Eleven of Arc’s 20 new ballast wagons will soon arrive in the Mid West to support delivery of the Agricultural Supply Chain Improvement (ASCI) project.
As part of the scope to increase the Tonne Axle Load (TAL) from 16TAL to 19TAL, 40,000 tonnes of new rock metal ballast will be placed on the existing formation between Carnamah and Mingenew.
The newly commissioned wagons have travelled from Kenwick to the Mid West to undertake this work.
The initial project to procure the wagons commenced in early 2022. While conceptually straightforward, the project presented several technical challenges. Arc operates a network across two different gauge types, narrow and standard, with the added complexity of corridors with dual gauge track.
This required the wagons to be designed to accommodate both standard and narrow gauge bogies (the under part of a rail vehicle which supports the upper body and attaches the wheels). The wagons also need to deliver ballast accurately across the different track gauges.
Following successful prototype development and testing of the unique hopper configuration, manufacturing of the remaining fleet of 19 wagons commenced in November 2025. The wagons arrived from China in early 2026 before undergoing fit-out and final commissioning.
Operations and Logistics Lead Paul Jones said the prototype wagon exceeded expectations.
“Compared to our current fleet, these wagons are far more flexible and easier to operate. The remote-control functionality also enhances safety during ballast drops,” Paul said.
The new fleet has been well received by operational teams and is expected to support Arc’s maintenance activities for at least the next 30 years.
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