AC6000 6074 Leads Loaded Train Off the Avoidance Rd on the GML

    On the former Goldsworthy Mining Limited, GML, line [now owned by BHP] from Finucane Island to Goldsworthy, and later to mines Nimingarra, Shay Gap and later out further to Cundaline and Yarrie there was a siding, Kober which located between the 12.4 km and the 13.6 km between the Boodarie yard and Goldsworthy Junction. The siding Kober was named after Alfred Kober who was the Goldsworthy Mining Limited General Manager.

    The Kober siding was located towards the western end of Bofin Yard which was the name given to the line between the Newgold diamond crossing, and later Goldsworthy Junction with the Mount Newman Mining mainline and the GML Finucane Island location including Boodarie Yard when that was built following the closure of the GML workshops at Goldsworthy.

    In the attached picture taken on Christmas Eve, 2006, we see General Electric AC6000 locomotive 6074 'Kalgan' and Goninan rebuild GE CM40-8ML locomotive 5663 'Newcastle' [originally built without a cab as a Locotrol controlling remote] with a single rake train as it runs off the Avoidance Road onto the former GML mainline towards Finucane Island and Car Dumper 4 for unloading. This new location of SER4 is within the original siding location of Kober which was originally decommissioned on May 30, 1999.

This section of line to Finucane Island is now duplicated all the way, and both locomotives and a number of those waggons have been scrapped.

BHP's Wabtec BEL 9001, a couple of different delivery views

    Another couple of views of the delivery of BHP's brand new battery electric locomotives, this time it is 9001 and it was delivered on Sunday afternoon of November 16, 2025, at Nelson Point.

    9001 is an FXH70C model rated at 3163 kW and tipping the scales at 452,000 lbs for 205 tonnes. It is serial number 66453 and was built at Wabtec's Erie, Pennsylvania plant in the USA back in December 2023.

    A rear view looking down the left hand side of 9001 as it waits at BHP's Gate 9 for entry into site.

    As 9001 sits suspended, at the Nelson Point hard stand area, off the delivery trailer waiting to be placed on rails at Nelson Point, a loaded BHP train passes as it witnesses the future of rail transportation motive power as it proceeds towards the car dumpers behind the BHP standard pairing of EMD SD70ACe/LC locomotives 4344 'Tenacity' and 4342 'Marillana', both of which are from the fourth SD70ACe order and 2008 build year, hauling 135 loaded waggons.

BHP's Wabtec built FLXdrive™ BELs have arrived in the Pilbara.

    At around 0950 hrs on Thursday November 13, 2025, the BBC Chartering heavy lift vessel BBC St Petersburg arrived into Port Hedland harbour and part of the cargo was two Wabtec built FLXdrive™ locomotives for BHP. These battery electric locomotives have been a couple of years in the making.

    And after a number of hours the first of the two Wabtec battery electric locomotives, [BELs], 9002 and built for BHP, was unloaded and transported to the Pilbara Ports Authority 'Gobi' hardstand area on a 128 wheel Tutt-Bryant platform hauled by a Volvo FH16 prime mover a little before 1800 hrs.

    9002 is still gift wrapped in the protective tarpaulin which is also stencilled for LI-ION BATTERIES, as an early Christmas present for BHP's WA Iron Ore division and is seen here early evening, Thursday November 13, 2025, on the rear platform, the front empty platform would collect 9001 the following day.

    These battery electric locomotives were built in December 2023 at Wabtec's Erie, Pennsylvania, USA facility and weigh in at 452,000 pounds or 205 tonnes, with a model designation of FXH70C and a power rating of 4240 horse power or 3162 kW. The two BHP units, numbered 9001 and 9002 carry  the serial numbers 66453 and 66454 respectively.

    On Friday November 14, 2025, the class leader of the two Wabtec FLXdrive™ locomotives for BHP, 9001, was unloaded and is seen here arriving into the Gobi hardstand area on a 128 wheel Tutt-Bryant float being hauled by a Volvo Globetrotter FH700XXL prime mover at 0830 hrs.

    Both units with tarpaulins removed now await the completion of the Loco Lift hardware to be setup at BHP's Nelson Point hard stand trackage so they can be transferred to BHP's rails.