Railways in the Pilbara

The long distances from the mines to the sea ports mandated that railways be built as the most economical method to transport the ore.

In August 1966, Hamersley Iron (a Rio Tinto company) opened a 298-kilometre line from Mount Tom Price to a new port at East Intercourse Island, near Dampier.

The Cliffs Robe River Iron Associates joint venture opened a 162-kilometre line from Mount Enid to Cape Lambert, near Wickham, in July 1972.

Some were built under licence in Australia by AE Goodwin, Comeng, and rebuilt by A Goninan & Co and Clyde Engineering, however most have been imported from the United States.

[3] Locomotives operated have included members of the following classes: The large-tonnage heavy-duty iron ore shipments require deep-water ports, which have to accommodate very high tidal ranges.