Grain contracts change hands in Western Australia

Capacity boosted as above average crop expected this year.

AUSTRALIAN freight operator Aurizon has taken over operation of the Cooperative Bulk Handling (CBH) grain haulage contract in Western Australia for six years, winning the contract and starting operation in September 2021. Previous operator Watco Australia had a 10-year contract due to expire in April 2022, but chose to allow Aurizon to start operations early.

Watco ran its last loaded grain train to Geraldton Port on September 12 and the locomotives and empty wagons were then worked to Aurizon’s Narngulu depot, signalling the start of the grain fleet transfer across the state.

CBH, which is a cooperative company owned jointly by farmers in the state, operates a fleet of 28 locomotives (23 x 1067mm gauge and five standard gauge) plus 574 wagons. Around 14 million tonnes of grain are produced in Western Australia annually, approximately 60% of which is moved to the ports of

Geraldton, Kwinana and Albany by rail.

The CBH wagon fleet (normally made up of 10 sets of wagons plus locomotives) is leased to their contracted operator. Watco had also supplemented the CBH fleet with leased locos when required, even subcontracting to Aurizon whose Narngulu (Geraldton) depot supplied CBH with additional locos, wagons and crews for grain movements from February 1, 2021.

As part of the new contract

Aurizon will be supplying CBH a further three sets of Aurizon owned wagons and locomotives which will assist the grain haulage task this year, as with good winter rains in 2021, there are forecasts for an above average grain season in Western Australia; some analysts are predicting a 20 million tonne crop which will put pressure on the existing transport system to the export ports.

Our thanks to Phil Melling for most of the information in this item.

PHIL MELLING The first Aurizon operated train ran on February 1 and is seen leaving Aurizon’s yard at Narngulu with P Class locos Nos. P2503 + P2515 in the latest Aurizon yellow livery. This was an initial contract to assist Watco moving more grain to Geraldton Port. The P Class, with 2450HP GE engines, were built between 1989 and 1991 for former state-owned operator Westrail (Western Australian Government Railways) which was privatised in 2000.

PHIL MELLING The majority of the CBH-owned fleet are CBH Class six axle diesel electric locos built in the USA by Motive Power Inc in Boise, Ohio between 2012 and 2014. Class leaders Nos. CBH002 + CBH001 are seen hauling a loaded grain train to Geraldton Port passing through the locality of Moonyoonooka (east of Geraldton) on February 23, 2014.