Autonomous trains deployed in Pilbara

  • Posted by David Sexton
  • |
  • 8 January, 2019
BIG miner Rio Tinto is optimistic about the future of autonomous trains following their deployment in the Pilbara. Rio Tinto says it has successfully deployed AutoHaul, a $940m program focused on automating trains and transporting iron ore to ports on the north-west coast of Western Australia. Since completing the first loaded run in July, Rio Tinto has increased the number of autonomous journeys, with more than one million kilometres now travelled autonomously. Rio Tinto Iron Ore managing director rail, port and core services Ivan Vella said the safe and successful deployment of AutoHaul was a strong reflection of a “pioneering spirit”. “It’s been a challenging journey to automate a rail network of this size and scale in a remote location like the Pilbara, but early results indicate significant potential to improve productivity, providing increased system flexibility and reducing bottlenecks,” Mr Vella said.
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Posted by David Sexton

David Sexton is DCN’s senior journalist and has an extensive career across online and print media. A former DCN editor, he returns to covering shipping and logistics after a four-year hiatus working at Monash University during which time he managed production of key reports into the Indonesian ports and rail sectors.

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