Title Formation of the Pilbara railways
Author Gurney, J
Affiliation Pilbara Railway Company
Publication Date 2002-10-11
Conference Permanent Way Institution (PWI) NSW 2002 Annual Convention: Railways - Sweating the Asset
Abstract The Pilbara Railway Co. was formed on the 01/04/02 so the Hamersley Iron and Robe River Railways could be operated as one organisation and therefore deliver improved efficiencies to both Hamersley and Robe. The combined railways have a total track length of approximately 1100kms, which now services 7 mines [Tom Price, Paraburdoo, Brockman, Yandicoogina, West Angelas, Deepdale, Marandoo]. There are 4 car dumpers, 2 at Cape Lambert [1 single cell and 1 dual cell] and at Dampier there are 2 dual cell units [Parker Pt and East Intercourse Island]. There are a total of 3600 wagons, 35 Dash 9 Locomotives, 12 Dash 8 Locomotives, and 3 Alco Locomotives on site. The two railways were connected in March 2002, 71 kms from Cape Lambert and 78kms from Dampier by a 5.3km track called the Western Creek link. At the same time a 60km spur was constructed from the 363km Hamersley Iron Yandicoogina Branch line [Juna Downs.] to the West Angelas mine site in 7 weeks. West Angelas is 425km from Dampier/Cape Lambert. There is another 48kms of track duplication to construct [from Gull at the 105 km - Tunkawanna at the 153km.]. This work has just commenced and will be completed by the 31/03/2003. A new VAE Kinematic Gauge Optimisation [KG0] 1:20 Tangential Turnout is to be installed at the 153km on the Hamersley Iron line as part of this project. There are now a total of 319 turnouts in the network. These are made up of 1:8, 1:10, 1:12, 1:15, 1:20 A.R.E.A. and 1:20 1000m and 300m radius VAE Tangential turnouts. All of the 1:2Ds, 1:15s, 1:12s and 1:1Ds on the mainlines are on concrete and some of the 1:12s and 1:10s in the yards are also on concrete. Most of the Robe Turnouts in the yards are 1:10s with some 1:8s. All of the Robe turnouts have Sampson points whereas at Hamersley, most turnouts use a knife-edge stock rail and blade assembly. The majority of the Hamersley turnouts in the yards are 1:12s with some 10s and 8s. There are a total of 81 Swing Nose Frogs in operation throughout the system. One of these frogs has rollers incorporated under the tongue, to remove the need for lubrication.
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Paper 6 Formation of the Pilbara Railways
Physical Description 6p. ; PDF
Subjects Mining
Rail transport
Railway track
Infrastructure
Location Server
ARRB library
Category Rail Conferences PWI (Permanent Way Institution) Annual Convention 2001 - 2010
Rail Knowledge Bank Index Infrastructure
Rail Knowledge Bank Index Infrastructure Track