Over the past three weeks, Deutsche Bahn AG has conducted some 30 test runs between Maschen marshalling yard near Hamburg and Ringsted in Denmark involving freight trains with a length of more than 800 metres. The operating regulations currently in force at DB AG envisage a maximum train length of 700 metres.
The deployment of longer trains would enable better capacity exploitation on the heavily utilised rail network. It would also improve the cost effectiveness of rail transports and thus boost rail’s competitiveness compared with other transport modes. “We wish to secure a high proportion of the traffic growth for Germany as a transit country and expect to see particular benefits from these longer trains in seaport hinterland traffic,” explained Dr. Klaus Kremper, Chairman of the Management  Board of Railion Deutschland AG, the Deutsche Bahn freight railway. “Our long-term goal is to be able to run longer trains on all European railway networks.” 
The trial operations were conducted on the approx. 210-kilometre long German section of the line, with a pair of trains with a total maximum train length of 835 metres and a weight of up to 2,300 tonnes running during the night. These trials were part of a pilot project for the “GZ 1000” project, which is supported by the Federal Ministry of Economics and Technology. Dr. Lutz Bücken, generally authorised representative for Integrated Systems Rail, which is responsible for handling the project, commented, “ This is a perfect example of how rail, with its integrated systems expertise, is systematically developing railway operations. This will strengthen rail’s position in relation to its competitors.”  In the course of the project, DB is currently investigating the market potential, the operating feasibility and potential profitability of freight trains with a length of approx. 1,000 meters on selected routes.