South Africa puts the longest freight train ever into service

South African state-owned transport and logistics company Transnet says it tested the longest freight train ever made. Measuring 7.6 kilometres and made up of 696 empty wagons, it travelled 860 kilometres on 18 October between Saldanha Bay and an inland iron ore mine. Electric and diesel locomotives were distributed along the train. Transnet says it surpassed the previous record, set in 2001 by a 4.5-mile train running between an iron ore mine and a port in Western Australia.