It's a two-year old video, but it sounds an awful lot like the European Union just got around to noticing that distributed power is a thing:
This Railway Gazette article makes it seem even more likely that this is the case.
---PCJ
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A 1,500 meter train is the longest train in Europe? Wow. They are behind the times.
1,500 meters is 4,921 feet. At an average of 60 feet per car, that's 82 cars. Big deal.
We run scores of trains twice that long every day in the USA.
OGR Webmaster posted:A 1,500 meter train is the longest train in Europe? Wow. They are behind the times.
1,500 meters is 4,921 feet. At an average of 60 feet per car, that's 82 cars. Big deal.
We run scores of trains twice that long every day in the USA.
A 150mph Acela is the fastest train in the USA? Wow. We are behind the times.
The high-speed NorthEast Corridor is 453 miles long. Big Deal. Europe and China have thousands of miles of high-speed electrified track with frequent service.
European and Asian countries run scores of trains twice as fast as typical Amtrak every day.
And their high-speed trains have "distributed power" with multiple powered axles in the train. 
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Ace posted:OGR Webmaster posted:A 1,500 meter train is the longest train in Europe? Wow. They are behind the times.
1,500 meters is 4,921 feet. At an average of 60 feet per car, that's 82 cars. Big deal.
We run scores of trains twice that long every day in the USA.
A 150mph Acela is the fastest train in the USA? Wow. We are behind the times.
The high-speed NorthEast Corridor is 453 miles long. Big Deal. Europe and China have thousands of miles of high-speed electrified track with frequent service.
European and Asian countries run scores of trains twice as fast as typical Amtrak every day.
And their high-speed trains have "distributed power" with multiple powered axles in the train.
I think you should move to the EU seeing how you love them so much 
Apples and oranges, Ace.
The OP's post was about a freight train.
There is no question that they run faster passenger trains in Europe than we do here.
Are there any 450 mile long high speed routes in Europe?
In regard to Freight trains in Europe they run shorter trains but at one hour intervals.On the Rhine they run on both sides of the river,it is a train watchers paradise.As far as passenger trains are concerned the fastest that I have ridden were from Seville to Madrid and Madrid to Barcelona all on welded rail.
Mikey
RJR posted:Are there any 450 mile long high speed routes in Europe?
St Petersburg - Moscow - Novgorod 651 miles
Paris-Marseilles 486 miles
Malaga - Madrid - Barcelona 703 miles
London - Edinburgh 393 miles
Torino - Rome - Naples 811 miles
China has the world's longest High-speed rail (HSR) network with as of September 2016 over 20,000 km (12,000 mi) of track that is part of the network of passenger-dedicated lines (PDLs) in service, a length that is more than the rest of the world's high-speed rail tracks combined.
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Ace posted:RJR posted:Are there any 450 mile long high speed routes in Europe?
China has the world's longest High-speed rail (HSR) network with as of September 2016 over 20,000 km (12,000 mi) of track that is part of the network of passenger-dedicated lines (PDLs) in service, a length that is more than the rest of the world's high-speed rail tracks combined.
Sure hope the QC is better on their HS Loco's than the QC Lionel & MTH get on theirs. 
European freight trains tended to be shorter and run shorter distances, so distributed power was unneeded in most cases. It'll be interesting to see what the set-ups will be if the Chinese complete their "New Silk Road" route from China to Europe. The Brits started out running 125 mph high-speed passenger trains back in the 70s using a diesel power car at each end of the train, but the main North-South routes are all electrified now.
"Distributed power" is not new for European railways, but they have used it for high-power passenger trains rather than long freights. World-wide, a majority of modern long-haul high-speed passenger trains have power units front and rear (and sometimes mid-train, as with double consists) for fast bi-directional trains that don't have to turn at end terminals.
The British Intercity 125 trains (introduced in the 1970's) have locomotive units on each end and are still the world's fastest diesel-powered trains.
photo by Ace 2007
Granted, the term "distributed power" is more typically associated with American-style long freight trains. But in actuality it has other applications as well.
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The NEC might be slower than the rest of the world. However, due to its nature and history, some parts of it might be carrying more passengers per route mile than, say in Europe. On some sections, Acela, NE Direct, and local commuter use the same route at the same time.
Here is an interesting link for UK passenger statistics for those that are into number crunching
Another perspective similar to ACE's, above...
I'm no authority on the matter, mind you, but whereas the population density of the U.S. is concentrated in the 'left' and 'right' coasts, with vast expanses of wonderful farmland, mountains, more distributed population...and less heavy industry than existed about 75-100 years ago...the frequency and distance of freight movement by rail would seem to be quite a different scenario for the EU. To a simple man, as I am, shorter freight trains in comparison to those currently run in the US would seem to be entirely plausible.
Consider, also, that with a high concentration of urban areas throughout the EU, and grade-level crossings yet commonplace, longer trains...freight trains, at their typical speeds...would be more disruptive to the automotive, cycling, and pedestrian traffic passing. And, that's not taking into consideration any reduction in speeds...or worse!!...for scheduling, hazardous situations, etc.. I really don't think the EU population that I met in 20+ years of business trips to Europe would care to sit at a grade crossing through 164 cars of freight moving at...'freight'...speeds. I mean, they're generally more tolerant of a lot of things than are we, but idling in an auto at their price of petrol, wasting time, energy, etc., etc..?.......
Passenger trains?........another issue. But, given the U.S. infatuation (?) with the legal profession/courts, and the ultimate necessity for the employment of "Eminent Domain" and its political brouhaha, I doubt competitive high speed passenger rail system(s) will ever be the norm in continental U.S. of A..
But, like I said, I'm no authority. I'm a retired septuagenarian citizen. It's my humble opinion....nothing more, nothing less.
KD
