Tuesday, April 30, 2013

Pilbara Rio Tinto 2013 operations

Hi All

My final installment, Rio Tinto.
Rio Tinto has fully integrated the former Robe operations into one operation.
The end result is a kaleidoscope of colours and names.
Cape Lambert is currently being rebuilt into a four track balloon loop, no doubt will end up with a capacity equal to or greater than Intercourse Island and Parker Point together.
The Double track goes from Emu to Rosella.  They are currently building double track from Western Creek to Cape Lambert.
Rosella is now a five track yard.
Most of the trains we saw were triple headers, only Tom Price Trains were two units, evidence of the increase in tonnage per car, new 134 tonnes now, and 234 cars per train.


 A loaded dash-9 triple header, heading towards Dugite
A very grubby ex Hamersley Iron Dash-9, stay tuned for a weathering article.
  Three different types of current Rio Tinto paired ore cars.


 One of each HI dash-9 Rio EVO and Pilbara Rail dash-9
 A pair of Rio EVOs, with a Tom Price empty, these seem to be the only trains rostered with two units during our visit.
 The original EVO paint job, not exactly the most inspirational livery
 The Rio four stripes livery, the latest version.
 The Pilbara Rail livery, just starting to get a little faded.
 Rio Evo
 Robe Ore cars
 A new build Robe line ore car
 the two C36-7Ms used by Rio for trains between 7 mile and Intercourse Island and Parker Point.  Not the most successfull in this mission.  They are stored at the end of the apex of the 7 Mile triangle, getting a little more faded every day.
 A couple of EVOs in 8 mile yard, didn't spot Eminen any where
 Rio Ballast cars.
Enjoy

Scott

Sunday, April 28, 2013

Pilbara FMG 2013 operations.

Hi All

Here is some shots of FMG, Obviously the newest operation to the Pilbara.
Operations are from Anderson Point, to Cloudbreak and Christmas Creek.
A branch to Solomon junctions at 175 Km Post
The operations started with 15 Dash-9 44CW, the operations are via Proceed Authority.


 011 and 004 crawl into Hunter on an empty, looks like a new Peco Concrete point in the foreground, bust have been a bugger to get it out of the blister pack!  Obviously not wired up yet.
 011 and 004 at the 183Km Post, with a loaded.
 A close up of the two dash-9s.  The FMG livery sort of looks like a reverse BHP livery, the blue on the Dash-9s is a tad lighter than the EMDs.
 A cross at Coonaire,between 011 and 004 and crew change with 704 and 002.
For the life of me I could not figure out how this Operation worked.  With PA's on what now seems to be double track, lots of stopping an waiting. Given that the Train Controllers high workload, as witnessed by the Scanner, maybe this is the reason?
 B end detail on 704.
 714 and 710 continue with an empty to either Christmas Creek or Cloudbreak, in the background is the new Solomon branch.
 Here is a bridge at about the 30Km Post, this design bridge design is almost a carbon copy of the bridges built by ANR on the Alice Springs standard gauge CAR line.  Well Mr Smith looks like your design concept  has lasted the test of time, is FMG paying you a royalty?
 715 and 719 depart Rowley Yard with an Empty
 Like all the operations in the Pilbara there are fuel trains, here is an example of FMGs rolling stock TK16.
 SD90MAC shunting Anderson Point.

An overview of the north end of Rowley Yard, this section is call Coonary, to the left is the Prep bay, to the right is the fuel train, in the background is a loaded for Anderson Point.
A very ultra modern Pilbara interesting area for modeling?
 More FMG rolling stock shots, here are some shots of two types of FMG ore cars.


Enjoy

Scott

Saturday, April 27, 2013

Pilbara BHP Billiton 2013 operations

Hi All

Its been awhile since I last visited the Pilbara Region of Western Australia, and in that time a lot as changed.
The BHP main is now double tracked up to the 281 KM post, and the Yandi branch is also double tracked.
The Bastion for the Lode has been passed from the Dash-8s to the SD70ACe.
Train configurations are for three SD70ACes and one Dash-8 per train, this is due to the weight of each ore car now going up to 148 tonnes.  still Two by Two.  However these is mutterings of banking the Chichester (again), so standby on that one.

 A detail shot of a standard BHP SD70ACe
 SD70ACe with "flaps up"
 Part of the snaffled BNSF SD70ACe order is 4326, still retains the BNSF Omaha Orange.
 A shot of the famous curve from on top of the new deviation access road, this is designated the east track and at this time carries all the empty trains.
 Bracked by the Pilbara desert, a clear example of the Bunnings livery turning into camo.  This is why the BHP Iorn Ore livery stood out. 
 If you like modeling derelict track, BHP is the operation for you.  In the process of double tracking in certain sections the original mainline was abandoned, here is an example of such.
 New BHP Ore cars
 Some of the problems with Double tracking at not as obvious as it first seems, however I think this shot is a good illustration of how this section was double tracked, interesting Modeling possibility.
 FMGs Solomon mine branch bridge over the BHP main
 Introduced with great fan fare in mid 2000's, the SD40 and SD40-2s was a stop gap, that only BHP seemed to needed.  Now wait their fate in Bing, some SD40s are fitted with ATP, and are relegated to work trains.

A very interesting movement of Fuel still occurs between Nelson Point to Newman, here a set of tankers, in Nelson point yard.  Operations of this train are currently held down by a single SD70ACe.

If I am honest, I would still look at modeling BHP just prior to the Bunnings livery, the camo livery still does  nothing for me.  This does not mean that I don't have an SD70ACe!

Enjoy

Scott

Thursday, April 18, 2013

Pilbara update

hi All

i have managed to sneak up to the Pilbara and get an update of the operations in the north west.
I will give a full report and any modeling inspiration.
With thanks to Kieran and Les, we had a blast even in the 40 deg plus heat.
The Hamersley dash 9is are looking really manky...
Great weathering examples, standby.....




Enjoy

Scott