Transnet Freight Rail (TFR) has set a new global benchmark in freight rail operations after safely running a 696-wagon empty train along the Iron Ore Export Line from Saldanha to the Northern Cape.
The train reached Loop 18 on 18 October 2026, completing the longest train movement ever assembled and operated on the corridor and establishing a new world record for freight rail operations.
Beyond the record itself, the achievement highlights the engineering capabilities, operational expertise and technological innovation underpinning the Iron Ore Export Line, one of the world's leading heavy-haul rail systems. The exercise also generated technical insights that could inform the future development of rail operations.
The initiative brought together TFR's Train Design Technology and Operations teams, Transnet Engineering, the Transnet Rail Infrastructure Manager (TRIM) and the Railway Safety Regulator. Conducted as a dynamic train evaluation programme, the operation aimed both to establish a world record and to deepen technical understanding of train design, handling and operational performance.
The train consisted of 696 empty CR13/14 wagons operating in a Radio Distributed Power (RDP) configuration. It was hauled by a combination of Class 15E electric and Class 43D diesel-electric locomotives. The RDP system enables locomotives positioned at different points along the train to function in synchronisation, distributing traction and braking forces in a controlled manner across its entire length.
Transnet tests limits of heavy-haul rail operations
Transnet sets world record with 696-Wagon freight train
