Rio Tinto

The new ES43ACi features blue and turquoise-colored livery of La Compagnie de TransGuinéen, the joint venture company that will operate the Simandou Railway. (Wabtec Photograph)

First Look: Wabtec ES43ACi for Guinea Iron-Ore Project (UPDATED 6/23)

The first Evolution Series ES43ACi locomotive for TransGuinéen Railway was unveiled May 26 by Wabtec Corporation and Rio Tinto SimFer, a joint venture (JV) of the government of the Republic of Guinea in West Africa, Rio Tinto, and Chalco Iron Ore Holdings. On June 20, India Prime Minister Shri. Narendra Modi flagged off the first units for delivery from Wabtec Locomotive Private Limited’s Marhowra plant, an Indian Railways-Wabtec JV.

Wabtec: $248MM WCS ES43ACmi Order

Wabtec has landed $248 million order for Evolution Series ES43ACmi locomotives and services from Baowu & Winning joint venture Winning Consortium Simandou (WCS) for rail operations on a high-grade iron ore project

As part of its AutoHaul program, “Rio Tinto is seeking to add a forward-looking capability to its autonomous trains to detect obstacles on and along the tracks,” according to Rail Vision, whose Main Line system will be used to detect different types of obstacles at various ranges as part of a three-month pilot. (Photograph Courtesy of Rio Tinto)
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Supply Side: Hitachi, Humatics, Rail Vision

Hitachi Rail has completed a yearlong pilot evaluating Waltham, Mass.-based Humatics Corporation’s rail navigation system for possible integration with its CBTC (communications-based train control) technology. Also, Ra’anana, Israel-based Rail Vision Ltd.’s track-obstacle detection system will be tested as part of Rio Tinto Iron Ore’s AutoHaul® project in western Australia; Hitachi is the project’s lead technology integrator.