Pilbara Archives - International Railway Journal

Pilbara

March 9, 2026 | Signalling

AutoHaul drives efficiencies at Rio Tinto

Eight years since it operated its first driverless heavy-haul freight train in the Pilbara region of Western Australia, and nearly seven since it switched to entirely automated operations, Rio Tinto provides an update on the efficiency improvements delivered by its AutoHaul ATO system. The mining company also reveals some of the current and future upgrades it is working on, as Kevin Smith reports.

December 29, 2025 | Freight

Reducing traction emissions

Australia’s rail freight operators are looking to embrace new technology in order to cut emissions. The results so far have been mixed, as Tony Duboudin explains.

June 15, 2023 | Fleet

Rio Tinto and Gemco Rail to manufacture ore wagons in Pilbara region

Rio Tinto will order 100 wagons over six years.

August 9, 2022 | Technology

AutoHaul extended on Rio Tinto’s Pilbara network

Driverless operation now extended by 166km to Gudai-Darri mine.

May 25, 2021 | Technology

Rio Tinto trials collision avoidance system in the Pilbara

The collision avoidance system being tested by Rio Tinto has been developed by Rail Vision.

July 2, 2020 | Australia/NZ

Fortescue selects contractor for Pilbara line

FORTESCUE Metals Group has awarded John Holland a $A 130m ($US 90m) contract to equip a new 143km railway connecting the Eliwana iron-ore mine to the existing 620km Hamersley line to Port Hedland, in Western Australia’s Pilbara region. The freight line is scheduled to open in December.

August 9, 2019 | Freight

Rise of the machines: Rio Tinto breaks new ground with AutoHaul

Rio Tinto’s Pilbara iron-ore railway network is the world’s first automated heavy-haul freight railway. With trains now running unmanned, Kevin Smith looks at what made AutoHaul, the world’s largest robot, a reality.

December 31, 2018 | Freight

Rio Tinto completes automation of Pilbara rail network

RIO Tinto announced on December 28 that it has successfully completed its $US 940m AutoHaul project to automate the operation of its 1700km heavy-haul rail network in the Pilbara region of Western Australia, which it says is now the “world’s largest robot and first automated heavy-haul, long-distance rail network.”

June 4, 2018 | Freight

Fortescue to build Pilbara heavy-haul extension

AUSTRALIAN mining company Fortescue Metals has given the go-ahead to a $A 1.69bn ($US 1.29bn) project to develop a new iron-ore mine at Eliwana and extend its existing 160km heavy-haul freight rail network to serve it.

May 18, 2018 | Australia/NZ

Rio Tinto gains accreditation for autonomous train operations

MINING company Rio Tinto has been granted accreditation by Australia’s Office of the National Rail Safety Regulator (ONRSR) for the autonomous operation of trains serving the group’s Pilbara iron-ore mines in Western Australia.

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