QR gauges iron ore haul in the west

rhino · Posted: Mon Dec 19, 2005 9:51 am

An interesting article from this morning's Australian:

Qld Rail gauges iron ore haul in the west
Robin Bromby
December 19, 2005
STATE-owned Queensland Rail is the hot tip to be the operator of a new 370km iron ore railway in Western Australia's mid-west region.

The corporation's freight arm, QRNational, already has an office in Perth.

Executives from Queensland Rail have been in Geraldton looking at opportunities there, including the existing narrow gauge line from Morawa to the port which carries some iron ore.

It is understood the Mid-West Development Commission has been encouraging QR to provide competition for existing train operator Australian Railroad Group, which is half-owned by Wesfarmers.

But an entirely new, and probably standard gauge, line will be needed to handle the vastly increased tonnages proposed within the next few years.

One of the new miners in the mid-west region, Murchison Metals, is expected to make an announcement this week regarding the railway, a necessary transport corridor if it and other miners are to be able to get their ore to the coast.

The new railway will run from somewhere near Meekatharra to a new port at Oakajee, just north of the existing iron ore berth at Geraldton.

Murchison Metals is now coming into production at Jack Hills, west of Meekatharra, and will initially truck ore to Geraldton.

AMP last week bought another 6.5 million Murchison shares, bringing its stake to 6.61 per cent.

But Murchison's stage two development, along with Midwest Corp's planned Weld Range mine and Golden West Resources near Wiluna, would mean at least 30 million tonnes a year needing to be transported to the coast -- something that road transport could not handle.

QR has plenty of experience in bulk commodities, railing 157 million tonnes of coal a year.

It also has the money to buy new locomotives and the capacity to build the hundreds of new wagons that would be needed.

The mining companies want a common-user railway to avoid the fights that have occurred in the Pilbara, and an independent operator is seen as the best way of ensuring all the companies get access to the track.

Cheers, Rhino

DavidB · Posted: Mon Dec 19, 2005 10:28 am

Posted to the News too.

Perhaps Brad might like to do a drawing of an SD70ACe or CM44-9CW in QRN livery?

Cheers
David

p2014 · Posted: Mon Dec 19, 2005 7:15 pm

nice its getting good over hear if your a rail fan

mjja · Posted: Mon Dec 19, 2005 9:19 pm

I'm betting on some 2100s going over there...

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d1565 · Posted: Mon Dec 19, 2005 10:06 pm

if this goes ahead, i'd say it would be standard guage, in which case, we'll probly get some 5000's.
personally, as an EMD fan, i'd rather it be some narrow guage 4000's...

Craig Belcher
Castledare Miniature Railway
Committee Member,
Per-Way super,
and an enthusiast of big loco's.

WAGR · Posted: Mon Dec 19, 2005 10:17 pm

There is not much difference in the axle load of WA,SG and NG to the point of an isolated railway guage. considering there maybe other opportunities on the NG network.

3foot6 · Posted: Mon Dec 19, 2005 10:41 pm

I have been reliably informed that the GE AC4400CW & GE AC6000CW have been superseded by GE Evolution (GEVO) Model Locomotives. In that case I would like to see GE ES44DC & GE ES44AC in QRNational livery.

OR

GE C40aci (QR 5000 Class) & GE CM30-8 (QR 2800 Class) in WA ...

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Mike_in_the_west · Posted: Mon Dec 19, 2005 11:44 pm

im thinking more 5000's as they have already have accreditation, the crew training programs are already there. It would be easier to get more of an exsisting loco, rather than go for a completly different loco.

Mike_in_the_west · Posted: Mon Dec 19, 2005 11:59 pm

rhino · Posted: Tue Dec 20, 2005 7:44 am

Mike_in_the_west · Posted: Tue Dec 20, 2005 10:33 am

Its actually cheaper to buy FDL prime movers rather than the GEVO12, which is leading me to guess that new GE's (such as NR's, 5000's, etc) will still be powered by a FDL engine.

But your right! Wink

The Chinese did have the option of going with a GEVO12 or even GEVO16 (6000hp) unit, but elected not to as they were put off by the new technology.

For the record, sources tell me these new GEVO's sound like ALCo's when notching up!! They have lost a bit of their GE chug that their FDL predecessors had though. Sad

DavidB · Posted: Tue Dec 20, 2005 10:49 am

It won't be more 5000s. Even they are small for the Pilbara. It will probably be whatever the latest 4400hp GE is.

Cheers
David

p2014 · Posted: Tue Dec 20, 2005 7:57 pm

Mike_in_the_west · Posted: Tue Dec 20, 2005 8:37 pm

Yes, they are looking at all options. If there is going to be such large tonnages going through, why use a smaller narrow gauge line which would need upgrading to run longer trains?? I say build a complelty different SG line! Very Happy

GEVO's!

d1565 · Posted: Tue Dec 20, 2005 9:36 pm

Personally, i still think that narrow guage would be adequate. The size and tonnage of coal trains being run by QR to me indicate that the sort of loadings being referred to are niether impractical no impossible for a well buil, well maintained 3'6" railway. Axle ;loading is not guage related, it is more track construction.. (feel free to correct the last statement IF you can prove otherwise)

Craig Belcher
Castledare Miniature Railway
Committee Member,
Per-Way super,
and an enthusiast of big loco's.