Meet one of the most incredible vehicles you’ll find in Australia’s outback—a road train. This massive truck is a true workhorse, designed to deliver fuel to mining sites and remote towns. It can haul a staggering 158,000 liters of diesel (that’s over 41,000 gallons for those using the “old” measurements), weigh 186.5 tonnes (about 411,000 pounds), and stretch an incredible 60 meters (nearly 200 feet) long!
You might wonder, “Why not use trains instead?” It’s a great question, but the answer is simple: Australia is a vast country, nearly as large as the USA, but with just 26 million people, most of whom live along the coast. The center, west, and north are sparsely populated, with remote towns and plenty of mining activity, making road trains essential for transporting goods across long distances.
Imagine if the central part of the USA had hardly any people—that’s how it is in Australia! For outback communities, these giant trucks are a regular sight. In fact, many city dwellers in Australia are surprised when they encounter a roadtrain on their travels. There are a lot of myths about how these trucks behave on the road, but in reality, they are carefully monitored, travel straight, and have a speed limit of 90-100 km/h (about 55-60 mph).
But wait, there’s more! Did you know that Australia is also home to some of the longest and heaviest trains in the world? Iron ore trains in the northwest run up to 40,000+ tonnes and can be nearly 3 kilometers long (about 1.8 miles) with around 240 cars! These trains use massive, imported North American locomotives, which you won’t see anywhere else in the country.
For anyone fascinated by big machines and the power of the outback, Australia is the place to visit. From roadtrains to giant trains, it’s a land where size truly matters.
