CBH Group celebrates major rail fleet milestone
18/8/2026
CBH Group has commemorated the arrival of its new narrow-gauge locomotives and all new wagons in Western Australia, marking a major milestone in the state’s grower-owned grain supply chain.
This milestone is more than new rolling stock. It is CBH’s co-operative model and Path to 2033 Strategy in action: grower value being reinvested into the supply chain WA growers own and rely on.
The investment includes 17 new custom-built narrow-gauge locomotives and 650 new grain wagons, all of which have now been delivered into Western Australia.
Half of the CM20ACi narrow-gauge locomotives, delivered from Wabtec Corporation’s Brazil facility, are now in operation, alongside wagons manufactured by CRRC Meishan in China.
A further seven standard-gauge locomotives are expected to arrive from December 2026, completing the new fleet.
The new rolling stock will expand CBH’s existing fleet of 25 locomotives and 572 wagons, purchased in 2012, and will take CBH’s owned fleet to 49 locomotives and 1,222 wagons, excluding leased assets.
CBH Chief Executive Officer Ben Macnamara said the arrival of the new fleet was a significant moment for the co-operative and Western Australian grain growers.
“This milestone is about more than new locomotives and wagons. It shows CBH’s co-operative model in action: reinvesting grower value into the supply chain WA growers own and rely on,” Mr Macnamara said.
“As custodians of that supply chain, CBH’s role is to keep investing in the infrastructure, capacity and capability growers need now and into the future.
“The new fleet will support the co-operative’s Path to 2033 Strategy goal of increasing grain export capacity towards 3 million tonnes a month by 2033, while strengthening a safer, more reliable and more efficient pathway to market for WA growers.”
The new fleet is part of CBH’s broader investment across rail fleet, outloading and network capacity.
Mr Macnamara said CBH’s broader Path to 2033 investment program was already delivering benefits, with the co-operative regularly achieving strong monthly grain exports – including 2.5 million tonnes in January - as it builds towards its target of 3 million tonnes a month by 2033.
“New trains are only part of the story. They deliver the greatest value when paired with faster outloading, longer sidings and better network capacity,” he said.
“This investment is about putting grower capital back into the network — improving the way WA grain moves from paddock to port and onto customers around the world.”
The rapid rail outloading facilities form part of CBH's broader network investment, delivered through the Agricultural Supply Chain Improvements (ASCI) Program – jointly funded by the Western Australian and Commonwealth governments. Under Package 1 of the program, government funding is supporting the upgrade of rail sidings at 11 CBH sites, enabling longer trains to load faster, reducing bottlenecks and increasing the co-operative's capacity to move grain to port during peak demand.
CBH acknowledges and thanks the many organisations involved in the delivery of the new fleet, including Wabtec Corporation, CRRC Meishan, Aurizon, Arc Infrastructure, government and industry stakeholders, and CBH employees.
“A lot of work has gone into delivering the new fleet and having it in operation is a significant achievement everyone involved should be proud of,” Mr Macnamara said.
“We are excited to see the value it delivers for WA growers and the communities that depend on this industry.”
This milestone is more than new rolling stock. It is CBH’s co-operative model and Path to 2033 Strategy in action: grower value being reinvested into the supply chain WA growers own and rely on.
The investment includes 17 new custom-built narrow-gauge locomotives and 650 new grain wagons, all of which have now been delivered into Western Australia.
Half of the CM20ACi narrow-gauge locomotives, delivered from Wabtec Corporation’s Brazil facility, are now in operation, alongside wagons manufactured by CRRC Meishan in China.
A further seven standard-gauge locomotives are expected to arrive from December 2026, completing the new fleet.
The new rolling stock will expand CBH’s existing fleet of 25 locomotives and 572 wagons, purchased in 2012, and will take CBH’s owned fleet to 49 locomotives and 1,222 wagons, excluding leased assets.
CBH Chief Executive Officer Ben Macnamara said the arrival of the new fleet was a significant moment for the co-operative and Western Australian grain growers.
“This milestone is about more than new locomotives and wagons. It shows CBH’s co-operative model in action: reinvesting grower value into the supply chain WA growers own and rely on,” Mr Macnamara said.
“As custodians of that supply chain, CBH’s role is to keep investing in the infrastructure, capacity and capability growers need now and into the future.
“The new fleet will support the co-operative’s Path to 2033 Strategy goal of increasing grain export capacity towards 3 million tonnes a month by 2033, while strengthening a safer, more reliable and more efficient pathway to market for WA growers.”
The new fleet is part of CBH’s broader investment across rail fleet, outloading and network capacity.
Mr Macnamara said CBH’s broader Path to 2033 investment program was already delivering benefits, with the co-operative regularly achieving strong monthly grain exports – including 2.5 million tonnes in January - as it builds towards its target of 3 million tonnes a month by 2033.
“New trains are only part of the story. They deliver the greatest value when paired with faster outloading, longer sidings and better network capacity,” he said.
“This investment is about putting grower capital back into the network — improving the way WA grain moves from paddock to port and onto customers around the world.”
The rapid rail outloading facilities form part of CBH's broader network investment, delivered through the Agricultural Supply Chain Improvements (ASCI) Program – jointly funded by the Western Australian and Commonwealth governments. Under Package 1 of the program, government funding is supporting the upgrade of rail sidings at 11 CBH sites, enabling longer trains to load faster, reducing bottlenecks and increasing the co-operative's capacity to move grain to port during peak demand.
CBH acknowledges and thanks the many organisations involved in the delivery of the new fleet, including Wabtec Corporation, CRRC Meishan, Aurizon, Arc Infrastructure, government and industry stakeholders, and CBH employees.
“A lot of work has gone into delivering the new fleet and having it in operation is a significant achievement everyone involved should be proud of,” Mr Macnamara said.
“We are excited to see the value it delivers for WA growers and the communities that depend on this industry.”