Sophisticated Simplicity

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Sophisticated Simplicity

• Heavy Haul Operations Supported by Proven
  Technology

Mike Darby Karribrook WA Pty Ltd
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Presentation Overview

• What is Sophisticated Simplicity?
• BHP Billitons Railway NW Australia
• BHPBs use of technology
• Example of Sophisticated Simplicity in a Heavy
  Haul Railway Operations supported by proven
  technology

1/17/2014
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What is Sophisticated Simplicity?
Traditional Approach
Simple System
Proven Technologies
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BHP Billiton Ltd

• Is the worlds largest diversified resources
  company (gtUS100 billion)
• Global resource development company
• BHP Billiton Iron Ore located in Northern
  Australia
• Developed a Fit for Purpose Railway
• Operates in a harsh and isolated environment
• Operates the heaviest axle loads/trains in the
  world

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Operations in Cyclone Alley
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BHP Billiton Iron Ore Railway
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History of the BHP Billiton Railway

• Mt Whaleback was the largest single iron ore
  deposit in the world (gt1 billion tonnes)
• Historically Iron Ore deposits in Western
  Australia seen as too far (400 km) from tidewater
  prior to heavy haul railways
• Heavy haul rail line built in 1969 by North
  American contractor
• In 1970 Oroville Dam Project cars and dumpers
  brought from California to Australia / evolved as
  a North American Railroad
• Regulated by Mines Department not DOT

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BHP Billiton Iron Ore Railway
Operating Philosophies

• Good Safety Is Good Business
• Continuous Improvement
• Use Assets to Their Full Potential
• Research and Development

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Proven Technologies

• High axle load issues
• Hot bearing-Hot/Cold Wheel Detectors
• Wheel Impact Monitor
• Weigh-in-Motion Weighbridges
• Acoustic Bearing Detection
• Instrumented ore cars
• Auto Locomotive Downloads
• Video Imaging
• Workshop Initiatives

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Axle Load Evolution
Axle Loading
40 tonnes
35.0 tonnes
32.5 tonnes
30.0 tonnes
28.5 tonnes
Wet tonnes per wagon
1970
1974
1986
1996
2005
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Issues with 40 tonne Axle Load

• Thermit Welds/Flash Butt Welds
• 6000 Thermit welds 2 failure/annum
• 35000 flash butt welds - .008 failure/annum
• Program in place to replace thermit welds
• Rail Grinding Program
• Wheel/Rail Interface
• Weekly Rail Ultra Sonic Inspection

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Thermit/Flash Butt Welds
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Stress Free Temperature (SFT)

• Incorrect SFT leads to
• Track buckles when hot
• Rail Breaks when cold
• 1,000 meters rail _at_ 60C is 999.386meters _at_ 5C
• 25C change causes 92 tonnes of tensile force
• Thermit welds
• Sensitive to SFT lateral loading
• Concrete SFT 33 - 38C
• Timber Steel SFT 35 - 40

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Painting Welds
Reduce lateral loading
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Hot/Cold Wheel/Bearing Detection

• 18 hot bearing wheel detectors
• 1 cold wheel detector
• Automated and site activated

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Impact Detection Weigh-In Motion

• 1 impact load detector
• 4 weigh-in motion scales

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Acoustic Bearing Detection

• Following faults are detected
• Cone Faults
• Roller Faults
• Audible Wheel Flats
• Cup Faults
• Looseness / fretting
• Noisy Wheel sets (flanging)

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Consequence of System Breakdown
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Result of System Breakdown
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Instrumented Ore Cars (IOC)

• 4 IOCs in service
• Vertical suspension travel (ride quality)
• Wheel-rail acceleration (rail condition)
• In-train forces
• Lateral stability (hunting)
• Longitudinal acceleration
• Car body/draft gear pocket strains
• Temperature
• Brake pipe pressure

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Auto Locomotive Downloads

• The Black-Box is downloaded at each arrival at
  port
• Driver education/incident management
• Fuel utilization
• Data for automated train operation
• All operating parameters

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Video Imaging

• Measures
• Flange Height
• Flange Width
• Vertical Flange
• Hollowing Depth
• Rim Thickness
• Wheel Diameter

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Workshop Initiatives

• Component Tracking
• Ultra-Sonic Wheel Testing
• Super Clean Wheel Specs
• Bearing Quality Assurance
• H Class Bearings
• 40 tonne trucks
• Side Wall Thickness Tracking
• Asset Protection Information Integration

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Ultrasonic Wheel Inspection
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Shop Facilities
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37 Traceable Components for each Ore Cars
Component Tracking
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Coupler Inspection

• Developed in UK, for in-situe inspection
• Uses ultrasonic probe inserted through the drain
  hole
• Detect lower pulling lug cracks which are the
  primary mode of failure for fixed rotary
  couplers

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BHP Iron Ore Railroad
Productivity Results

• Ore Car Wheel Life
• 1980 2006
• million km million km Life extension
• 0.34 1.95 6.5 fold
  increase
• Rail Life (Tangent Track)
• 1980 2006
• million gross million gross
• metric tonnes metric tonnes Life extension
• 350 1,200 3.4 fold
  increase

RD into the rail/wheel interface allows for the
useful life of assets to be extended
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Employee Productivity Tripled in the last 10 years
(000s tonnes per employee /yr)
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Heavy Haul Railways of the Future

• KIS Keep it simple
• Train operation designed with minimum interfaces
• Implicit safe operation
• Design the operation to avoid train movements
• Intense capital utilization
• Use assets to the fullest
• Integrated knowledge process implementation
• Proven technology to protect assets

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The Knowledge Process
Integrated data collection
information
knowledge
implementation
System management
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Whats in the Future ?

• Continued safety focus
• Human resource efficiency
• Higher axle loads
• Evolution of Cruise Control
• Automated trains
• Electric brakes

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Electric Brakes

• Handbrakes on grades can be managed
• Ease of train handling
• all brakes on and off simultaneously within 7
  seconds
• graduated release
• Faster brake charging time
• Reduced in train coupler forces and less brake
  shoe wear
• Distributed power (no radio based locotrol)
• End of train monitoring
• Brake system charges while brakes are applied
• Load / empty features not required

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Advantages cont.

• Faster train cycle time
• Faster accelerations brakes release sooner
• May be able to increase speed of loaded trains
• Graduated release of train brakes
• Individual wagon brake status monitoring
• Fault finding i.e. train break location
• Faster train brake charging times (uses less air)
• Fuel savings as brakes release faster
• Increased wheel life
• No sticking brakes / hot wheels
• Even wearing brake shoes

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Highway for future Developments

• Derailment detection
• Hot bearing / hot wheel detection
• Hand brake status
• GPS train braking
• (individual brakes graduated as loads traverse
  undulation)
• Car weights linked to load out facilities
• (ensures each car is loaded to maximum)
• Automated trains platform

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Objective
Move 6 million tonnes of product per annum a
distance of 100 km
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Simple Approach
Traditional Approach

• 250 cars/wagons
• 7 locomotives
• Rotary/Bottom dump wagons
• Rotary or bottom dump station
• 80 employees
• Extensive track/yard system
• Cost for plant gtUS100 million
• High maintenance costs

• 80 cars/wagons
• 3 locomotives (Push/Pull)
• Side dump cars/wagons
• Flat unloading platform
• 35 employees
• Simple track/yard system
• Cost for plant ltUS30 million
• Less plant to maintain
• Supported by proven technology

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The End Result