Booster wagon's eh?

So that 'torpedo tank' would be charged with Main Res air and fed into the BP to keep the brakes released when dumping? You'd want to have bugger all BP leakage, methinks...

So these wagons carry ore in the normal manner in addition to maintaining BP pressure during unloading?

Yes, normal waggon profile to be loaded with ore and dumped through the dumper as normal, but also hold the train air for the dumping duration. I have been told by a couple of people that they are not working as desired yet...
Big ask to hold air in 240-250 waggons for a couple of hours plus at a time.

Rio Tinto use compressor sets while Hamersley used them for East Intercourse Island, Parker Point used a loco to index the waggons through. Robe River also used compressor sets, while Roy Hill leave the locomotives attached and BHP also now leave the locos attached after using compressor sets for many years.

Hi Toad. Thank you for a very informative posting and (for me) explaining the purpose of the yellow ended wagons. I did also notice that several of the FMG sets are now running with a noticeably smaller (yellow) ETM fitted, are these a recent introduction?

In regards to CD4305, I’m led to believe that it’s wheel sets are or were basically ‘scrap size’. One turning left (if that) and then would need replacing. Given how long it’s been stored in the open there may be more issues than that?

G'day Darsamalx,

Yes I started seeing the smaller units about 5-6 months ago.
Prior to this FMG and all the other Pilbara operators use primarily Wabtec 'TrainLink ECP' EOT units.

When the CD units were last on hire to Roy Hill in late 2017/18 CD 4305 I'm pretty sure was actually used in traffic.
I had seen CD 4301, 2 and 3 on trains.

Thanks JNS.
I should have thought of that but for some reason I tend to overlook Roy Hill.
Guess that I am not into pink locomotives.

Haha, they look quite sad after a bit of Pilbara Vitamin D

Roy Hill's latest locomotive RHA 1028 was delivered to site today (12/01/2022) by Tutt Bryant Heavy Lift & Shift.RHA 1028 is in the breast cancer awareness livery. This livery already adorns RHA 1022 to RHA 1026 locomotives and a couple of hundred waggons. RHA 1028 has a build date of November 2021 by Wabtec Fort Worth Texas as an ES44ACi with serial number 66307.
It was shipped out of the port of Houston USA on the 23rd November 2021 by the vessel CALYPSO and unloaded in Port Hedland on the 9th January 2022.

Roy Hill has also recently taken delivery of more pink coloured waggons as well.
BHP should be receiving another batch of waggons very shortly.

The introduction of Pilbara E-Locomotives https://www.railpage.com.au/news/s/new-elocomotive-on-pilbara-mine

Query for someone who may more about these things. I read that these will be charged at the depot and also regenerative braking.  If you had one of these in a consist with one or more diesels, could you redirect the dynamic braking energy from those to recharge the batteries as well?

The introduction of Pilbara E-Locomotives https://www.railpage.com.au/news/s/new-elocomotive-on-pilbara-mine

Query for someone who may more about these things. I read that these will be charged at the depot and also regenerative braking.  If you had one of these in a consist with one or more diesels, could you redirect the dynamic braking energy from those to recharge the batteries as well?

No. Not as things stand. You'd need to retrofit several high voltage, high amperage cables between the loco's and that's just too much effort for a trial, I'd say.

From memory, an ES44ACi can absorb more power in DB than it can generate in gross HP from the diesel engine, so if these battery units have similar traction packages, and can accept the full DB current, you'd find it would probably be easier to take the diesel units off-line and use 8D with the battery unit instead of 3D (ish) across all 3 loco's.

FMG's 12 AC44C6M units 101 to 112 are nearing completion by Wabtec at Fort Worth with a number already tarped for shipment.
Some pictures can be seen here:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/149169525@N05/51891563670/

Also the FMG SD90MAC-H2 units (910 to 917) with the 265H primemover have been scrapped by CD Dodd In Port Hedland. Looking over the fence a couple of days ago only had 915 still identifiable, the others reduced to the frame, tank, primemover and alternator.

Units were, FMG number, UP number, Serial number:
910, 8538, 976833-17
911, 8548, 976833-27
912, 8550, 976833-29
913, 8557, 976833-36
914, 8525, 976833-04
915, 8553, 976833-32
916, 8543, 976833-22
917, 8547, 976833-26

Also scrapped with the above units was a CM40-8M unit CD 4305 'Arsenal', this unit was Robe River 9420 and before that C+O 2103.

History was:
9420 was built by ALCo Schenectady NY USA as an ALCo C630 model in October 1967 with serial number 3486-04 for the Chesapeake and Ohio Railroad Company (USA) with road number 2103.
2103 was purchased by Morrison Knudsen for Robe River (along with three sister units) and delivered in January 1975 and repainted and renumbered as 9420 on arrival.
9420 was rebuilt by Goninan WA in March 1991 to become an CM40-8M model with serial number 8109-03 / 91-119.
Ended up in CFCLA ownership in 2012 and rebuilt by Goninan WA and reclassed and numbered to CD 4305 'Arsenal'.
Had seen lease periods with both FMG and Roy Hill.

FMG's 12 AC44C6M units 101 to 112 are nearing completion by Wabtec at Fort Worth with a number already tarped for shipment.

Is the -C6M suffix still relevant to the Wikipedia entry re. the AC44C6M? Basically an AC Evo traction package but with a 7FDL16 engine wrapped up in a new-build loco?

Is there any reason they didn't simply follow Rio with their ES44ACi's or are they thinking commonality with their Dash-9 prime mover's?

Probably combination of cost and their existing 9-44CW fleet?
The AC44C6M are DC to AC rebuilds from former BNSF 9-44CW units.
Some of the former BNSF units are 4776, 4778, 4780, 4791, 4795, 4798, 4804, 4822, 4826, 4828, and 4818.

Bit of an update for a couple of the Hedland based operators.

BHP took delivery of 76 ore waggons which are currently at Boodarie Yard. Delivered in early April.

FMG has started running four of the eight secondhand former BNSF / GECX 9-44CW units which they took delivery of last year.
So far sighted were 016 in the yard near the workshops, and running on trains in the shafts for triple headed consists were 017, 020 and 023.



Currently stored and without full FMG numbering and some without handrail and other modifications were 4807, 4833, 4847 and 4854.

Serial numbers of the units can be found here: https://pilbararailways.com.au/FMG/roster.php




Here we see 020 former BNSF / GECX GE 9-44CW unit 4836 with serial number 50690 (with new main reservoirs) between two EMD SD70ACe/LCi units 721 and 713 on an empty train awaiting entry into Thomas Yard, South Hedland.


FMG appears to also have some new track maintenance toys in the form of ST03 a Plasser Australia Unimat 4S tamper with serial number M605 and a ballast regulator BR04 a Plasser Australia SSP305 unit with serial number of M606. A number of their older track machines were secondhand purchases from the UK.

In other news with FMG, a new Loram rail grinder was spotted with US reporting marks LMIX 621 built in March 2020 and it a two module unit and possibly a 24 stone grinder. Also seen was Loram rail grinder RG 409, this unit consists of five modules, two driving modules, a genset module with dual generators and two grinding modules for 60 stones. And the older MPC2 grinder was also parked up where the SD90MAC-H2 units used to be stored.

And finally CD 4303 is also stored just north of MPC2. Fate unknown...

A quick update on some Port Hedland operator sightings.

FMG still have the same four former BNSF / GECX units operating, former 4807 is now fully renumbered as 018, but parked near the other three units, 4847, 4833 and 4854.
Downer (Perth?) look to be overhauling SD90MAC bogies, a couple were noticed fresh off trucks while one was being loaded.
The heavy lift ship BBC Ukraine is anchored off Port Hedland, this is expected to be carrying the first batch of the AC44C6M rebuild units for FMG.

BHP took delivery of a new switch tamper from Plasser Australia on the 1st of June, type Unimat 4S, BHP road number TM 08 with serial number of M603.
Waggon deliveries have been
6-9 May 2022 - 88 waggons delivered.
26-30 May 2022 - 122 waggons delivered.
3-5 June 2022 - 54 waggons delivered.
This week - 81 waggons currently being delivered.

Don't think I mentioned the Loram rail grinder for BHP, RG 20, this looks to be a new build 24 stone unit and was delivered to BHP ~December 2021. It was subsequently named Ross Martin, the longest serving continuous Loram Australia grinding employee.

Have not sighted any new waggon deliveries for either FMG or Roy Hill.

Thanks for the updates Toad, much appreciated.

Cheers,

Matt.

Been a bit distracted with work commitments etc...

FMG's first twelve (101 - 112) AC44C6M DC to AC rebuilds that are being completed by Wabtec at their Fort Worth, Texas plant using traded in ex-BNSF / GECX units as the cores were unloaded off the BBC Ukraine on the 3rd and 4th of July 2022.


They sat in port for quarantine inspection for a bit and were delivered to FMG via road floats over the 9th, 10th and 11th of July 2022.


On the 23rd July 112 was on its maiden test run.


This rebuild program continues with 113 to 122 currently being converted by Wabtec and 113 has already been sighted on the Wabtec test track. A further six units 123 to 128 are due in 2023.


The units retain the 7FDL prime mover and are fitted with a larger radiator section than their US domestic cousins, similar to the Rio ES44DCi and Rio and Roy Hill ES44ACi units.

Smart move staying with the FDL , It makes for a quick easy AC rebuild as most of the rest is bolt plug .
Even the cab bit is reasonably easy and keeps with current safety standards .
It will be interesting to hear how they compare to the 70s already there .