AUSTRALIA: Mining company Fortescue Metals Group has awarded Knorr-Bremse a contract to enhance signalling and further digitalise lineside systems on its mine-to-port heavy haul rail network in the harsh environment of Western Australia.
Knorr-Bremse said the long-term order announced on July 16 is valued ‘in the upper double-digit million-euro range’. Dr Nicolas Lange, executive board member responsible for the company’s Rail Division, said there are ‘significant opportunities’ to enhance infrastructure utilisation and efficiency through ‘intelligent, digitally enabled signalling’. The Fortescue project ‘is a strong example of how we are expanding our footprint in an attractive market while helping shape the future of smart, efficient, and sustainable rail transport’.
A new level of intelligence
The modernisation programme will be implemented step-by-step through to mid-2027.
The core of the project will be the upgrade of Fortescue’s existing Incremental Train Control System and the migration of key infrastructure components to KB Signaling’s ElectroLogIXS platform. The supplier said this will bring a new level of intelligence to the network, enabling real-time data-driven track monitoring, more agile train control and deeper operational insights to allow a more flexible response to dynamically changing conditions.
Dispatchers will be able to update train parameters remotely and in real time, meaning ore trains of up to 5 000 tonnes will no longer need to stop in sidings to adjust trip data when route conditions change. This is expected to result in smoother operations, reduced delays and significantly improved network efficiency, particularly in the event of congestion at loading points or unexpected maintenance requirements.
Knorr-Bremse and Fortescue are also exploring the potential integration of additional digital technologies. These include Electro Code 6, a next-generation digital track circuit that enables highly precise train detection, as well as Rail TempEst which measures rail temperatures in real time to support safe and optimised speed management.
‘Fortescue has consistently been at the forefront of adopting advanced rail technologies and proving their value under real heavy haul conditions’, said Jeff Baker, Managing Director of KB Signaling. ‘By combining proven systems with new digital capabilities, we are enabling Fortescue to run its network in a more flexible, resilient, and data-driven way – supporting higher productivity today and sustainable growth in the future.’
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