Pakistan Railways has successfully commenced the trial run of the longest and heaviest freight train in the nation's history, reported 24NewsHd TV channel Thursday.

The colossal train, stretching over one kilometre and 2500 feet, embarked on its journey from Karachi Paper Yard to Kotri.

This record-breaking event saw a single powerful locomotive, the GEU-40 with 4563 horsepower, pulling the massive train comprising 50 hopper wagons loaded with 3000 tonnes of cargo. Weighing in at 4132 tons, the train was operated by a mere crew of three individuals, efficiently managing both the head and tail ends.

The trial run demonstrated the train's robust capabilities, achieving speeds exceeding 60 km per hour over a distance of 127 km. Following the successful trial and offloading of extra weight, the freight train proceeded to its intended destination.

This achievement comes as Pakistan Railways prepares to bolster its freight operations in response to government-imposed axle load limits and a surge in intra-country cargo demand from the port.

With a fleet of 53 powerful GEU locomotives at its disposal, the Railway Department is poised to enhance its operational capacity to meet the growing needs.