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Title

implementation of preventive rail grinding on Fortescue Metals Group 40 tonne axle load railway

Author

Sroba, P
Andersen, T
Bourke, M
Cullen, P
Caldwell, R

Affiliation

Sroba Rail Services, NSW, Australia
Fortescue Metals Group, WA, Australia
National Research Council, ON, Canada

Publication Date

2015

Conference

International Heavy Haul (IHHA) specialist technical sessions 2015, Operational Excellence, 21st-24th June, 2015, Perth, Western Australia, Australia

Abstract

Fortescue Metals Group Limited (Fortescue) is the world’s fourth largest producer of iron ore, operating over 600 track kilometres (430 route kilometres) located in the Pilbara of Western Australia. Revenue service began in April 2008 running trains with 25.6 tonne axle loads and was gradually transitioned to 40 tonne axle loads by January 2010. Sroba Rail Services (SRS) was commissioned by Fortescue to review the rail grinding strategy on several occasions between October 2009 and July 2013. The reviews determined there was significant over-grinding of the rail to produce the two rail profiles used throughout the track (the SP and SP1 target profiles). The end result was narrow wheel/rail contact bands, requiring the rolling stock maintenance teams to carry out premature machining of wheels due to hollowing which could be partly attributed to running on one narrow contact band in tangent track. SRS also identified a lack of rail grinding capacity to maintain the rail profiles on mainline and switches. In July 2013, Fortescue commissioned SRS and the rail division of the National Research Council Canada (NRC) to engineer rail profiles specific to Fortescue’s operations. NRC designed five new target rail profiles. These profiles were implemented with a preventive-gradual grinding strategy using two new high production grinders, one 16-stone switch grinder and one 60-stone mainline rail grinder. SRS audits in August 2014 and January 2015 determined that this strategy had achieved the NRC target profiles, brought the severe RCF back into control and transitioned the rail to a preventive state. The Fortescue rail is now in excellent condition and wear rates have been significantly reduced.

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Physical Description

pp. 861-869 ; PDF

Subjects

Railway track
Maintenance management
Maintenance method
Maintenance

Location

Server
ARRB library