HAMERSLEY LOOKS AT BRAKING LONG TRAINS.

Some of the longest and heaviest trains in the world are operated over the 385 km Hamersley Iron Railway in the Pilbara region in the north of Western Australia. Tests have demonstrated that 210 car ore trains grossing 25,200 tons hauled by three 2,700 kw diesels can be operated safely over Hamersley's undulating route featuring 2 per cent grades, provided braking strategies are right. A simulator has been developed that allows drivers to see the effects of their actions in terms of brake pipe pressure and longitudinal coupler forces along the train, while particular attention has been given to the problem of sticking brakes. The braking model used in the simulator is being fine-tuned so that it can be used to analyze optimum braking patterns for trains of different lengths.