China carried out the world's first trial of a 35,000-metric-ton heavy-haul train group formation controlled entirely by wireless signals on Monday, according to state broadcaster China Central Television.
The breakthrough test was conducted on the Baoshen Railway in North China's Inner Mongolia autonomous region.
The railway is a dedicated, heavy-duty freight line connecting Baotou in Inner Mongolia with Shenmu in Shaanxi province. Its primary mission is the large-scale transportation of coal from the rich mines of the Shenmu region and the broader Ordos basin — one of China's key energy hubs.
The trial marked the first time globally that multiple freight trains had operated in a coordinated formation without using traditional mechanical couplers. Instead, the trains relied solely on a domestically developed intelligent control system, according to the report.
The trial involved seven freight trains, each weighing 5,000 tons. The key challenge was ensuring that all seven trains could accelerate and brake at the same time while traveling on the same track, avoiding collisions or separations throughout the journey. In China, freight trains have traditionally run as single units; synchronizing seven heavy-haul trains "running as a convoy" on one line — without any physical coupling — represents a major engineering feat.
The wireless control technology was developed by China Shenhua, the core energy and transport subsidiary of the centrally administered State-owned enterprise China Energy Investment Corporation, together with several research partners. The system uses wireless communication and advanced algorithms to manage real-time coordination among the trains.
CCTV reported that the successful trial means China can significantly increase the capacity of existing freight rail lines without building new infrastructure. Heavy-haul capacity on such routes could rise by more than 50 percent, offering a more cost-effective way to boost transport efficiency, particularly for bulk commodities.
The achievement provides a new technical solution for countries seeking to enhance the safety and efficiency of long-distance freight rail operations, according to the report.
