BHP Hospital Train led by 4377.

BHP Iron Ore operated a 'Hospital Train' which arrived back into Nelson Point yard late on the 18th of November 2018. Included in the consist were the last twenty-six waggons from the recent Turner derailment, some ballast waggons, ballast plough, #8500 flat waggon and some ore waggons with flat wheels.

The consist was:

• SD70ACe loco 4377
• Ore waggon 9305 with brake cut out
• Ore waggon 2265 from the Turner derailment
• Ore waggon 9658 from the Turner derailment
• Ore waggon 9219 from the Turner derailment
• Ore waggon 10874 from the Turner derailment
• Ore waggon 10876 from the Turner derailment
• Ore waggon 2456 from the Turner derailment
• Ore waggon 7035 from the Turner derailment
• Ore waggon 10111 from the Turner derailment
• Ore waggon 4784 from the Turner derailment
• Ore waggon 10302 from the Turner derailment
• Ore waggon 4938 from the Turner derailment
• Ore waggon 4656 from the Turner derailment
• Ore waggon 10018 from the Turner derailment
• Ore waggon 9578 from the Turner derailment
• Ore waggon 5914 from the Turner derailment
• Ore waggon 2705 from the Turner derailment
• Ore waggon 8017 from the Turner derailment
• Ore waggon 0099 from the Turner derailment
• Ore waggon 3195 from the Turner derailment
• Ore waggon 8083 from the Turner derailment
• Ore waggon 0652 from the Turner derailment
• Ore waggon 2461 from the Turner derailment
• Ore waggon 2771 from the Turner derailment
• Ore waggon 10522 from the Turner derailment
• Ore waggon 4075 from the Turner derailment
• Ore waggon 8718 from the Turner derailment
• Ballast waggon 0227
• Ballast waggon 0207
• Ballast waggon 0209
• Ballast waggon 0226
• Ballast waggon 0232
• Ballast waggon 0213
• Ballast waggon 0216
• Ballast waggon 0230
• Ballast plough BP 02
• SD70ACe 4485 'KRSTE APOLESKI'
• Flat waggon 8500
• Ore waggon 7842 with wheel flats
• Ore waggon 6768 with wheel flats
• Ore waggon 6658 with wheel flats
• Ore waggon 5349 with wheel flats
• Ore waggon 8454 with wheel flats

A video of the train also filmed by Roland Depth can be found here, or copy and paste this into your browser https://youtu.be/O0c6kzpJI6s

15 years ago, stored Robe River ALCo M636 units.

Robe River AE-Goodwin built M636 ALCo locomotive 9416 serial G-6046-16 was originally built for Hamersley Iron as 4045 but sold to Robe River and delivered in HI green and yellow in 1973, and originally numbered 1716 by Robe.

The piping on these units is for air-to-air intercooling in an effort to lower the air intake temperature and all three had the 251 Plus ALCo engine.

Behind 9416 are fellow AE Goodwin built M636 ALCo units, 9413 serial G-6060-4 built in December 1971, originally numbered 262.004 then 1713, and 9415 serial G-6060-6 built February 1972, originally numbered 1715.

Former BHP SD70ACe units bound for Chemin de fer Arnaud.

The Chemin de fer Arnaud is a private Canadian short line railway owned by Cliffs Natural Resources operating in the province of Quebec, they have picked up four of the original BHP SD70ACe/LC units.

Photos on the link below:

Photo by John Eagan (63), on Flickr, What's Going On In Dyer, IN Today 9-19-2018.

15 years ago, a loaded Yarrie train through Goldsworthy Junction.

Back on the 24th of August 2003 BHP Iron Ore's Goninan WA built GE model CM40-8 unit 5646 'White Springs' serial 8244-11 / 92-135 leads a loaded train from Yarrie off the Goldsworthy line and across the BHP Newman line as it heads for Boodarie and the unloader at Finucane Island.

This scene is much changed today with the former GML line now mothballed and the Goldsworthy Junction double tracked for the mainline and the line the train is on also double track with what is termed the 'avoidance road'.

And the locomotive has since been scrapped, the Tomlinson Steel built waggons on the rear have been sent east and the Goninan Golynx waggons behind the loco converted to rotary dump and are now in mainline service.

Roy Hill's RHA 1024 pink ES44ACi unit.

Roy Hill's brand new breast cancer awareness liveried ES44ACi unit RHA 1024 on track in the Pilbara.

The RHA class unit RHA 1024 was built at General Electric's Fort Worth plant in Texas and shipped out to Port Hedland on the vessel BBC Virginia which unloaded them with road delivery completed by Tutt Bryant on the 7-8th of September 2018.

The unit serial number is 64741 with a build date of June 2018.

A link to the unit in the US is here; railpictures.net.

Roy Hill's RHA 1022 pink ES44ACi unit.

Roy Hill's brand new breast cancer awareness liveried 'leader' ES44ACi unit RHA 1022 is on track in the Pilbara.

The 'pink leader' RHA class unit RHA 1022 was built at General Electric's Fort Worth plant in Texas and shipped out to Port Hedland on the vessel BBC Virginia which unloaded them with road delivery completed by Tutt Bryant on the 7-8th of September 2018.

The unit serial number is 64739 with build date of April 2018.

A link to the unit in the US here; railpictures.net

Roy Hill's new pink ES44ACi units.

Roy Hill's brand new breast cancer awareness liveried ES44ACi units are on track in the Pilbara.

The five RHA class units RHA 1022 to RHA 1026 were built at General Electric's Fort Worth plant in Texas and shipped out to Port Hedland on the vessel BBC Virginia which unloaded them with road delivery completed by Tutt Bryant on the 7-8th of September 2018.

The units' serial numbers are 64739-64743 with build dates of April and June 2018.

SCT service 6MP9 at Parkeston.

With the line reopened and a deviation in place at the derailment site at Coonana, SCT's Melbourne to Perth freight service 6MP9 powers through Parkeston non-stop on Thursday 23rd of August behind Downer EDI built EMD model GT46C-ACe unit SCT 001 serial 07-1725 and lease unit EDI Rail built Progress Rail model GT46C-ACe unit LDP 005 in the Progress Rail livery. Fuel waggon is PQFY 4256, and crew coach is PDAY 003 'Monica Ivey Smith'.

A video of the train can be seen here.

Loaded Roy Hill and FMG at the Roy Hill 63 km post.

Loaded Roy Hill train behind General Electric ES44ACi model RHA class unit RHA 1011 with CFCLA lease CM40-8M unit CD 4305 with two ES44ACi units RHA 1014 and RHA 1004 mid train visible around the curve as a loaded FMG train behind a pair of Electro-Motive Diesel SD70ACe model units.

The Roy Hill configuration is 2 locos, 116 waggons, 2 locos and 116 waggons, while the FMG train employs only two locos on the lead as they still bank their loaded trains away from the some of their mines.

1st of July 2018.

FMG SD90MAC-H2 units still stored.

FMG's SD90MAC-H2 units are stored at the south end of their yard, the line up from nearest the camera is: 910, 911, 912, 917, 913, 914 and 915.

Only 916 is operational and appears to be used as a shunt engine around the workshops, it was near the wheel lathe. 912 looks like it might have its engine removed. 917 has some engine parts removed, namely 'power assemblies'.

For more detail on these units see the power roster for FMG: FMG Motive Power Roster

AC 4306 with 3C74 empty lime / cement train.

3C74 empty lime / cement train powers upgrade away from Parkeston at the Yarri Road grade crossing behind Aurizon's AC class locomotive AC 4306 serial R-0006-04/09-377 a General Electric C43aci model built by Goninan NSW in 2009 for ARG with nine waggons. 21st of August 2018.

Roy Hill's pink locos arrive in Hedland.

Roy Hill's five pink, in support of breast cancer, ES44ACi units (RHA 1022 - RHA 1026) commenced being delivered to their Flash Butt yard on Friday 7th September, with the reminder to be delivered on Saturday 8th September.

The vessel BBC Virginia berthed in Port Hedland overnight (early AM Friday) Thursday 6th September 2018.

These locos will complement the already in service pink waggons and also mean that the currently on hire CFCLA CM40-8M unit should become surplus to power requirements.

An image of the units can be seen here.

CBH grain train 1A43 at Burngup.

During a recent trip south narrow gauge CBH grain train 1A43 was chased from Newdegate to Burngup. Operated by CBH 012 'Piesseville' and CBH 005.

The locos were both built by MotivePower, Inc. Boise, Idaho, USA in 2012 with 005 (serial 2363.05) being model MP27CN and 012 (serial 2363.12) as model MP33CN with the main difference being the horsepower rating, 2700 or 3300.

The train is seen here passing the old water tank at the former siding of Burngup.

A video of this train with footage from Lake Biddy, Buniche and Burngup can be viewed here or copy and paste this text: https://youtu.be/0MkjrVyYGK0

CBH grain train 1A43 at Buniche Siding.

During a recent trip south narrow gauge CBH grain train 1A43 was chased from Newdegate to Burngup. Operated by CBH 012 'Piesseville' and CBH 005.

The locos were both built by MotivePower, Inc. Boise, Idaho, USA in 2012 with 005 (serial 2363.05) being model MP27CN and 012 (serial 2363.12) as model MP33CN with the main difference being the horsepower rating, 2700 or 3300.

The train is seen here climbing the grade into Buniche Siding.

A video of this train with footage from Lake Biddy, Buniche and Burngup can be viewed here or copy and paste this text: https://youtu.be/0MkjrVyYGK0

Western Creek area pt2.

Continuing on with the Western Creek area, here's a shot taken by Toad Montgomery back on 10th January 2005 with Robe River owned 9-44CW unit 9434 leading an empty train along the Western Creek line from Cape Lambert at the Robe River 76 km post with 236 waggons snaking along behind.

The lines to the left are Emu, the north end of the duplicated Hamersley Iron Tom Price line to Dampier (later on they became Emu #3 and #4 Roads) with the line running upgrade in the distance being the Robe River line to Deepdale.

The train is about to pass signal EM5 which is behind the camera. This line has now become the Western Creek West Mainline and #2 Road Emu and joins the Tom Price line at the 80.21 km instead of the 78.4 km (HI chainage).

Western Creek area.

Originally the Robe River line crossed over the Hamersley Iron line by means of an overbridge at the 75.4 km on the Tom Price (HI) line and 73 km on the Deepdale (RR) line. And it stayed like this from the time Robe River started operations in 1972 until 2002 after both companies merged their assets and an interconnecting line was built to allow traffic to operate between Cape Lambert and the new West Angelas mine that Robe River were developing.

The first interconnecting line left the Deepdale line near the 71 km grade crossing and diverged to the north before curving southwest and passing under the Robe River line adjacent to the Hamersley Iron at the 75.4 km then curving southeast to cross the Western Creek at the 74.1 km bridge, the Robe track then joined the Tom Price line at Emu Siding, Robe chainage changed from 76.3 to Tom Price chainage of 78.4 km.

And then from 2012 proposals for full duplication of the Cape Lambert to Western Creek line were started and over the coming years completed. This included the new Emu Siding (passing track or loop) of the Deepdale line to emu ended up with four roads, two (original configuration) for the HI Dampier line and the new alignment for the Deepdale duplication. One and two road are for the Deepdale line, and three and four roads are the original end of the Emu duplication on the Dampier line. One and three roads both had a back track and spur.

The Western Creek East Mainline has a crossover to the original Deepdale line at the 71 km. The east line runs along the Deepdale line on the east for a couple of kilometres on a level alignment while the Deepdale line climbs, before curving to the south and crossing the Western Creek on another bridge at the 74.1 km. The east mainline then becomes One Road Emu with a chainage change from 74.886 km to Tom Price chainage 77.062. There is also a crossover from the west mainline which forms Two Road Emu at this location. Both roads then continue to curve towards the Tom Price mainlines where they converge at the 80.21 km for two road onto three road and four road onto the east mainline at 80.5 km.

The attached image has a loaded train departing Emu for Cape Lambert on the original interconnecting road between Emu and Western Creek (Western Creek West Mainline) with the entire train curving back up though the grades from Emu. The closet track is the Tom Price line to Dampier, the track behind is the Western Creek East Mainline to Cape Lambert and the train is on the west mainline.

BHP 'bits'.

Well, another BHP SD70ACe unit has been named, 4473 serial 20148001-006 named after driver Howie Evans.

Toad has finished the updating and correction for the BHP motive power roster, it now includes all units from the F7A through the ALCo C and M 636 series, C36-7M rebuilds, the CM39-8, CM40-8 and CM40-8M units, the AC6000's and SD40's to finally the entire fleet of SD70ACe unit. The listing is now top down, from current units down to the F7A.

And a shot of SD70ACe units at the Mooka Staging Facility, 4468 with 4487 'Paul Harris' and 4412 and 4329 'Pilbara' with loaded rakes.

Toad likes this spot because the road is sealed, and he can drive his little purple car out to there...

Roy Hill's pink ore waggons arrive.

Over the last couple of days unloading or Roy Hill's pink fleet of 130 ore waggons has happened in Port Hedland, built by CRRC Corporation Ltd and delivered by the vessel Daiwan Fortune from Changshu Port in China.

CRRC Video here

CRRC twitter post here

CRRC Corporation Ltd. on Twitter: "Cargo trains are mostly grey or green, but our order from Australia actually saw the trains sporting the same color as Peppa Pig! This 130-car train is specially customized for Roy Hill. The color pink is representative of the Pink Ribbon breast cancer campaign. https://t.co/5ROtCXcSUa" / Twitter

Just need to wait for the five pink ES44ACi units to arrive now!

Roy Hill loaded train at Indee Rd.

A Roy Hill loaded train headed up by General Electric ES44ACi units RHA 1007 and RHA 1010 with mid-train units RHA 1014 and RHA 1004.

Roy Hill no longer bank or push their trains away from the Roy Hill mine, now employing a similar power configuration to BHP.

FMG and Rio Tinto use only head-end power but also bank their trains out of several mine sites.

15th of June 2018. Roland Depth image.

Still more loco names for BHP.

BHP continues to name their SD70ACe locomotives after long serving employees with 30 plus years of service.

Another three have been sighted, plus another two which we couldn't identify the road number:

• 4481 - Jeri Hajis
• 4483 - Alex Sulic
• 4485 - Krste Apoleski
• 4471 - Earl Roberts
• 4484 - Cleto Nordmann

A full listing of BHP locomotive names can be found here.

Rio Tinto breast cancer ore waggon pair.

A rare sight in the Pilbara, a Rio Tinto pink iron ore waggon pair to raise awareness for breast cancer.

Chinese built Bradken control waggon 20475 and slave waggon 25475 make the pair with a build date of July 2014, still holding colour pretty well in June 2018.

Full size link to image here.

BHP Steel Train, Goldsworthy line with 4360.

BHP stabled empty steel or rail train sits on the former Goldsworthy Line between Goldsworthy Junction and Node 1 due to rebuilding works at the BHP flash butt yard.

Heading the consist is BHP SD70ACe unit 4360 serial 20098203-005 with sister SD70ACe 4340 shutdown on the rear visible round the curve in the distance.

BHP Steel Train on Goldsworthy line with 4340.

BHP stabled empty steel or rail train sits on the former Goldsworthy Line between Goldsworthy Junction and Node 1 due to rebuilding works at their flash butt yard.

Here we see BHP SD70ACe unit 4340 'Woodstock' serial 20078915-007 is shutdown on the mine end with the Gemco Rail built Lead-On/Lead-Off waggon STTR 6214 and rail handling straddle crane Vaia Car model no. TCR-V.

More loco names for BHP.

A few more new names sighted on the SD70ACe fleet over the last couple of weeks:

• 4450 Grant Sycamore
• 4478 Ivan Butson
• 4480 Mile Nikolovski
• 4482 Peter McShane

BHP Ballast Ploughs.

BHP took delivery of two new ballast ploughs in December 2017. They were built by CRRC Yangtze China in 2017 and weigh in at 65 tonnes. The ploughs are numbered BP01 and BP02.

We finally caught them top and tail on a ballast consist at Walla Siding.

Here's a pic of BP01.

Another named loco for BHP.

BHP SD70ACe locomotive 4487 serial 20148001-020 has been sighted as being named 'Paul Harris'.

Roy Hill fuel train, 17-01-2018.

Great Northern Highway 18.2 km grade crossing on the Roy Hill railway sees General Electric ES44ACi unit RHA 1018 serial number 63829 leading sister units RHA 1019 and RHA 1013 with interloper CFCLA lease unit Goninan ALCo to GE rebuild CM40-8M locomotive CD 4302.

Originally Robe River 9421, a Comeng NSW built ALCo M636 with serial number C6103-1, rebuilt by Goninan in 1993 with serial 8297-2/93-137, then sold to CFCLA in 2012 and was used to build this Roy Hill railway then leased to Rio Tinto for a while before being leased now to Roy Hill. Seen here powering a loaded fuel train with eleven TA class fuel tank waggons as part of the mainline testing of these CFCLA lease CM40-8M units prior to ore train service.

17th January 2018.

CM40-8M CD4302 image here.