Rio Tinto loaded ore train north of Arches, 8135, 8159 and 8177.

A loaded Rio Tinto iron ore train running to Cape Lambert near the 22-kilometre post north of Arches on the east mainline of the duplicated original Robe River line. The train is also passing an empty Robe Valley train sitting on the west mainline, another empty is sitting in Arches on the west, with a loaded south of Arches awaiting a path north.

Motive power is triple General Electric ES44DCi locomotives. 8135 serial number 59138, 8159 serial number 60223 and 8117 serial number 59109.

The outside blue lights on the lead locomotive being lit indicate this train is operating in AutoHaul™.

The waggons are from the 'pooled' fleet that runs on the Tom Price line. These waggons are also slowly being introduced to the Robe Valley operations.

Filmed Tuesday 28th of March 2023.

Rio Tinto empty iron ore 'J' Train at Western Creek 9136, 8119 and 9144

An empty Rio Tinto iron ore train at the 71-kilometre, Western Creek on the west mainline, headed up by triple General Electric locomotives being an ES44ACi unit 9136 serial number 64726, ES44DCi unit 8119 serial number 59111 and ES44ACi unit 9144 serial number 64734 with 168 Robe Valley waggons, also known as a J Train. The instrumented waggons were at positions 61 and 140. This train is operating on the original Robe River system.

Tuesday 28th of March 2023.

Loaded FMG train waits line clear beside Kanyirri Yard.

late in the afternoon at 1750 hrs on the 24th of March a loaded FMG train behind AC44C6M unit 109 and SD70ACe/LCi unit 715 await line clear into the port and one of the car dumpers as it sits beside Kanyirri Yard which is the trip service facility for the FMG locomotive fleet.

A more side on shot shows three units also ready to depart the service facility, SD70ACe/P6 unit 729, AC44C6M 105 and 9-44CW 002.

FMG AC44C6M units delivered to site by K+S Heavy Haulage.

On the 23rd of February 2023, K+S Heavy Haulage delivered some of FMG's AC44C6M locomotives. A pair of 685 horsepower Mack Titan's towing Drake 11x8 floats (capacity 275 tonnes) with 2x8 dollys delivered the second and third batches of the Wabtec AC44C6M rebuilds. Units 113 to 122 are the second batch, while 123 to 128 are the third batch. With the twelve units delivered in July 2022, this now makes up a roster of 28 AC44C6M locomotives within FMG's motive power fleet.

The AC44C6M units are all rebuilds from ex-lease BNSF 9-44CW units which were returned to GECX and rebuilt at Wabtec's Fort Worth, Texas facility. As part of the rebuild, the units still carry their original build dates and serial numbers. They received a new cab, conversion from DC to AC traction, new hood section and these FMG units also received new radiator sections similar to the export ES44DCi and ES44ACi units.

FMG AC44C6M 113 at Quartz Quarry Rd enroute to FMG's Thomas Yard on a Drake 275 tonne 8x11 float. 113 was rebuilt from BNSF 9-44CW unit 4849 with serial number 50703 and build date of 08/1998.

FMG AC44C6M 122 on Wilson Street, Port Hedland with the Port Authority control tower in the background enroute to FMG's Thomas Yard transported by K+S Heavy Haulage with a Mack 685 HP Titan, an 8x4 dolly and a Drake 275 tonne 8x11 float. 122 was rebuilt from BNSF 9-44CW unit 4774 with serial number 50628 and build date of 06/1998.

FMG AC44C6M 125 leaves the Port Authority as it rounds the corner off Gilbert St onto Wedge St with the Dampier Salt stacker and pile behind it. Transported by K+S Heavy Haulage with a Mack 685 HP Titan, an 8x4 dolly and a Drake 275 tonne 8x11 float. 125 was rebuilt from BNSF 9-44CW unit 4788 with serial number 50642 and build date of 07/1998.

FMG AC44C6M 118 leaves the Port Authority as it rounds the corner off Gilbert St onto Wedge St with the Dampier Salt dozer and salt pile behind it. Transported by K+S Heavy Haulage with a Mack 685 HP Titan, an 8x4 dolly and a Drake 275 tonne 8x11 float. 118 was rebuilt from BNSF 9-44CW unit 4809 with serial number 50663 and build date of 07/1998.

A full roster of FMG's motive power fleet, including these units can be found here.

FMG's 701 and 105 lead a loaded at the 5 km.

EMD SD70ACe/LCi class leader 701 'T155-Glen Davies' serial number 20118611-001 leads AC44C6M unit 105 rebuilt from former BNSF 9-44CW unit 4826 with serial number 50680 at the 5 km post as they arrive at the port for unloading.

701 has the T155 motif on the cab lefthand side, and a plate 'Glen Davies' on the righthand side.

Comparision between the HO scale, and the real FMG 9-44CW unit 003.

Some images of the real FMG 9-44CW unit 003 as delivered in November 2007 against some images of the same locomotive number 003 from Athearn in HO scale as a part of their Genesis 2 range which also included a number of US class one railroads.

 

Front on images of the prototype General Electric 9-44CW Fortescue Metals Group 003 on the left, and the Athearn Genesis HO scale model of the same unit on the right.

 

LHS images with the prototype on the left and the model on the right.

LHS cab view with the prototype on the left and the model on the right.

For a full review of this model, see the February 2023 edition of Australian Model Railway Magazine.

Athearn Genesis FMG 9-44CW model axles.

A quick video of the Athearn Genesis 9-44CW FMG unit on the rolling road showing the rotating bearing caps.

Athearn's model of the FMG 9-44CW units as delivered back in 2007.

Athearn Genesis 2.0 HO scale models of FMG 9-44CW units

Finally got around to 'commissioning' my three FMG 9-44CW Athearn Genesis DCC models and assigning their addresses and testing that the functions work etc.

The Athearn models were released last year, and they did three road numbers for FMG in both DC and DCC being 003, 007 and 014. The DCC models feature a SoundTraxx Tsunami2 decoder and dual sugar cube speakers.

The models are based off of the FMG 9-44CW units as they were delivered, and they sure look nothing like this today! Apart from rust and faded paint, the units have received marker lights, gates in the long hood handrails and raised extensions to the handrails where maintainers need to access the top of the 7FDL-16 prime mover, kickplates along the bottom of the handrails and modified handrails on the cab steps, amongst other minor details.

014 side view, details are crisp and well defined, and paint looks really good.

FMG 003 with the ditch lights, number boards and headlights burning bright, notice the step light directly in line with the headlight beside the cab door just above the walkway.

Overhead roof view of FMG 014 shows the LHS walkway and handrails, radiator grills, inverter cabinet and air conditioning unit.

Roy Hill fuel train at Great Northern Highway.

Roy Hill's fuel train with four locomotives, three ES44ACi RHA class and one CFCLA CM40-8M

Back on the 17th of January 2018 the Roy Hill loaded fuel train with eleven fuel tank waggons was captured running south at the Great Northern Highway crossing behind no fewer than three RHA class ES44ACi units and one CFCLA CD class lease unit CD 4302 'Lord Fury' which was under test during the run.

The locomotives are RHA 1018, RHA 1019, CD 4302 'Lord Fury' and RHA 1013.

FMG AC44C6M units delivered to site.

On the 23rd of February 2023, K+S Heavy Haulage delivered some of FMG's AC44C6M locomotives. A 685 horsepower Mack Titan delivers 125 (from the third batch of rebuilds 123-128) across the BHP Iron Ore Boodarie overpass enroute to FMG's Thomas Yard for placing onto rails.

A total of 16 units were delivered off the heavy lift vessel Miena Desgagnes at Port Hedland on the 4, 5 and 6th of February.

Following quarantine inspection, they were delivered to site during the 22-25 February.

125 was originally BNSF 4788 built in July 1998 as a 9-44CW with serial number 50642 as a DC traction unit.

Rebuilt by Wabtec at their Fort Worth Texas plant the units received new cabs, new hood sections, AC traction and inverter packages and an oil and radiator section very similar to the ES44DCi and ACi units of Rio Tinto and Roy Hill.

G'day from pilbararailways.com.au

Due to some problems with our blog being really outdated and unable to do many functions due to age and being unsupported we have moved the blog over to the popular Blogger site.

New address is here: https://pilbararailways.blogspot.com/

It will also be visible through the original website link of: https://www.pilbararailways.com.au/blog/

The new site allows us to also blog more easier, include more images per post and tie the entire site and social media together.

We look forward to taking you with us.

Over the last couple of days all old posts and comments have been migrated across to this platform.

Thank you,
Pilbara Railways Team, Toad, Roland and the others.

BHP AC6000 6074 at Nelson Point.

Back in happier times on the 9th of September 2003 BHP Iron Ore's General Electric AC6000 unit 6074 'Kalgan' with serial number 51066 waits with a loaded rake for Car Dumper 2 at Nelson Point.

The remaining seven AC6000 units were all subsequently scrapped in October 2014. 6070 was scrapped in May 2011 following a derailment at Turner Siding.