July 9 - In the US, Specialized Rail Transport has commissioned a 20-axle railcar which boasts a total freight capacity of 450 tonnes.

Jason Felix, SRT's sales and marketing manager, said: "There is a propensity toward the manufacture of larger cargoes and SRT has been working to solve the issue of how to transport such pieces.

"This railcar will provide a way to move large cargo by rail that otherwise may not have been possible."

Felix said the railcar will carry transformers, generators, turbines and other oversized cargo. It will lift and shift and be able to clear obstructions, Felix added.

It is hoped the car will be completed in late 2009 and ready for use in early 2010. The car will be operated and managed by Kasgro Rail Corporation.