Longer Grain Trains

LONGER grain trains will be coming through Scone as part of a six month trial by the Australian Rail Track Corporation (ARTC).

The trains were 850 metres in length, but will now increase to 1,000 metres giving grain farmers an extra $2 to $3 per tonne in savings.

Bas Bolyn, manager of stakeholder communications for the ARTC said it will benefit farmers and the impact at level crossings will be minimal.

“You’ll notice the grain trains are longer, but they’ll be hauling more freight with the same train,” said Mr Bolyn.

“The coal trains which go through Scone are currently 1,300 metres, so the grain trains are still much shorter than those and the grain trains are also seasonal so have a much smaller impact,” he said.

“The wagons were also not fully loaded, but now we’ve increased the axle load limits from 20 tonne to 23 tonne axle loads, but Scone can comfortably handle that it already has a 30 tonne axle load,” he said.

“The freight that we can encourage onto rail in terms of net benefit is much better, less wear and tear on the roads, fewer emissions, better fuel efficiency and every dollar we put back into the pocket of a farmer is another dollar spent at a local shop,” Bas Bolyn said.

The six month trial will involve will involve detailed track monitoring and estimating increased maintenance costs.

In December last year the ARTC ran the longest grain train in Australian history, which was 1,300 metres in length.