"If I can just put my ore in..."

[John Ashworth]

Photos (and title) by Peter Rogers.

Have been working up at Saldanha. Have had a chance to look at operations on the Sishen - Saldanha line. To see one of the 300 wagon plus ore trains arrive at Saldanha is truly, truly impressive.

This is 6km outside the yard and the train is slowing down for entry.The whole cavalcade took 5 minutes, 23 seconds to pass.

And the sound the train makes is unlike any other train sound that I've heard - a kind of quiet moaning sound - almost menacing.... No rail joints of course.

Hope you enjoy

[Andreas Umnus]

I have never seen trains with helpers in the middle of the train and at the end of trains in South Africa.
Thank you for showing these really good and interesting pictures.

[Steve Appleton]

These are indeed interesting pictures. Thank you to Peter Rodgers for providing them.
Andreas, I understand that because of the length and mass of the trains on this line, it is necessary to distribute the motive power throughout the train to reduce the lateral forces acting down the length of the train. Without the distributed motive power, a) the maximum permitted coupler forces could be exceeded, leading to train partings or damage to the draw-gear, b) any excessive "jerking" forces caused by the collapsing and stretching (due to slacks and overruns) in the train could lead to track damage or derailments and c) this distributes the air brake operation, overcoming the braking problems (pressure loss, uneven braking and application delays) that an excessively long brake train-pipe would bring about.

[Steve Appleton]

I have just found an interesting press release from GE on this very subject here:
http://us-cdn.creamermedia.co.za/assets ... 038_ge.pdf

[Andreas Umnus]

Steve,
Thank you very much for your answer (explanation) and for posting the link with more information about how the trains work with all the locos in the middle and at the rear of the train.
It seems that the trains become intelligent.