Rio Tinto Iron Ore Automatic Train Operations
Project Introduction
Date: October 2006 - ongoing
Client Name: Pilbara Iron (Member of the Rio Tinto Group)
Client Type: Private Mining Company
Project Background
Pilbara Iron operates one of the largest
privately owned rail network in the world, consisting of
approximately 1200km of standard gauge track. The remoteness
of Pilbara Iron railway network in Western Australia’s Hamersley
Range has resulted in difficulties in sourcing skilled train
drivers to operate the 29,000 tonne iron ore trains over the
typical 300km distance from mine site to port. An innovative
approach of progressively trialling and implementing Automatic
Train Operations (ATO) is expected to produce a positive business
benefit in this remote location.
Several difficulties needed to be overcome
during this project including gaining community acceptance of
driverless trains, obtaining safety approval by the rail regulator
to develop and implement the scheme, and the technical challenges
of ensuring adequate safety and system contingency plans for the
ATO active network
Project Scope
Scott Wilson’s role is to act as the safety
advisor for the ATO trial system with respect to operational
safety. This brief includes advise on the submission to the
Office of Rail Safety and to provide guidance with regards to the
safety cases required for both system and software aspects
Services Provided include:
- Safety Management support
- Review of safety deliverables
- Assistance with the Office of Rail Safety
submission
- Compliance with standards.
- Audit of development processes.
- Software safety guidance.
- Safety Case development advice.
Value Adding Project Achievements
Scott Wilson continues to add value to this
project by ensuring effective communications both with internal and
external stakeholders, particularly with the Office of Rail
Safety. Scott Wilson is also taking on the liaison
coordination role between the ATO system developers, end users and
maintainers.
