Goldsworthy railway line

Private railway in Pilbara region of Western Australia

Goldsworthy railway

4341[broken anchor] leads 6071 on the Finucane Island loop in April 2012

Overview
Status| Operational
Locale| Pilbara, Western Australia
Termini|

* Yarrie mine
* Finucane Island

Service
Type| Heavy rail
System| Pilbara
Operator(s)| BHP
Depot(s)| Port Hedland
History
Opened| 25 May 1966
Technical
Line length| 208 km (129.25 mi)
Track gauge| 1,435 mm (4 ft 8+1⁄2 in) standard gauge

The Goldsworthy railway, owned and operated by BHP, is a private rail network in the Pilbara region of Western Australia built to carry iron ore. It is one of two railway lines BHP operates in the Pilbara, the other being the Mount Newman railway.[1]

In addition to the BHP network, there are three more independent iron ore rail lines in the Pilbara. One is operated by Rio Tinto, the Hamersley & Robe River railway,[2] the Fortescue Metals Group operates the Fortescue railway and Hancock Prospecting the Roy Hill railway.[3]

## History

[edit]

Railways in the Pilbara region. BHP railways, including the Goldsworthy railway, are in red  . Preserved locomotive no 2 at the Don Rhodes Mining and Transport Museum in April 2012

In May 1966, the 112 kilometre Goldsworthy railway opened to transport iron ore from Mount Goldsworthy mine to the port on Finucane Island.[4] The line was extended to Shay Gap in 1972 and Yarrie mine in 1993.[5]

On 1 March 1991, the Goldsworthy Mining and Mount Newman Mining were amalgamated under the BHP Iron Ore brand.[6]

In June 2004, the National Competition Council of Australia received an application from the Fortescue Metals Group (FMG) to use part of the Mount Newman railway and also part of the Goldsworthy railway.[7]

In June 2010, the Australian Competition Tribunal ruled that FMG be granted access to Rio Tinto's Robe River line and BHP Billiton's Goldsworthy line but not to the busier Hamersley and Mount Newman lines.[8][9] Treasurer Wayne Swan suggested that several advantages would accrue from access to the rail lines by third parties. It would increase competition, reduce duplication of infrastructure, and reduce environmental damage.[10]

Access to the rail networks by third parties is governed by the State Agreements Act.[11]

## Operation

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The Goldsworthy railway is 208 kilometres (129 mi) long, connecting the Yarrie mine to Finucane Island, near Port Hedland.[1]

Unlike Mount Newman line trains, with up to 208 wagons per train, Goldsworthy line trains only have 90 wagons per train. Each wagon carries up to 126 tonnes (124 long tons; 139 short tons) of ore.[1]

## Rolling stock

[edit]

In December 1965, Mount Goldsworthy Mining Co took delivery of two English Electric, Rocklea locomotives (no 1 & 2) to the same design as the Western Australian Government Railways H class. Initially used on construction trains, they were later used on general freight trains and shunting duties. One was written off in an accident in 1968 with some parts incorporated into a new frame built by English Electric in 1970.[12][13]

In 1966, the first of six English Electric, Rocklea built locomotives (no 3 to 8) to the same design as the Western Australian Government Railways K class. After one was damaged in 1968, a K class was purchased from the Western Australian Government Railways followed by another in July 1986.[14] In November 1992 all were transferred to BHP's Port Kembla operation.[15] By this stage, the infrastructure had been upgraded to allow GE Transportation 36-7 locomotives to take over the line.[6]

In 1990, Clyde Engineering built GML10 was purchased. It was sold to Comalco in August 1994.[16][17]

In March 2012, BHP Billiton placed an order for 80 Electro-Motive Diesel SD70ACe/LCi locomotives for use on its Western Australia mining railroads.[18]

* Trains portal
* Western Australia portal

## References

[edit]

1. ^ a b c Rail BHP
2. ^ Rail Rio Tinto
3. ^ Railroad Operations Fortescue Metals Group
4. ^ Mt Goldsworthy Mining Legacies
5. ^ Yarrie, Mt Goldsworthy, Nimingarra, Sunrise Hill, Shau Gap and Cundaline Porter GeoConsultants
6. ^ a b "Impressions of the Pilbara" Railway Digest February 1999 pages 18-27
7. ^ Application for declaration of the Mt Newman Railway National Competition Council of Australia
8. ^ Junior miners win limited access to Pilbara rail network Archived 14 March 2012 at the Wayback Machine lloydslistdcn.com.au, published: 1 July 2010, accessed: 4 November 2010
9. ^ Watchdog 'can demand Pilbara rail expansion' The Australian, published: 13 May 2010, accessed: 4 November 2010
10. ^ BHP Billiton, Rio Tinto angry on open Pilbara rail line news.com.au published: 28 October 2008, accessed: 4 November 2010
11. ^ Report on Current Transport and Communications Infrastructure in the Pilbara Murdoch University, accessed: 4 November 2010
12. ^ Oberg, Leon (2010). Locomotives of Australia 1850s-2010s. Kenthurst: Rosenberg Publishing. p. 326\. ISBN 9781921719011.
13. ^ Goldsworthy Mining – Goldsworthy No 1 Pilbara Railways Historical Society
14. ^ Oberg, Leon (2010). Locomotives of Australia 1850s-2010s. Kenthurst: Rosenberg Publishing. pp. 340–342\. ISBN 9781921719011.
15. ^ Port Kembla – Diesel Locomotive Fleetlisting Light Rail Research Society of Australia
16. ^ Oberg, Leon (2007). Locomotives of Australia: 1850s-2007. Rosenberg Publishing. p. 411\. ISBN 1-877058-54-8.
17. ^ "Around Australia with R1004 and friends" Railway Digest April 2011 page 26
18. ^ "BHP Billiton places large heavy haul locomotive order". Railway Gazette International. 2 March 2012. Archived from the original on 5 March 2012. Retrieved 14 March 2012.

## External links

[edit]

* BHP
* Pilbara Railways – rail enthusiast website

* v
* t
* e

BHP

Assets|

| Current|

| Mines|

* Area C
* Cerrejón (33%)
* Escondida (58%)
* Goonyella Riverside1
* Jimblebar
* Leinster
* Mount Keith
* Mount Arthur
* Mount Whaleback (85%)
* Olympic Dam
* Orebodies 18, 23 & 25 (85%)
* Peak Downs1
* Resolution (50%)
* Saraji1
* Yandi (85%)
* Yarrie (85%)

|

Other|

* Goldsworthy railway line
* Kalgoorlie Nickel Smelter
* Kambalda Nickel Concentrator
* Kwinana Nickel Refinery
* Moranbah Airport1
* Mount Newman railway line
* VF2388

Former|

* Australian Iron & Steel
* BHP Shipping
* BlueScope
* Cockatoo Docks & Engineering Company (38%)
* Comsteel
* Ekati Diamond Mine (80%)
* Ekati Airport
* Lysaght
* Newcastle Steelworks
* Ok Tedi Mine
* OneSteel/Arrium
* Ravensthorpe Nickel Mine
* Richards Bay Minerals (37%)
* South32
* Whyalla Steelworks
* Woodside Energy (40%)
* Yeelirrie uranium project
* Douglas Complex

Acquisitions|

* Oz Minerals
* Petrohawk
* WMC Resources

People|

* Philip Aiken
* James Balderstone
* Chip Goodyear
* Marius Kloppers
* Essington Lewis
* Andrew Mackenzie
* Ken MacKenzie
* George McCulloch
* Jacques Nasser
* John Prescott
* Colin Syme

Other|

* BHP Billiton Tower
* Brookfield Place
* Ok Tedi environmental disaster
* BHP Group Limited v Impiombato

* 1Assets of BHP Mitsubishi Alliance, a 50/50 joint venture between BHP & Mitsubishi

* Category

* v
* t
* e

Iron ore mining in Western Australia

BHP|

| Ports|

* Port Hedland (Nelson Point & Finucane Island)

|

Railways|

* Goldsworthy
* Mount Newman

Mines|

* Area C
* Jimblebar
* Newman East
* Newman West
* South Flank
* Yandi

Fortescue|

| Ports|

* Port Hedland (Herb Elliott Port)

|

Railways|

* Fortescue

Mines|

* Christmas Creek
* Cloudbreak
* Eliwana
* Firetail
* Kings Valley

Rio Tinto|

| Ports|

* Cape Lambert
* Dampier (Parker Point & East Intercourse Island)

|

Railways|

* Hamersley & Robe River

Mines|

* Brockman 2
* Brockman 4
* Channar
* Eastern Range
* Gudai-Darri
* Hope Downs
* Hope Downs 4
* Marandoo
* Mesa A
* Mesa J
* Mount Tom Price
* Nammuldi
* Paraburdoo
* Silvergrass
* West Angelas
* Western Turner Syncline
* Yandicoogina

Hancock Prospecting|

| Ports|

* Port Hedland (SP1 & SP2 Berths)

|

Railways|

* Roy Hill railway

Mines|

* Roy Hill

Atlas Iron|

| Mines|

* Miralga Creek
* Mt Webber
* Sanjiv Ridge

|

Other operations|

| Mines|

* Blue Hills
* Iron Ridge
* Iron Valley
* Karara (Karara railway line)
* Koolan Island
* Koolyanobbing
* Wonmunna

|

* Ports
* Railways
* Mines

* v
* t
* e

Railway lines in Western Australia

Main lines|

* Eastern Goldfields
* Eastern Railway
* Great Southern Railway
* South Western Railway
* Trans-Australian Railway

Goldfields–Esperance|

* Esperance
* Hopetoun–Ravensthorpe†
* Kalgoorlie–Gnumballa Lake†
* Kanowna†
* Leonora
* Malcolm–Laverton†
* Kambalda–Redmine

Great Southern|

* Donnybrook–Katanning†
* Nornalup†
* Ongerup†
* Pingrup†

Mid West|

* Avon Yard–Mullewa†
* Cue–Big Bell†
* Dongara–Eneabba†
* Geraldton–Ajana†
* Geraldton–Mullewa
* Karara
* Meekatharra-Horseshoe†
* Millendon Junction–Narngulu
* Mullewa–Meekatharra†
* Sandstone†
* Upper Chapman Valley†
* Wiluna†

Peel|

* Waroona–Lake Clifton
* Pinjarra–Narrogin†

Pilbara|

* Fortescue
* Goldsworthy
* Hamersley & Robe River
* Marble Bar†
* Mount Newman
* Roy Hill

Perth|

* Airport
* Armadale
* Belmont†
* Ellenbrook
* Fremantle
* Kalamunda
* Kwinana
* Mandurah
* Midland (country)
* Midland (suburban)
* Mundaring
* Mundaring Weir
* Spearwood–Armadale†
* Thornlie–Cockburn
* Upper Darling Range
* Yanchep

South West|

* Brunswick Junction–Narrogin†
* Donnybrook–Katanning†
* Flinders Bay†
* Nannup†
* Northcliffe†
* Pinjarra–Narrogin†

Wheatbelt|

* Avon Yard–Mullewa†
* Bonnie Rock†
* Brookton–Corrigin†
* Brunswick Junction–Narrogin†
* Goomalling–West Merredin†
* Hyden
* Kalannie
* Merredin–Narrogin†
* Merredin–Yilliminning†
* Pinjarra–Narrogin†
* Newdegate
* Toodyay West–Miling
* Wagin–Bowelling†
* Wyalkatchem–Southern Cross†
* York-Bruce Rock†

Tourist and heritage railways|

* Bennett Brook
* Hotham Valley
* Oliver Hill

Timber railway lines|

* Ballaarat tramline
* Jarrahdale–Rockingham

Trams and tramways|

* Baldivis tramway
* Broome Tramway
* Carnarvon tram
* Trams in Fremantle
* Trams in Kalgoorlie
* Trams in Perth

Approved by Parliament
but not constructed|

* Boyup Brook–Cranbrook
* Brookton–Dale River
* Manjimup–Mount Barker
* Southern Cross southwards
* Yarramony eastward
* Yuna-Dartmoor

^† Denotes railway is closed, partially closed or has been removed

See also: Agricultural railways ♦ Wheatbelt railways
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