RIO Tinto Iron Ore has announced an investigation into the viability of introducing automated train operations at its Pilbara iron ore mining operations. A project team is currently studying the application of Automated Train Operation (ATO) technology in a heavy-haul capacity. The project is the first application of its kind in Australia, as the ATO technology has previously been used only on passenger services. Rio operates one of the largest privately owned heavy haul railways in the world, with 1,300 kilometres of track in the Pilbara. Pilbara Iron acting general manager railways division, Sid Hay, said the study was part of the company’s continual business improvement process, as it sought to lift output to 320 million tonnes of iron ore. “While the project will automate certain significant aspects of our rail operations such as train driving, we do not expect that there will be any reduction in staff numbers,” Mr Hay said. “In fact, we need to recruit additional people into our rail operations to support our future plans.” A live trial of the ATO system is currently under way, with train drivers and technical experts on board able to switch to manual control at any stage. Mr Hay said it was likely that any implementation of the technology would take up to five years to complete across the company’s rail network. The ATO study started in late 2006 and includes prototype system development and testing on a dedicated test track at Dampier before trials began on the main line near Paraburdoo. Rio Tinto expects to make a final decision on the ATO project later this year.