Customer Requirements
BHP Billiton, the world's largest diversified resources company, needed to respond to increased global demand for iron ore and commissioned Siemens to design, build and deliver an advanced rail technology system (RTS) to deliver real time control of rail freight movements. BHP Billiton ships millions of tonnes of ore to steel mills around the world and the BHP Billiton railway is a critical link for transporting iron ore between mines and ports. An advanced RTS was required for BHP to optimise existing iron ore rail freight operations at Port Hedland, Western Australia. The Pilbara region of Western Australia is resource rich and BHP needed to act on the opportunity to increase production and sales from several mine sites in that region to cater for the worldwide demand for iron ore. Mobility and advanced rail technology was a requirement to meet the needs of BHP Billiton.
Solution
Siemens developed the advanced RTS to link with BHP Billiton's mine and port operations and supply chain management systems to deliver real time control of rail freight movements. The RTS comprises three integrated elements – Siemens' Vicos Train Control System, the Falko online train scheduling system and the train information management system.
Benefits
Our solution enabled:
- Increased rail transport capacity and throughput
- Integration of the complete mine–rail–port supply chain system
- Effective management and control of rail freight operations
- Efficient use of existing infrastructure and resources
- Reduced risk of interruption to daily business while still delivering a substantial change and modernisation of the railroad system within the shortest timeframe
- Real time control of rail freight movement over the entire system
- A scheduling system to assess iron ore capacity requirements and create a daily master timetable
- Collection of operational data to create detailed reports