BHP Iron Ore trains, heaviest in the world. Pilbara, Western Australia

Way out in the Pilbara region in the north of Western Australia, BHP operate a network of iron ore mines, processing facilities, and port facilities. A rail network with over 1000 kilometres (600 miles) of track connects these facilities around the town of Newman with the ports at Port Hedland.

These train are not quite the longest in the world, although BHP railways does hold the record of operating the longest train in the word (7.3km 99k tonnes in 2001    • From the Archives: World Record break...  
), they are likely the heaviest at around 42,000-43,000 tonnes per train. They are also some of the longest at just under 3000 metres (1.85 miles) each.

These trains operate with four EMD SD70ACe locomotives, two at the head end and two more mid train in Distributive Power mode, and with Electro Pneumatic brakes.

By my calculations they carry about 32,000 tonnes of iron ore (net), and with the spot price currently around USD100 per tonne they're carrying about USD3.2m of product per trip.

I will have a part 2 of this video that will have the trains on the steep grades around the Chichester and Hamersley ranges.

01:00 - Tabba, two trains meet on the flat lands 50km south of Port Hedland
06:15 - Turner, 110km south of Port Hedland
10:00 - Abydos, some moderate hills start against empty trains about 130km from Port Hedland
12:50 - Spring, a loaded train descends easing grades about 180km south of the ports