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Fall
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grainswest.com15
WHENTHEGRAINGETSGOING
LOOP TRACK ELEVATORS PARTOF INCREASEDWESTERNCANADIAN
HANDLINGCAPACITY
Photo:G3CanadaLimited
BY KARIN OLAFSON
OVER THE LAST TWO YEARS, LOOP
track grain elevators have been built across
Canada. These facilities can load and move
grain more efficiently, but they’re just part
of the picture. Much of the efficiency gain
over two decades has occurred at con-
ventional, straight-track facilities, where
improvement may yet occur.
At loop track facilities, locomotives
circle the elevator, receiving grain without
braking. Trains of up to 135 cars are loaded
continuously, and a locomotive’s power
needn’t be turned off. Pickup and delivery
is fast and seamless. Volume moved in-
creases, while time taken decreases.
In addition to building a loop track
facility at Port Metro Vancouver on the
North Shore, G3 Canada Limited is build-
ing such facilities across the Prairies. “We
plan to build another eight high-efficiency,
loop track facilities over the next three
years,” said Karl Gerrand, G3 CEO. “Three
years from now, G3 will have about 25
facilities across Canada.”
G3 plans to handle between 300,000
and 400,000 tonnes per year at each
country facility. Gerrand estimates an
efficiency increase of up to 40 per cent.
GrainsConnect is constructing four
130-car rail loops to more efficiently move
Canadian grain to buyers in China, Japan,
Southeast Asia and the Middle East.
President Warren Stow said two facilities
in Reford and Maymont, SK, are nearing
completion and two in Vegreville and
Huxley, AB, are also in the works.
Paterson Grain also operates one loop
track facility, with another under con-
struction.
Stow and Gerrand said these facilities
are essential for Canadian grain to remain
competitive. “Canada continues to be
one of the leading grain suppliers in the
world,” said Gerrand. “We produce more
grain every year, and our infrastructure
needs to keep up with the growth.”
“In the time that we’ve been monitoring
the grain handling and transportation
system, it’s improved phenomenally,” said
Mark Hemmes, president of Quorum
Corporation, which functions as Cana-
da’s grain monitor. This is indicated by
the shortened time it takes grain to go
through the system. Between 1999 and
2002, the average was 60 to 80 days, but
over the past three years the number has
been consistently in the low 40s. In this
time, average train size increased from 20
to 30 cars per train to around 85.
Hemmes doesn’t doubt loop-track facil-
ities will create huge efficiency gains, but
this is now only theoretical. A closed loop
system such as between individual coalm-
ines and Vancouver and Prince Rupert ter-
minals—all with loop-track facilities—can
work well, said Hemmes. “That’s not the
way the grain industry works.” He noted
more than 380 origins deliver to about 17
terminals. “It’s not going to work the same
way two trips in a row.”
G3 has the only loop-track port facility.
Not yet complete, it will face rail conges-
tion caused by neighbouring elevators,
chemical plants and more.
Of the 200 high-throughput elevators
out there, most feature straight-through
loading configurations and represent huge
sunk assets. As well, construction costs
are high, and large, flat parcels of land
required for loop tracks are scarce. “Loop
tracks are a great concept, but you’re not
going to mothball a bunch of elevators to
do this,” said Hemmes.
While loop tracks become more preva-
lent, straight-loading facilities will create
further efficiency gains. Accommodating
112-car trains, most can be extended to
134 and 136 cars, concluded Hemmes.
Within three years’ time, Grain handler G3 Canada Limited will operate 25 loop-track facilities across Canada,
including this one, located in Colonsay, SK.