Fresh off the ship from China, last week, a rake of 56 brand new MGHH grain wagons in temporary storage at the Manildra Group's grain terminal at Bogan Gate West NSW. The terminal is closed and is currently being cleaned out and some maintenance being performed prior to the next harvest receivals, due in around six weeks or so.

The wagons came the long way around from Newcastle NSW to Bogan Gate West via Cootamundra West and up through Forbes NSW with Southern Shorthaul Railroad's GT26C model EMD locomotives C504 & C507. The move was conducted last Sunday the 08th of September 2024 and ran about three hours late.

The new wagons are being built by CRRC Meishan Co Ltd at their Meishan wagon construction facility in China for the Manildra Group and are in two pack formation. The "MGHH" can either carry bulk flour or grain. CRRC are also constructing the sixty foot "MQCH" container flats for Manildra Group as well, with some already landed in Australia.

The tare weight of each MGHH wagon is 26.4 tonnes and capacity is 73.4 tonnes and length UL is 17.9 metres per wagon. Four discharge doors are available on each hopper and one sliding roof door on the top for grain loading.

CRRC Meishan are using the American made Wabtec TMX Brake System, made by Wabtec at Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania USA, principally the AAR S-4005 brake system on CRRC-MS triple spring bogie sets. The entire rake is running the ECP braking system.

The Chinese have vastly improved their overall end product finish with good straight welds, no burrs or molten drips. The paint job is also quite good with no over splash and a good even multi coat finish. I am not sure what they have used on the wagons side (it's not bare metal), whatever it is it reminded me of "Silver Frost" paint of many years back.

It's a pity they didn't have "Gem of the west" motto included with the gem symbol on the side like the "MGFH" wagons.

It will be interesting to see how these compare with the existing "MGFH" flour wagons built between 1994 & 1995 by ANI Ruwolt at Karrabin in Queensland which are still in active service. The "MGFH" are tare 26.5 tonnes, capacity 73.5 tonnes and UL of 16.8 metres.

In the background is a set of 25 branch line yellow hoppers which have been sitting there for around a year now, they will be restored and probably used on the Tottenham NSW branch working.

Did you know? What is "ECP" brakes on a train? "Electronically Continuous Pneumatic" braking provides many benefits both financially and safety wise to the rail operator. ECP provides considerable benefits over traditional air braking that we all know. ECP means all wagons in the consist receive the brake command at the same time, so all brakes on each wagon are applied uniformly and instantaneously. This gives better train control, shortens stopping distances and leads to lower risk of derailment or broken couplings.

Special thanks go to Manildra Group for allowing site access for the video.

1455hrs on Friday 13th of September 2024.

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