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Goldsworthy railway
4341 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.

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, the Fortescue Metals Group operates the Fortescue railway and Hancock Prospecting the Roy Hill railway.

History

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

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

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.

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. 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.

Operation

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

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.

Rolling stock

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.

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. In November 1992 all were transferred to BHP's Port Kembla operation. By this stage, the infrastructure had been upgraded to allow GE Transportation 36-7 locomotives to take over the line.

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

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

References

1. ^ 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. ^ "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

• BHP
• Pilbara Railways – rail enthusiast website

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	Hopetoun–Ravensthorpe Kalgoorlie–Esperance Kalgoorlie–Gnumballa Lake Kalgoorlie–Kanowna Kalgoorlie–Leonora Malcolm–Laverton Kambalda–Redmine
Great Southern	Donnybrook–Katanning Elleker–Nornalup Katanning–Pingrup Tambellup–Ongerup
Mid West	Avon Yard–Mullewa Cue–Big Bell Dongara–Eneabba Geraldton–Ajana Geraldton–Mullewa Karara Meekatharra-Horseshoe Meekatharra–Wiluna Millendon Junction–Narngulu Mullewa–Meekatharra Mount Magnet–Sandstone Upper Chapman Valley
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 freight Mandurah Midland (country) Midland (suburban) Mundaring Mundaring Weir Spearwood–Armadale Thornlie Upper Darling Range Yanchep
South West	Boyanup–Flinders Bay Brunswick Junction–Narrogin Donnybrook–Katanning Picton–Northcliffe Pinjarra–Narrogin Wonnerup–Nannup
Wheatbelt	Amery–Kalannie Avon Yard–Mullewa Brookton–Corrigin Brunswick Junction–Narrogin Burakin–Bonnie Rock Goomalling–West Merredin Lake Grace–Hyden Merredin–Narrogin Merredin–Yilliminning Pinjarra–Narrogin Toodyay West–Miling Wagin–Bowelling Wagin–Newdegate 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 removedSee also: Agricultural railways ♦ Wheatbelt railways

• BHP
• Iron ore railways
• Mining railways in Western Australia
• Railway lines in the Pilbara
• Railway lines opened in 1966
• Standard gauge railways in Australia
• 1966 establishments in Australia