Grain Rail Network Upgrade

Brookfield Rail's grain rail network services the export grain ports at Geraldton, Esperance, Albany and Kwinana and consists of over 2,300 kilometres of track supporting Western Australia's $4.5 billion grain export industry.

The grain rail network presents a unique challenge, in that around half Brookfield Rail's total rail network supports only around 10% of the total rail freight task and is subject to seasonal volume variations and significant competition from road transport. Brookfield Rail is committed to the development of the network in order to redress this imbalance. Grain on rail fulfils commitments to communities, provides growers with choice, results in safer roads and makes perfect economic and environmental sense. .

Through the Strategic Grain Network Committee, Brookfield Rail has worked closely with the State and Federal governments, industry, grower groups and local government on the changes to the rail system that will be required to meet the industry's medium term needs over the next 10-15 years.

State and Federal government funding announced in November 2010 and January 2011 respectively, underwrites the $164.5 million Tier 1 and 2 narrow gauge grain rail re-sleepering program, which will see around 1,265 kilometres of rail lines dedicated to grain freight re-sleepered over the next four years.

In July 2011, the State Government reaffirmed its decision to exclude the 700 kilometres of Tier 3 rail lines from its investment in Western Australia's grain freight network. The Tier 3 lines, which have not received government funding, will become non-operational and put into care and maintenance gradually over the next 3 years.

Rail transport for grain in Western Australia remains the primary means of providing the safest and most sustainable transport service for the State's grain industry. Our ongoing investment in the network, together with State and Federal government commitments, will continue to see this infrastructure utilised well into the future.