South Africa builds 7.6km-long train with 696 wagons to break 25-year world record
The previous Guinness World Record was established by Australian mining company BHP Iron Ore in June 2001
Published October 27, 2026
South Africa has claimed to have broken a 25-year-old world record by successfully operating a freight train stretching 7.6 kilometres (4.7 miles), surpassing the previous record set by Australia in 2001.
The train, consisting of 696 wagons, completed an 860-kilometre journey from Saldanha Bay on the country's west coast to an iron ore mining region in the Northern Cape on October 18.
According to South Africa's state-owned logistics company Transnet Freight Rail, the train was powered by a combination of electric and diesel locomotives positioned at different points along its length.
Interestingly, all 696 wagons were empty during the two-day journey, as the operation was designed to test the railway network's ability to handle unusually long trains rather than transport cargo.
The train was operated using Radio Distributed Power (RDP) technology, which allows locomotives positioned throughout the train to coordinate acceleration and braking.
The technology helps reduce pressure on the connections between wagons, which could otherwise become dangerous when operating a train stretching several kilometres.
The previous Guinness World Record was established by Australian mining company BHP Iron Ore in June 2001, when it operated a 7.35-kilometre train comprising 682 wagons.
South Africa's latest train was approximately 250 metres longer and had 14 additional wagons.
However, the new record has yet to receive official certification from Guinness World Records.
Transnet Freight Rail chief executive Russell Baatjies said the operation would help engineers improve the country's ability to transport minerals and other goods over long distances.
South Africa had previously held the longest freight train record in 1989 before Australia surpassed it in 2001.
The company said the latest test would provide valuable information about train handling, braking systems and railway infrastructure, although it does not mean trains of this length will immediately enter regular commercial service.
