500ton trucks...

Not bigger, just cheaper...

The move to alternating current(AC) is typical for heavy equipment as well as cars...the AC part is already about us in Diesel-electric locomotives.

The prime mover turns an AC alternator, the current is changed to DC through a DC thryster to control amperage, then through an AC inverter, then to an AC traction motor featuring no brushes, etc. The only moving parts are the armatures.

Uphill operation is simple, mash the gas & git'er done, however there is no stall point...the machine will simply sit there under full power if it can't pull(but it will). This is where DC motors would melt...no problem with AC. That is why Caterpillar has traditionally held back from electric-drive. Especially since they have spend so much developing the worlds best mechanical drive train.

Downhill, dynamic-electric braking will be utilized & the power produced will be stored in batteries to aid the prime mover thereby reducing fuel consumption(they hope). That's provided they have enough space for storage batteries(they do). Dynamic braking in a short word uses power generated by the same motors that spin the wheels to slow down the vehicle, reducing the danger of hot hydraulic oil as seen with the current system of retarders.

All systems are monitored by operations, diagnostics & archive computers that are linked to a system that will eventually eliminate the need for human intervention, that answers the lack of "common sense."

I will take several years, maybe five at the most, to perfect this, but no more transfer-case, transmission, rear-axle differentials, just planetary final-drives past the traction motors, one per powered wheel.

The problem with the large tires you discuss is not the tread, it's in the side-wall construction & that will bring a limit to speed & capacity, just as with your favorite SUV(bet you didn't know that...).

CAT haul trucks outperform other makes in many categories, but if you compare the loaded hill climbing abilities of a Komatsu 960E to a 793D, the Komatsu wins. I know the payload capacities are different, but in many of the copper/gold mines in the U.S., these two trucks earn their keep side by side.

I took this picture a couple weeks ago at the Bingham Canyon Mine in Utah. This primary haul road is pitched at a 6-7% grade where the trucks are lined up. The 793D's are maxing out at 12mph, while the Komatsu's will pull it at 14.5mph. Komatsu 960E's stacked up behind 793D's hauling to the dump is a common sight.

Sorry it took a while to get back to you, I'm not sure how many 779's Cat were made.Peabody coal had a truck with 2 779's one on each end of side dump I think Anaconda had about 20, this was a stripping operation when I was there. We used Cat 666 twin engine scrapers,quad track D9G's 2000 tons an hour conveyors and 660 belly dumps, the mine is shut down now Google earth for Twin Buttes or Green Valley Arizona you can still see 3 of the electric shovels out in the field. Plus 3 other mines and only 1 is still active ASARCO mission unit, my Father broke 1st ground their about 1960

Mass-X said:

CAT haul trucks outperform other makes in many categories, but if you compare the loaded hill climbing abilities of a Komatsu 960E to a 793D, the Komatsu wins. I know the payload capacities are different, but in many of the copper/gold mines in the U.S., these two trucks earn their keep side by side.

I took this picture a couple weeks ago at the Bingham Canyon Mine in Utah. This primary haul road is pitched at a 6-7% grade where the trucks are lined up. The 793D's are maxing out at 12mph, while the Komatsu's will pull it at 14.5mph. Komatsu 960E's stacked up behind 793D's hauling to the dump is a common sight.

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Didn,t see the 795F there Mass- X?

Great picture from Bingham Canyon. A few clarifications. Komatsu has two versions of their 930E truck. The standard truck with 2,700hp which is actually very slow on grade. They have an SE version of which they have only sold to Bingham Canyon. The 930E SE has 3,500hp, however the engine has 12 turbos and is very unreliable. Yes, the truck is fast, however the engine cost, fuel consumption, mech availability, etc... are very poor. CAT has a new F series. 793F with a new 2,650hp engine, a new 797F with a new single engine with 4,000hp, and even a new 795F AC truck. The new CAT F series trucks are extremely fast.

They have an SE version of which they have only sold to Bingham Canyon

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Are you referring to the U.S. only? Because theres a fair few in the southern hemisphere!

The 930E SE has 3,500hp, however the engine has 12 turbos and is very unreliable. Yes, the truck is fast, however the engine cost, fuel consumption, mech availability, etc... are very poor.

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Who maintains them? The mine itself, Komatsu or Cummins?

Yes, I was refering to only the USA. Collahuasi copper mine in Chile also has some of the SE 930E's. In most cases customers do their own maintenance on Komatsu trucks because they believe they can do it better and more cost effective.

Regarding the 795F’s, I’ve actually been lucky in that I’ve seen all the field follow units at the three U.S. operating sites.

Barrick Goldstrike has a strict enough “No Camera” policy I was unable to get any photos of the 795F’s there. But I have a couple decent pictures of the trucks at Bingham Canyon and Black Thunder.

The pictures from Bingham Canyon show 795F’s on haul roads; and yes, they are very fast trucks. They'll outpace the Komatsu 960E and 930E ES's on a grade.

The Black Thunder photo is backing onto a pitfill dump. I was never very close to where they had the 795F's operating, hence the distant picture. But it's the center truck in the photo.

Thanks Mass X, looks like a good tour you had around the country side. You can observe some prettygood practices at BC just from the pics, well shot material, good load placement, good haul roads etc.

Seems odd they run the haul trucks on the sides they do as it puts the cabs side by side when passing but i guess the driving on the right side of the road thing is in place just like your countries reg road rules and different to mine!

I've been to BC but don't remember which side of the road run. But in the 60's all the mines in southern Arizona drove on the wrong side as the do in OZ

Chris5500: Who maintains them? The mine itself, Komatsu or Cummins?

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In regards to the Komatsu’s at Bingham Canyon; all of the above. Komatsu, Cummins, Caterpillar, P&H (as well as others I’m sure I’m not aware of) all have on-site offices, and do a lot of the maintenance on the equipment they’ve sold to the mine. Bingham Canyon has a large maintenance department that works on their own equipment, but from the times I’ve been there, there’s usually Cummins, Komatsu and Caterpillar mechanics in the maintenance bays alongside the mine’s mechanics.

Gavin84w: Seems odd they run the haul trucks on the sides they do as it puts the cabs side by side when passing

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From the mines I’ve been in here in the U.S., the majority do run left-hand traffic. Most of the bigger scraper contractors run their scraper projects left-hand as well.

From my understanding, Bingham Canyon runs right-hand traffic because of the high amount of contractors and vendors that they have to share their haul roads with. At any given time there are two dozen or more contractor vehicles somewhere in the pit, a number of which are delivery truck drivers. In the picture I posted earlier, you can see two Komatsu or Cummin’s technician vehicles behind the 960E at the back of the line.

With some mines, the thought is that when sharing your haul roads with a very high number of outside vendors, changing to left-hand traffic will result in more accidents than it will prevent. Delivery truck drivers are usually the biggest accident concern when changing traffic patterns to something different than what some supertrucker is accustomed to on a highway.

Does every mine in Australia run left-hand traffic?

Does every mine in Australia run left-hand traffic?

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They sure do!

Mass-X can you share any more pictures of the pit from a distance?

Looking at those Benches in the back Ground that "Sand Pit" is HUGE?

Cracking pics Mass-X ... Been wondering about these trucks for a while ..

I see they are running in near perfect conditions .

More pics please ..

Ross said:

I see they are running in near perfect conditions .

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What they don't have haul roads like this where you have worked Ross?!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Gavin84w said:

What they don't have haul roads like this where you have worked Ross?!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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Ha ... Not Compact, Dry, Skate-Park Smooth surface like pictured

More like a Ploughed Field .. Rutty .. Really Test a truck out ... Should have sent one up to see Brian .. :drinkup

CAT793 said:

Mass-X can you share any more pictures of the pit from a distance?

Looking at those Benches in the back Ground that "Sand Pit" is HUGE?

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Rod, Bingham Canyon is touted as the largest man made excavation on the planet, visible from the moon-but i have not checked myself!!

Used to be a 793 site amongst many Rio Komatsu sites but i think engine issues have played there part there. Surprised!!

3516's have kept me off the streets for the last decade...................

Where does it fit with Freeport for the size of the truck fleet!

Gavin84w said:

Rod, Bingham Canyon is touted as the largest man made excavation on the planet, visible from the moon-but i have not checked myself!!

Used to be a 793 site amongst many Rio Komatsu sites but i think engine issues have played there part there. Surprised!!

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Gavin' Bingham Canyon was a mountain when it was 1st opened and they used locomotives and side dump rail cars for the ore