Rudrastra: India’s Longest Train Sets New Freight Record at 4.5 km
Indian Railways has just pulled off a historic achievement – the successful trial run of Rudrastra, the nation’s longest freight train. Measuring an incredible 4.5 kilometers, this record-breaking giant marks a major leap in India’s rail logistics capabilities.
A New Heavyweight in Freight
Rudrastra was developed by the Pandit Deendayal Upadhyay (DDU) Division of the East Central Railway. The train consists of 354 wagons arranged in six BOXN rakes and is powered by seven locomotives — two at the front and five positioned throughout the length for balanced traction.
The inaugural run covered approximately 209 km from Ganjkhwaja in Uttar Pradesh to Garhwa Road in Jharkhand, partly along the Dedicated Freight Corridor (DFC). The journey took around five hours, with an average speed of 40 km/h.
Breaking Old Records
Before Rudrastra, the title of India’s longest train was held by Vasuki, a 3.5 km-long freight train with 300 wagons, run by South East Central Railway in 2021. Rudrastra has now smashed that record, also earning the distinction of being Asia’s longest freight train.
Why Rudrastra Matters
The concept behind Rudrastra is about efficiency and optimization. By combining six freight rakes into a single mega-train, Indian Railways can:
- Reduce crew requirements
- Minimize scheduling delays
- Lower fuel consumption per tonne-km
- Boost freight delivery efficiency
- Cut down carbon emissions
This is especially crucial as India expands its freight capacity to meet growing industrial and export demands.
Global Comparison
While Rudrastra is Asia’s longest, the world record still belongs to Australia’s BHP iron ore train, which measures a staggering 7.3 km. However, Rudrastra puts India firmly in the league of nations operating super-long freight trains.
The Road (or Track) Ahead
Indian Railways is likely to expand the Rudrastra model to other high-density freight routes. This could revolutionize cargo movement, reduce operational costs, and make Indian goods more competitive in the global market.