New Milk Tanks On Train 535 At Aramoho

Trains 535 & 534 pass through Aramoho on the Marton - New Plymouth Line in New Zealand. KiwiRail have been trialling new Milk Tank containers ahead of its Fonterra milk traffic start-up for the 2023 dairy season and some of these containes can be seen in the consist of Train 535. Both of these trains are serving a link between the Fonterra Dairy factory at Whareroa and the KiwiRail marshalling hub at Palmerston North.
Dominating the background is the derelect 1926 Kempthorne Prosser & Co Aramoho Chemical Works which was mostly closed in the 1980's. Further around the corner, we can see the distant Whanganui River Railway Bridge which is Bridge Number 25 MNPL. Aramoho (opened 1877) is the Junction with the Whanganui Town Branch and was once a busy railway location with a large passenger station on an island platorm supported by signal boxes and goods handling facilities. The yard was downsized in 1987 and the 1901 station building (which lost its passengers services in 1977) was dismantled in 1997.
In 2023 the yard still has two sidings in situ; the West Siding that leads to the local KiwiRail Network maintenance depot and the East Siding that leads to the Ravensdown Fertiliser Co-operative depot: But this private siding is disused as it no longer receives wagons from KiwiRail.
The KiwiRail DL class was manufactured by CRRC Dalian 中车大连机车车辆有限公司 with engines from MTU (Motoren- und Turbinen-Union). Introduced from 2010 onwards, they are the most powerful diesel-electric locos in service in New Zealand (3,600 hp). The class represents the first order for a Chinese-built locomotive from a western country. The 9000 series allocation was chosen for this class of locomotive as the number 9 represents longevity and good luck in Chinese culture. There are a total of 73 DL locomotives in 2023. (two members; 9008 & 9012 are layed up long term at Hutt Workshops)

[@tonymckeage1028]

Great Video Mark, Fonterra are great to keep those trucks off SH3 Thanks for sharing

[@peterscandlyn]

Maybe but that there's not been recommencement of log trains kinda points me to Kiwirail have had a rethink on pricing?

[@tonymckeage1028]

@@peterscandlyn fonterra can be pretty cunning on contract renegotiation I remember asking a fonterra employee why there were so many trucks on the road (unbranded) he just made the comment that the kiwi rail contract is up for renegotiation!! It’s also useful to point out that those tanks go to Hawera full in a train with often empty coda wagons and containers! The reverse is true on the return trip! At one point the Hawera milk factory was the largest in the southern hemisphere!

[@tonymckeage1028]

@@peterscandlyn I'm pretty sure that Fonterra is Kiwirails biggest customer by some distance, I had a conversation with a Fonterra employee and he said all the product going for export goes to a warehouse in Hamilton (just north of) and the vast majority is sent on to the ports of Auckland

[@peterscandlyn]

@@tonymckeage1028 Thanks Tony although don't think there's anything you said I wasn't aware of already, cheers.

[@peterscandlyn]

@@tonymckeage1028 Yeah I'd imagine they are Tony. What you said supports their desire to reopen the Stratford line north, be a lot more efficient for them,. Shame about those logs though....cheers.

[@peterscandlyn]

Thanks Mark! Been hoping someone would come through after I spotted them on Tuesday or Wednesday from my house. Not seen them closely, they almost look forklift-able?

[@MarkSeconi]

Hi. I assume they are a stock-standard 'off the shelf' designed ISO tank. They are probably forkliftable only when empty. Each tank is 24000Lt. So a two tank wagon is 2000Lt shy of the capacity of an old OM class wagon. In the off season, they would probably get grounded at Palmy railyard, and the wagon would remain in revenue earning service. It's good to see the MNPL being busy during the dairy season. Apparently the Milk Traffic starts on Oct 15th and finishes after 8 weeks

[@peterscandlyn]

@@MarkSeconi Thanks Mark - that all sounds likely. Shame that season is so short. Will keep an eye on the start time, cheers.

[@MarkSeconi]

​@peterscandlyn the new seasons milk trains started today (Monday 9th October)

[@peterscandlyn]

@@MarkSeconi Mark, yes, thank you. Slaving away in the yard and popped my head up as the Fonterra trian went by - sure enough.

[@albertotognoni4819]

​@@MarkSeconithis is smart, out the tankcontainers from the wagons when the peak milk is over.