Mount Newman railway
Encyclopedia
The Mount Newman railway, owned and operated by BHP Billiton
, is a private rail network in the Pilbara region of Western Australia
for the purpose of carrying iron ore. It is one of two railway lines the group operates in the Pilbara, the other being the Goldsworthy railway
.
Additionally to the BHP Billiton network, there are also another two independent iron ore rail lines in the Pilbara. One is operated by the Rio Tinto Group
, the Hamersley & Robe River railway
, while the other, operated by the Fortescue Metals Group
, is the Fortescue railway
.
to Port Hedland and is one of Australia’s longest private railways. The line, alongside with its spur lines to Mount Whaleback
, Orebodies 18, 23 and 25
, Jimblebar
, Yandi
and Area C
, services the iron ore mines at Newman. It has the longest and heaviest trains in the world. The railway line was officially opened on 22 January 1969 by Sir David Brand
.
The rail journey from Newman to Port Hedland typically takes about eight hours for the ore trains which are up to 3.75 kilometres long. Each rail car carries up to 126 tonnes of ore and trains consist of up to 208 cars, leading to the trains pulling 26,000 tonnes of ore.
Unlike the Rio Tinto rail system, which is operated from Perth, the BHP one is controlled more locally, from Port Hedland.
On 21 June 2001, the line broke the world record for the heaviest train
when a train weighing 99,734 tons and formed of 682 wagons ran for 275 kilometres between Yandi and Port Hedland on the Mount Newman line. The train was 7.3 kilometres long, carried 82,000 tons of iron ore and was pulled by eight locomotives.
(FMG) to use part of the Mount Newman railway and also part of the Goldsworthy railway.
In June 2010, the Australian Competition Tribunal ruled that FMG would 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. 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.
Access to the rail networks by third parties is governed by the State Agreements Act.
BHP Billiton
BHP Billiton is a global mining, oil and gas company headquartered in Melbourne, Australia and with a major management office in London, United Kingdom...
, is a private rail network in the Pilbara region of Western Australia
Western Australia
Western Australia is a state of Australia, occupying the entire western third of the Australian continent. It is bounded by the Indian Ocean to the north and west, the Great Australian Bight and Indian Ocean to the south, the Northern Territory to the north-east and South Australia to the south-east...
for the purpose of carrying iron ore. It is one of two railway lines the group operates in the Pilbara, the other being the Goldsworthy railway
Goldsworthy railway
The Goldsworthy railway, owned and operated by BHP Billiton, is a private rail network in the Pilbara region of Western Australia for the purpose of carrying iron ore. It is one of two railway lines the group operates in the Pilbara, the other being the Mount Newman railway.Additionally to the BHP...
.
Additionally to the BHP Billiton network, there are also another two independent iron ore rail lines in the Pilbara. One is operated by the Rio Tinto Group
Rio Tinto Group
The Rio Tinto Group is a diversified, British-Australian, multinational mining and resources group with headquarters in London and Melbourne. The company was founded in 1873, when a multinational consortium of investors purchased a mine complex on the Rio Tinto river, in Huelva, Spain from the...
, the Hamersley & Robe River railway
Hamersley & Robe River railway
The Hamersley & Robe River railway, majority-owned and operated by the Rio Tinto Group, is a private rail network in the Pilbara region of Western Australia for the purpose of carrying iron ore. The network is larger than any other Australian heavy freight rail network in private ownership. The...
, while the other, operated by the Fortescue Metals Group
Fortescue Metals Group
Fortescue Metals Group is an Australian iron ore mining company. The company has holdings of more than 87,000 km² in the Pilbara region of Western Australia making it the largest tenement holder in the state. It is listed as FMG on the Australian Securities Exchange .In 2008, the group loaded...
, is the Fortescue railway
Fortescue railway
The Fortescue Railway, owned and operated by the Fortescue Metals Group , is a private rail network in the Pilbara region of Western Australia for the purpose of carrying iron ore. It is the only railway line the group operates in the Pilbara, having opened in 2008...
.
Operation
The Mount Newman railway runs for 426 kilometres, from NewmanNewman, Western Australia
Newman, located about 1186 km north of Perth and 9 km north of the Tropic of Capricorn, is a town in the Pilbara region. It can be reached by the Great Northern Highway...
to Port Hedland and is one of Australia’s longest private railways. The line, alongside with its spur lines to Mount Whaleback
Mount Whaleback mine
The Mount Whaleback mine is an iron ore mine located in the Pilbara region of Western Australia, 6 kilometres west of Newman.The mine is majority-owned and operated by BHP Billiton, and is one of seven iron ore mines the company operates in the Pilbara...
, Orebodies 18, 23 and 25
Orebodies 18, 23 and 25 mine
The Orebodies 18, 23 and 25 mine is an iron ore mine located in the Pilbara region of Western Australia, 8 kilometres east of Newman.The mine is majority-owned and operated by BHP Billiton, and is one of seven iron ore mines the company operates in the Pilbara...
, Jimblebar
Jimblebar mine
The Jimblebar mine is an iron ore mine located in the Pilbara region of Western Australia, 41 kilometres east of Newman.The mine is fully owned and operated by BHP Billiton, and is one of seven iron ore mines the company operates in the Pilbara...
, Yandi
Yandi mine
The Yandi mine is an iron ore mine located in the Pilbara region of Western Australia, 90 kilometres north-west of Newman. It should not be confused with Rio Tinto's nearby Yandicoogina mine, which is also sometimes shortened to Yandi....
and Area C
Area C mine
The Area C mine is an iron ore mine located in the Pilbara region of Western Australia, 92 kilometres west-north-west of Newman.The mine is majority-owned and operated by BHP Billiton, and is one of seven iron ore mines the company operates in the Pilbara...
, services the iron ore mines at Newman. It has the longest and heaviest trains in the world. The railway line was officially opened on 22 January 1969 by Sir David Brand
David Brand
Sir David Brand KCMG was the 19th and longest serving Premier of Western Australia and a Member of the Legislative Assembly from 1945 to 1975.-Early life:...
.
The rail journey from Newman to Port Hedland typically takes about eight hours for the ore trains which are up to 3.75 kilometres long. Each rail car carries up to 126 tonnes of ore and trains consist of up to 208 cars, leading to the trains pulling 26,000 tonnes of ore.
Unlike the Rio Tinto rail system, which is operated from Perth, the BHP one is controlled more locally, from Port Hedland.
On 21 June 2001, the line broke the world record for the heaviest train
Heaviest trains
The heaviest trains in the world are freight trains hauling bulk commodities such as coal and iron ore. One might distinguish between regular operations, and occasional record breaking runs...
when a train weighing 99,734 tons and formed of 682 wagons ran for 275 kilometres between Yandi and Port Hedland on the Mount Newman line. The train was 7.3 kilometres long, carried 82,000 tons of iron ore and was pulled by eight locomotives.
Recent history
On 15 June 2004, the National Competition Council of Australia received an application from the Fortescue Metals GroupFortescue Metals Group
Fortescue Metals Group is an Australian iron ore mining company. The company has holdings of more than 87,000 km² in the Pilbara region of Western Australia making it the largest tenement holder in the state. It is listed as FMG on the Australian Securities Exchange .In 2008, the group loaded...
(FMG) to use part of the Mount Newman railway and also part of the Goldsworthy railway.
In June 2010, the Australian Competition Tribunal ruled that FMG would 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. Treasurer Wayne Swan
Wayne Swan
Wayne Maxwell Swan is the Deputy Prime Minister of Australia and an Australian politician. He has been an Australian Labor Party member of the Australian House of Representatives from 1993 to 1996, and then re elected in 1998 till today , representing the Division of Lilley, QLD...
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.
Access to the rail networks by third parties is governed by the State Agreements Act.