Non-UK viewers in particular should note that the maximum length of a train in the UK is determined by the spacing of signals and junctions not the pulling power of the locomotives. The spacing of junctions can be quite small for reasons of history and geography. The signals also tend to be closely spaced, allowing for minimum headway, i.e. many trains running at high speeds. As always with railways it is a case of 'horses for courses'.
I would think it has to be a contender. The longest train I ever saw was in the mid 70s when the M42 was being built near Solihull, WMids. A new bridge was built along side the main line, and the the lines were slewed side ways onto the new bridge. A train of empty rail wagons 2*47s, a train of loaded rail wagons, and then the associated spoil wagons two locos up front and one at the rear. I believe it was 3/4 mile long in total. Certainly the longest I've ever seen, and happened on two consecutive weekends. Saturday nights have never been the same since, lol 🤣🤣
This monster passes my house on occasions, heading for High Marnham on the test track. It takes it ages to pass as its on a gradient. The 66s are on full power everytime. There's definately some weight to haul there.
An an ex Pat living in Aus now there are some decent trains here and not only freight trains. It's common for coal trains to be over a hundred wagons long. Iron ore trains in the Kimberleys in WA can reach 3 kilometres long. The Ghan a passenger train from Adelaide to Darwin is 1100 metres long. Of course you need to see the Canadian freight trains that you get to see on the Rockie mountaineer, they haul 180 wagons. As for me, I'd rather see an A4 with 13 behind any day.
It is certainly up there as a contender. I have seen long coal trains as they used to deliver coal to the power stations of Egg borough, Drax, and Ferrybridge. Just a case of monitoring Real Time trains website to see what's on the move, The ones to watch are the Anglo-Scottish container trains going up the WCML.
There’s a railcam at Fort Madison in the US…….. Amazing freight trains pass all the time and there’s a swing bridge for passing river traffic…… Worth a look…….
Some of the Westbury trains are heavier and longer and use 1 loco. Its also the UK record holder at 10000t I think or enough that. Its rare to see long trains in the UK because somewhere there needs to be a siding it can park. We don't have half mile sidings in many places.
It is I believe the leading longest when it is maxed out with MFS' (20 or 22 per side). Recently we've had the Toton - Dollands Moor car train that is staggeringly long (40 odd wagons) plus the Freightliner trial freight they've done with 2 trains of about 20 wagons each coupled together to move as one down to London where they then split - was it for HS2 workflow? I can't remember fully. As I have worked with the 3 HOBCs regularly over the last 3-4 years I can confirm that it can span over half a mile in total (with either 20 or 22 MFS wagons max?), then you take into account the barrier wagon, 2x power cars, the RM and its own 2x powercars in the middle and as per this BCS4 & BCS5 they have a CM which also adds an extra bit of length (BCS3 is the only one that doesn't have a CM - it's the oldest one of the bunch). One half of the train can reach about 400m or more, so in full length it's definitely over 800m. It's a big old beast when the site layout can accommodate a full BCS, otherwise you'll notice considerably less MFS' in the consist (for example 16 or 18 max wagons either side around Wallsall-Cannock or 11 max wagons either side down near Ivybridge-Totnes). I hope this info helps unless you already knew of this then I apologise lol
Only the TRT/TRS, Track Relaying Train/System is bigger (up to half a mile long) but the HOBC comes in at a close second. It is however the heaviest engineering Train on the network
@@MalcolmCrabbe depends on the route its taking, system 4 which is the one I'm working with is currently going out at 1800 tnns due to the Devon Banks. 2 66s are employed regardless of weight.
US trains, especially on the Transcon can run to 16000 feet, around 5000 metres. These are seen fairly regularly nowadays but have to be run as priority freights as they cannot fit into any sidings or one signal spacing. Often their use is to the detriment of other freight and, especially, Amtrak services.
Yikes, that is long! I just hope that nothing that long ever travels between the North London Line and Tilbury via Stratford and the Great Eastern Mainline during the rush hour!
I love the class 66. I know little about trains but it seems to me they punch aboe their weight when it comes to pulling power. And they look good too!
the class 66 is the Anglosized version of the American SD40-2, in the states anything that can be be pulled by 1 train is considered to be light-work (a more standard train will have 2 or more engines hooked up and working together to pull even longer trains)
Simon & Sam - Tyne Yard, Toton Sandiacre, Fairwater Yard, Parkeston, Whitemoor or Crewe Basford Hall. HO did used Willesden Euroterminal around 2015 but then that closed down(?), now in use for the OOC HS2 works? There's 3x BCS machines so you'll see multiple around. Then you have the 2 TRS machines which are dotted about, one is Parkeston at the moment
Apologies if this is an SBO question but with a train such as this is the control gear of the two loco's electrically connected through the length of the train so both respond as one or is it the skill of the rear driver mimicking what the front loco is doing?
Graham, there is a driver per loco. The leading driver can contact the rear driver via gsmr phone to ask for power assistance, although the drivers know the route so usually know when to give power
@@dangerousbrian9949 No, the driver of the lead loco controls the whole of the train through an electrical link (maybe even radio- linked nowadays) so both locos share the load. The driver in the rear loco who was picked up at Crewe would be there for if the train had to reverse.
@Mike Price that's incorrect. There is a driver per loco there is no electric cable. As I said before, the lead driver is in overall control obviously but when it comes to needing assistance to get up a steep gradient, they will phone the rear driver via the gsmr in cab phone for them to power up. I've worked for Freightliner for over 10 years on the high output ballast cleaner systems and the track relaying system and there's definitely no cable!
@@dangerousbrian9949 UK trains routinely use dispersed drive control, especially in the multiple traction axles used by most passenger emus and dmus. Even the Class 43 HST had single driver operation despite having power cars at each end. Freight trains have connectivity throughout their length both for the air brakes and, in the case of a 'banked' train (except for 1 end steam haulage) for lights and power control. In any crew change I have seen, either in person, or in RUclips videos I have never seen drivers in 2 locos on a train.
@Mike Price well then it must be a figment of my imagination then Mike when the HOBC or TRT is cancelled due to not having 2 drivers to take it out!! Of course HST's do not have 2 drivers, there's no need to on the simple fact that they don't weigh 2,500 tnn plus and are electrically through wired where as any freight train I have ever worked on is not electrically controlled in any way shape or form
I hope this isn't a stupid question, but how do you get two locos to exert the same tractive force so that one isn't pushing or pulling the other to some degree?
Here in the U.S., the rear loco works in tandem with the front loco by radio. Whatever the lead loco does, so does the rear. There is no crew on the rear loco.
Gerald - Not a stupid question. I don't think it's easy to stop pulling/pushing as different locos may act differently from each other (1 might be somewhat tired and have worn motors so have reduced tractive effort where the other has had some fresh motors fitted with hardly any wear for example) - you could ask the same question for locos working in multiple with slight pushing/pulling motions depending on their individual tractive effort. But regardless the rear loco will help up banks as the front loco either can't haul or may struggle to haul and/or keep to time whilst hauling the train up some gradients on its own. The HOBC/BCS' & TRS' have to have drivers powering both locos on all moves to and from site if possible - usually.
as i understand it, washing the ballast, removing smaller pieces and dirt, and then reusing the bigger pieces again. never seen one in operation though.
The High Output Ballast Cleaner uses a cutter bar (which is housed in the RM, the middle bit of the machine), this removes the old ballast which is conveyed into one half of the train (spoil portion) to be disposed of at a spoil tip. simultaneously new ballast is fed from the opposite end of the train into a hopper in the ballast power car which Is then dropped into the 4ft/cess
Non-UK viewers in particular should note that the maximum length of a train in the UK is determined by the spacing of signals and junctions not the pulling power of the locomotives. The spacing of junctions can be quite small for reasons of history and geography. The signals also tend to be closely spaced, allowing for minimum headway, i.e. many trains running at high speeds. As always with railways it is a case of 'horses for courses'.
I would think it has to be a contender. The longest train I ever saw was in the mid 70s when the M42 was being built near Solihull, WMids. A new bridge was built along side the main line, and the the lines were slewed side ways onto the new bridge. A train of empty rail wagons 2*47s, a train of loaded rail wagons, and then the associated spoil wagons two locos up front and one at the rear. I believe it was 3/4 mile long in total. Certainly the longest I've ever seen, and happened on two consecutive weekends. Saturday nights have never been the same since, lol 🤣🤣
Station announcement at Crewe “stand back at platform 4 this train does not stop here” whilst simultaneously at Stafford the same message plays…
You'd have a problem if that train went into platform 4 at crewe!!!
@@markwebster7128 ahhh I just picked a random number for effect!
I love it. Its such a massive snake of complex machinery in the classic Network Rail yellow!
This monster passes my house on occasions, heading for High Marnham on the test track. It takes it ages to pass as its on a gradient. The 66s are on full power everytime. There's definately some weight to haul there.
Freight trains are amazing. The sheer power.
These came down by my house last year, was really quite awesome to see them working up close.
"Er - excuse me, is that Harry at the back? Could you push a bit harder, please mate?"
Well that's a long train!
Thats got to be the longest and long wagons too what a catch cheers for sharing great vid love 66s
What an absolute monster of a train 😎
An an ex Pat living in Aus now there are some decent trains here and not only freight trains.
It's common for coal trains to be over a hundred wagons long.
Iron ore trains in the Kimberleys in WA can reach 3 kilometres long.
The Ghan a passenger train from Adelaide to Darwin is 1100 metres long.
Of course you need to see the Canadian freight trains that you get to see on the Rockie mountaineer, they haul 180 wagons.
As for me, I'd rather see an A4 with 13 behind any day.
It says something about the power of a Shed that it only takes two of them to move this behemoth.
It is certainly up there as a contender. I have seen long coal trains as they used to deliver coal to the power stations of Egg borough, Drax, and Ferrybridge. Just a case of monitoring Real Time trains website to see what's on the move, The ones to watch are the Anglo-Scottish container trains going up the WCML.
There’s a railcam at Fort Madison in the US…….. Amazing freight trains pass all the time and there’s a swing bridge for passing river traffic…… Worth a look…….
Thanks John.. Will take a look 👍
The cam at La Plata is even better with huge freight trains thundering past the small station there.
Compared to Australia, Brazil, orNorth America a 40 car MOW train is nothing. Nice to hear the EMD power at both ends.
A train identical to this ran north from Tyne Yard for a few nights recently. 2600 tons according to RTT.
Very impressive! I saw one of these at Leicester Station
Thanks for uploading great video 👍
Got to be a contender, either that or the water train.
Here in Canada some of the stacked container trains are anywhere from 10 to 12 thousand feet long.
Thankfully you have the room to put them somewhere!
Saw several recently when travelling from Vancouver to Jasper, seem to go on for ever.
I know ...I got stuck at a crossing near Jasper..kept the kids happy counting cars.
Nice video, thanks. Worth getting up early for!
Watching this reminded me of the video for Windowlicker by Aphex Twin with the limousine that goes on forever
Who knows, but that growth from the track at 3:50 must rank as one of the biggest weeds on the mainline network hahahaha
Weeds are out of control in many places nowadays 🙈🙈
For sure its up there for a strong contender.
excellent catch 👍the longest train I've seen is the H O B C I've seen at minster thanet and Ashford International
Some of the Westbury trains are heavier and longer and use 1 loco. Its also the UK record holder at 10000t I think or enough that. Its rare to see long trains in the UK because somewhere there needs to be a siding it can park. We don't have half mile sidings in many places.
Now that's what I call a train!😊😊
It is I believe the leading longest when it is maxed out with MFS' (20 or 22 per side). Recently we've had the Toton - Dollands Moor car train that is staggeringly long (40 odd wagons) plus the Freightliner trial freight they've done with 2 trains of about 20 wagons each coupled together to move as one down to London where they then split - was it for HS2 workflow? I can't remember fully.
As I have worked with the 3 HOBCs regularly over the last 3-4 years I can confirm that it can span over half a mile in total (with either 20 or 22 MFS wagons max?), then you take into account the barrier wagon, 2x power cars, the RM and its own 2x powercars in the middle and as per this BCS4 & BCS5 they have a CM which also adds an extra bit of length (BCS3 is the only one that doesn't have a CM - it's the oldest one of the bunch). One half of the train can reach about 400m or more, so in full length it's definitely over 800m. It's a big old beast when the site layout can accommodate a full BCS, otherwise you'll notice considerably less MFS' in the consist (for example 16 or 18 max wagons either side around Wallsall-Cannock or 11 max wagons either side down near Ivybridge-Totnes). I hope this info helps unless you already knew of this then I apologise lol
Great info - Thanks! 👌👍
@@trainsplanes no worries mate :) glad I could help
When I was at Leicester someone told me the Big One! was coming
Freightliner class 59 pulls 44 loaded at 75t each into an aggregate yard each week.. Think that comes in at 4400t altogether
excellent video!
My old weekend job out of Tyne yard. Some of the Corby car trains I used to work up to Rugby must have come pretty close to the HOBC though.
Only the TRT/TRS, Track Relaying Train/System is bigger (up to half a mile long) but the HOBC comes in at a close second. It is however the heaviest engineering Train on the network
Those Locos were working hard to get it moving - Payload was significant.
@@trainsplanes yep probably a couple of thousand tonne, maybe a bit less
@@dangerousbrian9949 normal configuration makes the train around half a mile long and around 3500 tones, hence the need for two 66's
@@MalcolmCrabbe depends on the route its taking, system 4 which is the one I'm working with is currently going out at 1800 tnns due to the Devon Banks. 2 66s are employed regardless of weight.
I want to see one of these things actually working !
Me too 😀👍
See what I can do. I'm on annual leave for a week now
Bloody hell I've never seen one as long as that, I wonder what all the rolling stock was for
Ballast cleaning.
2
Look for High Output Ballast Cleaner. Network Rail has a showcase in RUclips.
Great video, thank you. Longest in UK possibly, but USA freights I've counted at 166+.
The clue in the title being “UK” in capital letters.
US trains, especially on the Transcon can run to 16000 feet, around 5000 metres. These are seen fairly regularly nowadays but have to be run as priority freights as they cannot fit into any sidings or one signal spacing. Often their use is to the detriment of other freight and, especially, Amtrak services.
I counted 39.
According to Network Rail themselves this train comes in at half a mile in length!
Fantastic love it great work 👌
Yikes, that is long!
I just hope that nothing that long ever travels between the North London Line and Tilbury via Stratford and the Great Eastern Mainline during the rush hour!
What is all that equipment for? What does it do?
pure power
This must be a track maintenance vehicle.
Did I see that right, all those cars hauled by only 2 locos 😮😮😮
Yes - One loco at each end 👍
excellent video 🚂🚂🚂🚂👌👌
Looks like all Network Rails stock was allon that train!
I may be wrong, but is that entire monster of a train hauled souly by 2 class 66s?
Yes! One loco at end each, top and tail 👍
Ballast wagons ?
Yes it is
What do these wagons do, is it track laying ballasts? -no need to reply just read the description!!!
I love the class 66. I know little about trains but it seems to me they punch aboe their weight when it comes to pulling power. And they look good too!
Hi John, They’re definitely working hard here to get this payload moving.
the class 66 is the Anglosized version of the American SD40-2, in the states anything that can be be pulled by 1 train is considered to be light-work (a more standard train will have 2 or more engines hooked up and working together to pull even longer trains)
3:19 I was wondering if it was one locomotive doing the work
Wow I think they would have to loop passenger trains to avoid that monster train.
When they are working it's usually either on a complete possession of the line, or trains run past on the opposite line if available.
Hope I never I have to wait at a level crossing for it to pass
Is that real?
The longest train is the Freightliner junbo train that consists of 39 wagons
Inb4 Americans comment "hurr durr our trains are 4x that length"
Might be but you run 8 locomotives for that.
About 700m long I think? Think I've seen Network Rail claim the ballast cleaner is the UK longest train.
No, the merehead jumbo trains are the longest and heaviest. There is a video on here of 2x 56's drawing one back after the 59 failed, very long.
yes it is a long one
Those wagons seem to each have their own conveyor. I have not a clue what this rolling stock actually does
Hi Randle, they are called HOBC - High output ballast cleaner.
Think it could be
Good heavens… where is that going to fit?
Simon & Sam - Tyne Yard, Toton Sandiacre, Fairwater Yard, Parkeston, Whitemoor or Crewe Basford Hall. HO did used Willesden Euroterminal around 2015 but then that closed down(?), now in use for the OOC HS2 works? There's 3x BCS machines so you'll see multiple around. Then you have the 2 TRS machines which are dotted about, one is Parkeston at the moment
@@PoxyMoxon97 many thanks for knowledgable reply 😀
@@PoxyMoxon97 interesting. Thank you
@@dodgy1954 no worries at all mate. I work for High Output so these places are our bases for the trains
Must be at least two miles long
Apologies if this is an SBO question but with a train such as this is the control gear of the two loco's electrically connected through the length of the train so both respond as one or is it the skill of the rear driver mimicking what the front loco is doing?
Graham, there is a driver per loco. The leading driver can contact the rear driver via gsmr phone to ask for power assistance, although the drivers know the route so usually know when to give power
@@dangerousbrian9949 No, the driver of the lead loco controls the whole of the train through an electrical link (maybe even radio- linked nowadays) so both locos share the load. The driver in the rear loco who was picked up at Crewe would be there for if the train had to reverse.
@Mike Price that's incorrect. There is a driver per loco there is no electric cable. As I said before, the lead driver is in overall control obviously but when it comes to needing assistance to get up a steep gradient, they will phone the rear driver via the gsmr in cab phone for them to power up. I've worked for Freightliner for over 10 years on the high output ballast cleaner systems and the track relaying system and there's definitely no cable!
@@dangerousbrian9949 UK trains routinely use dispersed drive control, especially in the multiple traction axles used by most passenger emus and dmus. Even the Class 43 HST had single driver operation despite having power cars at each end.
Freight trains have connectivity throughout their length both for the air brakes and, in the case of a 'banked' train (except for 1 end steam haulage) for lights and power control. In any crew change I have seen, either in person, or in RUclips videos I have never seen drivers in 2 locos on a train.
@Mike Price well then it must be a figment of my imagination then Mike when the HOBC or TRT is cancelled due to not having 2 drivers to take it out!! Of course HST's do not have 2 drivers, there's no need to on the simple fact that they don't weigh 2,500 tnn plus and are electrically through wired where as any freight train I have ever worked on is not electrically controlled in any way shape or form
I hope this isn't a stupid question, but how do you get two locos to exert the same tractive force so that one isn't pushing or pulling the other to some degree?
I think the rear loco is actually dead so the front loco is doing all the work
@@09weenic Thanks. That's certainly a powerful loco.
Here in the U.S., the rear loco works in tandem with the front loco by radio. Whatever the lead loco does, so does the rear. There is no crew on the rear loco.
Gerald - Not a stupid question. I don't think it's easy to stop pulling/pushing as different locos may act differently from each other (1 might be somewhat tired and have worn motors so have reduced tractive effort where the other has had some fresh motors fitted with hardly any wear for example) - you could ask the same question for locos working in multiple with slight pushing/pulling motions depending on their individual tractive effort. But regardless the rear loco will help up banks as the front loco either can't haul or may struggle to haul and/or keep to time whilst hauling the train up some gradients on its own. The HOBC/BCS' & TRS' have to have drivers powering both locos on all moves to and from site if possible - usually.
They’re connected via wiring, it’s essentially the same as a push pull system like those in the DVTs
The longest train would be the euro tunnel
max 750m
no i've seen longer through Cardiff
Well if the yanks/Aussies can do it well I suppose we can too
What are the Wagons for?
as i understand it, washing the ballast, removing smaller pieces and dirt, and then reusing the bigger pieces again. never seen one in operation though.
@@timstrainvideos142 . Thanks.
It’s the high output train
m.ruclips.net/video/4AomnSbnwus/видео.html
The High Output Ballast Cleaner uses a cutter bar (which is housed in the RM, the middle bit of the machine), this removes the old ballast which is conveyed into one half of the train (spoil portion) to be disposed of at a spoil tip. simultaneously new ballast is fed from the opposite end of the train into a hopper in the ballast power car which Is then dropped into the 4ft/cess
@@dangerousbrian9949 , many thanks for a fulsome reply.
Yes and no
Bro these are like average indian loads 45 cars Australia has biggest trains
Oi