In a never to be seen again event, five major rail freight companies will couple their latest locomotives together as one train to travel Adelaide - Port Augusta return on Friday 14 September.

The five locomotive train arrives at Adelaide Parklands Terminal, off Sir Donald Bradman Drive, Keswick, will be allowing passengers to board.

Open to the public, this major event marks the 100th anniversary since the Governor General turned the first sod to construct the massive 1690km Trans-Australian Rail (TAR) line across the inhospitable Nullabor plains.

Connecting East and West for the first time, the project was a major undertaking for the new Commonwealth Government of the day and was a key condition for WA joining the federation.

The locomotives from CFCLA, Genesee & Wyoming, Pacific National, QR National and SCT Logistics have a combined horsepower of 20,000Hp, enough power to haul 7,100 tonnes up hill. In the early years, just 21 tonne of freight was moved on the TAR per year!

The event is a celebration of the importance of rails role in Australia’s history yesterday, today and tomorrow. To showcase the old and new, the once-in-a-lifetime modern train combination will align with a Pichi Richi steam train at Stirling North, South Australia to travel side-by-side into Port Augusta Train Station for the Official Ceremony.