Hi all,Having been involved in iron ore railway design for a few...

Hi all,

Having been involved in iron ore railway design for a few years, I hope I can answer a few of the questions posed in the original post.

I used to hold SDL but sold a year or so and I still try to keep up to date but more than likely have missed some key information - please correct me if this so!

I believe that if SDL are to achieve 50Mtpa then for the rail side of things some assumptions would be:
1. Allow for 1Mt per week (this should include maintenance downtime and general stoppages.)
2. Using 25kt per train - working on 3 Head locos and around 220-240 wagons at 105-115t per wagon. (Westcott - you used 225t per wagon - I think that may be too high - you need to allow a max of 36t axle loading and I am assuming only 4 axles per wagon? - max 144t/wagon including tare weight)
3. 26hrs round trip (from Westcotts post) seems to be in the right ballpark

This means about 40 loaded consists per week - around 6 per day with stoppages and unforseen events. Thats 12 train movements per day and if you allow 3hrs for loading (from one loadout) and the same for dumping (although dumping cycles can shorten) means that at any one time on the network you would need to allow for 4 loaded and 4 empties to pass over the 500km. The sidings would be in the order of 2.5-3km long and usually allow the empties to pull in and wait for the loaded to pass. There may also be a cut out track at these sidings to cut out and damaged wagons or wagons with bearing problems.

(I'm allowing for 1 loaded ready to depart the mine and 1 empty presenting ready to load at the mine end and the same for port end - 1 unloading and 1 presenting to commence unloading.)

The trains at the port end would also undergo trip maintenance. The would put the passing stations at around 80-100km intervals (depending on constraints - ie - some sections may be quicker to travel than others so the stations would not be regularly spaced.) giving us about 4 or 5 stations. You would also then need a couple of parking stations to park up and maintenance equipment to keep the line in good condition - these would include a grinder, tamper, (potentially) a rail train and ballast train. These assumptions are if SDL are the ONLY ones using the line. Should others wish to do so then I would imagine they will need more passing stations.

The risk for me with this railway is the capital cost given the terrain they need to traverse. Should they follow the flatter ground along the rivers they have numerous bridges and poor foundation material which will need to be removed and replaced with more suitable material or move into the more rolling coutry with higher embankments and cuttings. I'm not sure what type of railway they would be looking at - either a tubular track arrangement which requires a smaller footprint or a conventional sleeper and ballast type? I guess that there are too many variables which I am sure are being looked at (including the multi-user scenario).

Can this be built however? - absolutely and I hope they succeed.

Hope I answered a few question and raised some more!

Regards....Maxi
DYOR!