"Monster Trains"

Union Pacific is trying something new by creating 3 1/2 mile long freight trains:

Earlier this year, Union Pacific quietly ran a record-setting "monster" freight train over its Sunset Route, from Dallas to Long Beach, using the 3.5-mile-long behemoth during a one-time test of new distributed-power configurations that may help make long trains even longer. Distributed-power units (DPUs) are extra locomotives that are placed between or behind freight cars on very long trains to help them haul long, heavy loads without derailing.

Originally, DPUs were just for coal trains facing steep hills. "It was typically two on the front and two on the rear of the coal trains," says Mike Iden, director of car and locomotive engineering at Union Pacific. The concept has been brought into the 21st century by positioning more DPUs along the length of the train cars where, rather than be remotely operated by a conductor, the DPUs communicate among themselves. During a test in January, nine cutting-edge GE Evolution locomotives rolled past, each push-pulling a 6000-foot "consist" of double-stacked container cars. Each of the eight unmanned engines was connected wirelessly to the lead train car, also an Evolution, so the group's braking and acceleration could be coordinated. One monster freight takes over 600 18-wheel trucks off the road, but many double-tracked rail lines are currently too narrow to accommodate the girth of the train if another passes by.

The trains that we usually see rolling through the Fullerton station (like the ones I videotaped here) are about 6,000 feet long. As you can see if you watch the video even at 50 mph they take awhile to pass. Now, try and imagine something three times as long. In fact, you don't have to imagine - you can see the record breaking train here. It took 4 1/2 minutes to go by the cameraman. It wouldn't be much fun sitting at a rail crossing waiting for that thing to go by.