UNIT TRAIN OPERATION DEMANDS PREVENTIVE MAINTENANCE OF WAGONS

After a hectic period in which rising traffic continually outstripped facilities, slackening of demand for iron ore has allowed Mount Newman Mining to implement preventive maintenance of wagons that average 140 000 km a year. Conditions on the Pilbara ore lines are tough, with 18 000 tonne trains and 30 tonne axleloads. While unit trains are simple to operate, they present a special hazard in terms of epidemic failures because a large number of components such as coupler heads may reach a critical point in terms of fatigue life simultaneously. This makes tracking of components essential, and a computer has been installed for this purpose.

• Availability:
  • Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://worldcat.org/issn/03735346
• Corporate Authors:

  IPC Transport Press, Limited

  Dorset House, Stamford Street
  London SE1 9LU,   England 
• Authors:
  • Walker, W D
• Publication Date: 1980-9

Media Info

• Pagination: p. 778-780
• Serial:
  • Railway Gazette International
  • Volume: 136
  • Issue Number: 9
  • Publisher: DVV Media Group
  • ISSN: 0373-5346
  • Serial URL: http://www.railwaygazette.com/about-us.html

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Data collection; Freight cars; Information processing; Maintenance management; Maintenance practices; Planning; Preventive maintenance; Service life; Unit trains
• Geographic Terms: Australia
• Old TRIS Terms: Freight car component performance; Heavy haul railways
• Subject Areas: Design; Planning and Forecasting; Railroads;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00324502
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: British Railways
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Feb 6 1981 12:00AM