2022-23 Harvest Updates, page-182

As have two or three others in the last couple of weeks, another Pacific National-operated grain train for GNC ran from Murtoa to Portland, Victoria, arriving at just after 0500 on Thursday 27 July 2023.

GNC is also loading a train at Tocumwal, NSW this morning on the Victorian 'border line' broad gauge, while at Charlton on the broad gauge Sea Lake line there's a third.

In NSW (all standard gauge), a fourth grain train is loading at West Wyalong after travelling overnight from Port Kembla's Inner Harbour and pulling in at about 0600 AEST.

Milvale on the Cootamundra West-Parkes crosscountry line sees another train loaiding, while the same is true at Ardlethan on the Temora-Griffith line in the Riverina. Ardlethan and Barellan on this line have played host to many trains in the last few months: quite amazing that the silos still require clearing, testimony to multiple excellent seasons.

At remote Walgett, the terminus of a long branch line from Narrabri, a Southern Shorthaul Railroad train has been present since yesterday at about 1730 AEST, with the drivers presumably overnighting in a motel. It will load domestic grain as SSR won the contract from rival Pacific National. This should be GNC-handled golden stuff.

While wheat futures seem quite volatile given the Ukraine:Russia situation, irrespective as to geopolitical developments it's terrific to observe GNC moving so much grain to port in what traditionally has been the 'dead' April-September period.