A 'Big Mamma' train in South Africa

[Mario_v]

Hello all ;

Here's one of the world's biggest trains. It's 2,48 miles in length

The curious double heading is rekated with the fact of some gaps in the 50 Kv AC catenary, hence the diesels working

watch?v=nB0UyVZQhYo

[BaltACD]

Are the mid-train and rear end helper engines operated as manned helpers or as distributed power by the engines engineer?

[Mario_v]

Hello BaltACD;

 

I believe they use DPU

About the size of the train, I believe there are bigger than this one, also in Africa (Mauretanea)

[BaltACD]

Is the railroad a dedicated ore hauler or does is also have general merchandise and/or other bulk commodities that it transports.

Where a carrier is dedicated to hauling only one or a very limited range of bulk commodities the use of 'over-sized' trains can make economic sense, especially if the train can be kept fully assembled for both loading and unloading. 

 If the carrier must handle a wide range of products for a varied customer base then the resources (line of road & terminal space) consumed by such over-sized trains begins to work against serving the balance of the customer base.

Whatever works for the carrier and the customer.

[Mario_v]

And since I'm speaking of 'Big Mammas', her's an aussie version, operated by Rio tinto.

As a footnote, these guys are in the verge of launching an Iron Ore exploitation in the North of my country. Maybe then I'll see some modern american diesels here in Europe, such as the D9 at the point of this train

watch?v=jP4 iFIafUo

[Mario_v]

I remeber reading something about this operation in the past, and a I think that almost, if not all the line was operated just for the purpose of hauling iron ore. even the electrification is non standard (50 Kv AC)

[samfp1943]

Mario, DPU when used with a mix of power(electric locomotives and diesels) could be problematic.   The angles that were filmed at make it hard to determine some things about the train.  The track almost looks to be a narrower gauge than standard gauge(?)  Wonder what the tonnage carried is(?)

The second video of the Rio Tinto Operations shows some 6,000 hp(?) GE's CM 44-9CW with 234 cars .

[M636C]

 

The two leading locomotives in the Rio Tinto Video are GE ES44 DCi units, These are an ES 44 DC built on the frame of an AC6000  and fitted with an AC 6000 radiator (as well as the air to air intercooler) but they are only 4400 HP. The large radiators are required by the high temperatures in the Pilbara area. The third unit with yellow red and black lining is indeed a Dash 9-44CW.

M636C

[tomikawaTT]

I would expect a train in South Africa to be `Cape gauge,' 3' 6" (or 1067mm) being the local `standard.'

Chuck

[Mario_v]

Hello Sam ;

In terms of control sistem you're right. Yet a system of remote control is used, called RDP, wich is an an achronym for Radio Distributed Power, wich is no other than GE's Locotrol -, so RDP = DPU. With such lengthy trains, manned helpers would be a very dificult task to perform.

In terms of gauge, the one used is the so called 'cape gauge' - 3 ft 6 in (1,067 mm) - wich is the standard gauge in use in central and south Africa

Some extra info about the line :

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sishen%E2%80%93Saldanha_railway_line

http://www.route27sa.com/sishen.html

Locomotives :

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/South_African_Class_9E,_Series_1

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/South_African_Class_9E,_Series_2

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/South_African_Class_34-000

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/South_African_Class_34-400

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/South_African_Class_34-500

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/South_African_Class_34-900

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/South_African_Class_15E

I believe these trains ar the Mother of all big Mammas, literally speaking