Cyclone threats, wet weather, restricted site access, hiring additional people and maintaining machine availability were just some of the challenges Western Australia’s rail team faced as they strove to meet tough completion deadlines.
The deadlines for the FMG track and bridge project were met this week, initially with the first loaded ore train travelling from Hunter Siding down the line to the train unloader in Port Hedland on Sunday, March 6.
This morning (Tuesday, March 8) the final tracks were laid to complete the connection to Cloud Break Mine for Fortescue Metal Group’s (FMG) mine to port railway in the Pilbara.
The team worked around the clock for the last five weeks, worked through Christmas and Easter, and recently sourced and mobilised 50 extra workers within 12 days to complete critical project milestones in time.
The urgency to complete the track was to ensure FMG could upload its ore wagons to enable commissioning of port facilities in time to achieve their commitment of first shipment of ore in mid-May.
Rail Regional Manager (West) Graeme Spragg said there were a number of hurdles to overcome to meet the target.
“The team lost a few days because of a cyclone, and then a few more days due to wet weather,” Graeme said. “A radiator on the SUM track laying machine blew, so the team came up with an innovative stop-gap measure plumbing up a series of 200 litre drums and filling with water and ice until Select provided a replacement. This saved several days lost production and typified the determination of the whole project team in meeting the target milestone dates.”
The resolve of the project was best summed up by a statement from Alliance Manager Jim Bryce who said: “In the end, it was teamwork and a ‘never give up’ attitude that got us through.”
Graeme said the decision to operate two independent materials trains instead of one also helped increase productivity.
“Within two days of using the two materials trains we set what we believe to be a new Australian tracklaying record of 3.292 kilometres in a single day,” he said.
In all, 285 kilometres of track was laid and eight bridges built.
Managing Director Matthew Furrer praised the team’s outstanding efforts.
“It’s an amazing effort,” he said. “Along the way they have done some phenomenal days of production. This is a great example of our rail expertise and the resourcefulness and dedication of our people.”