zones and serves more than 19 thousand trains per day, including 12 thousand passenger and 7 thousand freight. By 2017, the national railway operator planned to add 4 thousand km of new lines, as well as significantly transform existing ones. It also plans to build a 3,338 km exclusive freight network with the introduction of the Eastern and Western Dedicated Freight Corridors (DFC), two of the six planned dedicated freight corridors.

As a pilot project, the country is constructing a 534 km long high-speed line on the Mumbai-Ahmedabad route with an estimated investment of US$9.65 billion.

Canada: 48 thousand km

Canada's railway lines are the fifth largest in the world. Canadian National Railway (CN) and Canadian Pacific Railway (CPR) are the two major transit rail networks operating in the country, and Via Rail operates 12,500 km of intercity passenger rail service. Algoma Central Railway and Ontario Northland Railway are among the few small rail operators that provide passenger service to some rural areas of the country.

Three Canadian cities - Montreal, Toronto and Vancouver - have extensive commuter systems. In addition, Rocky Mountaineer and Royal Canadian Pacific offer luxury rail tours that take in the beauty of the country's scenic mountain regions.

However, Canada does not have a single high-speed line on its rail network. Until recently, there have been many proposals for high-speed lines such as Toronto-Montreal, Calgary-Edmonton and Montreal-Boston, but none have moved beyond preliminary studies since January 2014.

Germany: 41 thousand km

The state-owned Deutsche Bahn operates a 41,000 km railway network, which accounts for about 80% of total freight traffic and 99% of long-distance passenger traffic.

In addition to Deutsche Bahn, there are more than 150 private railway companies operating on the network, providing regional passenger and freight services. The S-Bahn serves major suburban and urban areas, and Hamburg Cologne Express (HKX) is the major long-distance passenger operator after Deutsche Bahn.

Since mid-2013, the German railway network has had more than 1,300 km of high-speed lines and more than 400 km of new high-speed lines under construction. In 1991, Deutsche Bahn pioneered the InterCity Express (ICE) high-speed service. Now, a high-speed network, allowing express trains to reach speeds of up to 320 km/h, connects major German cities and neighboring countries such as France, Switzerland, Belgium, the Netherlands and Austria.

Australia: 40 thousand km

The Australian rail network is the seventh largest in the world. Much of the rail network infrastructure is owned and maintained by the Australian government, either at the federal or state level. However, most trains are operated by private companies.

Aurizon (formerly QR National), Genesee and Wyoming Australia, and Pacific National are among the country's major cargo operators. Great Southern Railway, NSW TrainLink and Queensland Rail are the leading long distance freight operators. Metro Trains Melbourne, Sydney Trains, V/Line and Adelaide Metro provide commuter passenger services to major Australian destinations. In addition, the country has a number of private mountain railways.

The Australian rail network currently does not have a high speed line. So far there are only plans for its construction - it should connect Brisbane, Sydney, Canberra and Melbourne. With an estimated construction cost of $114 billion, the first phase of the 1,748-kilometer high-speed network won't be delivered until 2035.

Argentina: 36 thousand km

Argentina's current rail network of over 36,000 km ranks eighth in the world. At the end of World War II, Argentina had about 47 thousand km of railway tracks, which were operated mainly by British and French railway companies. But declining profits and increased highway construction in subsequent decades led to a reduction in the network to 36 thousand km, which remains at this level to this day. In 1948, the railway companies operating on the network were nationalized and the state railway corporation Ferrocarriles Argentinos was formed.

The Argentine Railway was privatized between 1992 and 1995, with concessions awarded to various private companies to operate six divisions of the formerly state-owned railway network. Cities such as Buenos Aires, Resistencia and Mendoza offer extensive commuter passenger services as well as long-distance domestic passenger services.

Argentina's much-discussed high-speed rail is still only a dream. In 2006, development of a 310-kilometer high-speed line between Buenos Aires and Rosario was announced. However, the project was not implemented. A second high-speed line of 400 km between Rosario and Cordoba has also been proposed.

France: 29 thousand km

The French railway network is the second largest in Europe and the ninth largest in the world. The French railway network is predominantly focused on passenger transport. More than 50% of the country's railway lines are electrified. Société Nationale des Chemins de fer Français (SNCF) is the country's main railway operator.

The country's high-speed, long-distance passenger services are known as Train à Grande Vitesse (TGV), while standard long-distance passenger services are branded Intercités. Short and medium distance passenger transport services are known as Transport Express Régional (TER). The network offers connections to neighboring countries such as Belgium, Italy and the UK.

France was one of the first to develop technology for high-speed rail, with SNCF introducing the TGV high-speed rail in 1981. The country's current high-speed network exceeds 1,550 km. The Tours-Bordeaux high-speed rail project, which was due to be completed in 2017, will add another 302 km.

Brazil: 28 thousand km

The first railway line in Brazil began operating in 1984. In 1957, the railway network was nationalized and the Rede Ferroviária Federal Sociedade Anônima (RFFSA) was created. The country's railway network has been divided into different services, which have been operated by a number of private and public operators since 2007.

The 28,000 km network is mainly focused on freight and iron ore. Passenger transport services in the country are mainly concentrated in urban and suburban areas. Eight Brazilian cities have a metro system, the largest being the São Paulo Metro.

In 2012, the Brazilian government announced the construction of 10 thousand km of new freight and high-speed passenger lines by 2042. The country also plans to build a high-speed rail link between Sao Paulo and Rio de Janeiro with a length of 511 km.

The Trans-Siberian Railway or the Great Siberian Road, which connects the Russian capital Moscow with Vladivostok, until recently bore the honorary title of the longest railway in the world. But when the New Silk Road was launched, it moved the Trans-Siberian Railway to second place, since it became noticeably longer than the previous record holder. The longest railway routes include unique routes with a length of many thousands of kilometers, during the journey along which a person can learn a lot of new things about our planet.

1. Madrid-Iwu, or “New Silk Road” (13,052 km)

Nowadays, delivering goods from the Middle Kingdom to Europe does not require dangerous months-long off-road journeys on horses and camels. However, to avoid this, huge investments are required. The Chinese have historically dreamed of making the direction to the West profitable, fast and reliable, and at some point they attracted Russian specialists to cooperation.
The length of the railway with the great name “New Silk Road” was 13,052 kilometers. This is exactly how much railway track was needed to connect the capital of Spain with the small Chinese town of Yiwu. After completion of construction, this railway became the world record holder in terms of length. The Chinese government did not skimp and spent about $40 billion to improve the railway infrastructure and increase the tonnage of goods transported along it.
At the end of 2014, a train from the Chinese city of Yiwu, located on the Pacific coast, solemnly set off, and 21 days later it finished in distant Madrid. This was the beginning of the world's longest railway line. Unfortunately, the quality of the track does not yet allow comfortable passenger express trains to run along it; the movement of trains is strongly influenced by weather and other natural factors, but despite this, the beginning of the operation of this highway allowed the world economy to rise one step higher.

2. Moscow-Vladivostok, or Trans-Siberian Railway (9,289 km)

This road runs exclusively through Russian territory; it was the first to globally connect Europe and Asia. The construction of the Trans-Siberian Railway began in 1891. Returning from a months-long sea cruise from Japan, the heir to the throne Nikolai Romanov (the future last Emperor Nicholas II) laid the first stone of the Ussuri Railway in the vicinity of Vladivostok. The longest railway in Russia, like beads, strung 87 cities, 5 federal districts and 8 time zones. 81% of the length of this route is in the Asian part, and the rest is in the European part.
The Soviet builders of the BAM could have envied the speed of construction of this railway line - the route from Kotlas and Miass to Port Arthur and Vladivostok appeared in just 13.5 years (1891-1904). Basically, the “cast iron” passed through undeveloped lands and areas of permafrost. Many bridges were thrown across large rivers. The construction of the Trans-Siberian Railway was completed on October 1 (old style) 1904. But even after the official completion, construction continued for many years. For example, only in 1938 was the second track completed. This legendary railway, with a length of 9289 kilometers, was launched at the height of the First World War - in 1916.
To get from the capital to Vladivostok, a traveler will need to spend 167 hours on the train, which will make 120 stops during this time. Traveling along the Trans-Siberian Railway is akin to a long tourist voyage - during the journey passengers will see many famous settlements, natural attractions of incredible beauty and pristineness. In addition, winding up kilometers, the train gradually crosses 8 time zones.

Each culture has its own way of life, traditions and delicacies, in particular. What seems ordinary to some people is perceived as...

3. Moscow-Beijing (8,984 km)

Russia and China are long-time partners with common interests not only in politics and economics, but also in culture. It is not surprising that the capitals of these huge countries were connected by a direct railway line, which stretches for 8984 kilometers. The journey from one capital to another lasts about 145 hours. A significant part of the train route travels along the already mentioned Trans-Siberian Railway, but in Chita, cars heading to China turn towards the Chinese border. This is followed by a 6-hour stop in Zabaikalsk, where border control and a change of wheelsets are carried out, since the track width in the two countries is different.

4. Far Eastern Railway (6,826 km)

The length of this route is 6826 kilometers. The railway management is located in Khabarovsk. Throughout the journey, the train passes through 416 stations, as well as 3 state border crossing points. Travelers sitting on the train will not get bored, as they can admire the nature of the reserves and the view of permafrost zones.

5. Gorky railway (5,296 km)

In 1936, the Gorky Railway with a length of 5296 kilometers was formed. This highway is being modernized all the time, for example, in 2010, Sapsan, a high-speed electric train produced by the German company Siemens, began running along it, which began delivering passengers in a shorter time. For example, with its help it became possible to get from Moscow to Nizhny Novgorod in 3.5 hours. Every year over 52 million passengers travel along the Gorky Railway. For Russia, this direction has long been an important economic and political factor; historical cities are located along its route, along the way you can see large forests and picturesque landscapes.

Most people want to get a window seat on an airplane to enjoy the views below, including take-off and landing views...

6. Lhasa-Guangzhou (4,980 km)

Inside China there is another long railway with 4980 kilometer pillars. It connects the port city of Guangzhou and the continental Lhasa, located in the Tibetan Plateau. Train T264 covers this epic journey in 54.5 hours. The guides tell passengers about the sights flashing outside the windows in three languages. The train has a 24-hour restaurant where you can sample Tibetan and Chinese cuisine.
In recent decades, China has taken a leading position in the world in organizing modern railway networks. The Chinese are using the latest construction technologies, putting modern high-speed trains on the rails, capable of racing much faster than ordinary cars.

7. Yining-Shanghai (4,742 km)

In 2014, traffic was opened on a new railway route connecting Shanghai and Yining, 4,742 kilometers long. Passenger trains move along it, and they successively cross 7 Chinese provinces, in which they make 32 stops. The travel time is 56 hours, during which passengers cross most of China and have the opportunity to admire its beauty, of which there really is a lot.

8. Urumqi-Guangzhou (4,684 km)

This railway connects the northwestern lands of China with its southeastern regions; its length was 4,684 kilometers, and it would take 49.5 hours to overcome them. There are three trains operating here, which most often carry businessmen, politicians and just travelers who want to get to Guangzhou.

9. Toronto-Vancouver (4,466 km)

In Canada, VIA Rail trains run between Vancouver and Toronto along a route of 4,466 kilometers. They make 66 stops along the way. But passengers sitting in comfortable carriages do not have to be bored, as the snow-capped peaks of the Rocky Mountains, the untouched Canadian taiga and various natural attractions flash past the windows. Passengers often manage to not only admire the scenery, but also see deer, elk or bears.

The German statistical company Jacdec has compiled its authoritative ranking of the safest airlines in the world for 2018. The compilers of this list...

10. Chicago - Los Angeles (4,390 km)

The transcontinental American highway connects Los Angeles and Chicago, which are on opposite sides of the North American continent. This route is operated by the state-owned Amtrak. The length of the route is 4,390 kilometers, which trains cover on average in 65 hours. During their journey, they cross 7 states and make 40 stops along the way. For the convenience of travelers, the train cars have a special design - there are windows not only on their sides, but also on the roof.