INCREASING CANE TRANSPORT EFFECTIVENESS IN THE HERBERT RIVER DISTRICT

GREEN CANE harvesting has reduced the mass of cane in a cane bin and increased cane transport costs by requiring more cane bins to transport the same mass of sugarcane to the sugar mill. Consequently, the components of a cane bin are under less stress for transport of green cane by rail compared to burnt cane, while a fundamental requirement to reduce cane transport costs is to carry the highest practical axle load per wheel set. With recent increases in the practical load limit for a 15” wheelset, the Herbert River four-tonne cane bin fleet can carry the green cane payload with one wheelset instead of two. This benefit can be harnessed by permanently ‘joining’ two four-tonne cane bins and removing every second wheelset. Further cost savings of two couplings and two cage ends are also realised by the ‘joining’ process. The cane bin structure of two ‘joined’ four-tonne cane bins has been named the 8-tonne bin. Prior to the permanent ‘joining’ of two four-tonne cane bins, consideration was given to strength, track dynamics and negotiation of curves. These issues have been addressed and five prototypes have been constructed and trialed to confirm that assumptions, calculations and models are representative of field requirements. The benefits of ‘joining’ two four-tonne cane bins include reducing the capital and maintenance cost of rolling stock, the elimination of single bin pushes into the tippler, increased siding and full yard holding capacity, reduced cane bin derailment potential and increased cane transfer efficiency from haul-out to cane bin.