RIO Tinto has started upgrading its material transport system with ten new generation locomotives arriving to haul iron ore in the company’s 1300km Pilbara rail network.
According to the company, the investment in rail infrastructure and rolling stock will keep pace with rapid mine expansions and increases in port capacity.
The new General Electric (GE) locomotives are said to have lower emissions, improved fuel efficiency and more flexible maintenance requirements. They have a 12-cylinder, 4500 horsepower engine.
The company says it intends to purchase 30 more locomotives in 2008, with 12 replacing the current 30-year-old units, with the remainder catering for expanding production.
According to Rio Tinto, the first 10 locomotives will increase the annual port capacity to 220 million tonnes of ore, with the capacity increasing to 320 million tonnes by 2012, and 420 million tonnes after that.
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