Freight Movements - FAQs
Many products and materials needed to run an alumina refinery are transported into the refinery on a daily basis. Each year there are thousands of freight movements to and from the Pinjarra refinery by road and rail. Alcoa works with contracted companies to ensure the freight movements are kept to a minimum, and comply with strict government regulations ensuring high safety levels are maintained.
Q What types of transport does the Alcoa Pinjarra refinery use for freight?
Alcoa uses two types of transport. The first is the rail network which links the Pinjarra refinery, the Bunbury Port and Alcoa's Kwinana refinery. The second are roads used mainly to truck materials to the refinery.
Q What materials are transported to and from the Pinjarra refinery by rail and road?
Bauxite is transported by rail to the Kwinana refinery and alumina is transported by rail to both the Bunbury Port and Alcoa's Kwinana refinery. Caustic, which is used in the refining process, is moved by rail from Kwinana to Pinjarra, and on occasions from Bunbury to Pinjarra.
The majority of freight movements to the refinery by road carry lime, which is used in the refining process. Other freight movements relate to the maintenance and general operations of the refinery such as the installation of new piping and equipment.
Q How many rail movements are there each day?
The maximum train movements on any one day is around 40. There are some 20 bauxite train movements through Pinjarra - loaded one way and empty the other. There are four train movements each day taking alumina to Alcoa's Kwinana refinery from Pinjarra and about four train movements per day transporting caustic from Kwinana to Pinjarra. Alumina is also transported from Pinjarra to Bunbury for export, with up to 10 train movements per day. Caustic is occasionally transported from Bunbury to Pinjarra. If this occurs, a single train is used, perhaps once every week or so.
Q How many transport movements by road are there?
The number of road freight movements into the Pinjarra refinery is around 12 per day. About six movements are through the Pinjarra townsite and most of the remainder tavel to Pinjarra refinery along the South West Highway, avoiding the town centre. The larger (and slower) lime trucks use dual carriage roads where possible to avoid frustration to other motorists.
Q Who is responsible for monitoring freight movements by Alcoa?
Because freight transport is a major part Alcoa's operations, the company has its own dedicated transport department. The transport department is responsible for the logistics of moving materials by ship, rail and road. The Alcoa transport department works with contracted companies and relevant State Government agencies, such as the Main Roads Department and WestNet Rail, to ensure high safety standards are maintained when transporting freight.
Train Noise
Q Who controls the railway track?
This loop part of the railway track is controlled by WestNet Rail which has a long term lease from the State Government. WestNet Rail is a subsidiary of the Australian Railway Group, which is contracted by Alcoa to move freight by rail in and out of the Pinjarra refinery.
Q What is being done about rail 'screech' from trains?
There have been a number of complaints related to rail 'screech' from the bauxite trains at the rail loop in the Pinjarra townsite. Alcoa is working with Westnet Rail to try and resolve this issue. Noise tests indicate the noise from the wheels of the specially designed bauxite wagons is much higher because of the distance between the wheels of these wagons compared to other rail wagons transporting materials such as alumina.
Q What measures have been undertaken to reduce noise?
WestNet Rail has implemented a number of measures to limit the amount of rail screech from bauxite wagons. These noise reduction measures have included improvements to the rail track, installing a grease pot which automatically lubricates the curve on the passage of the train, the use of mobile lubrication on a weekly basis, operating the trains at low speed as well as regular maintenance and track inspections.
Q Have these measures reduced noise levels?
After these initiatives were put in place, WestNet Rail undertook noise testing which showed a major reduction in noise. WestNet Rail continues to monitor the levels of noise at this area and responds to any complaints from the community.
Q Will the Efficiency Upgrade increase the number of freight movements?
The maximum number of trains per day is unlikely to change. To cater for the additional tonnage of materials leaving and entering the refinery, it is anticipated extra wagons will be added to each train.
During construction, the number of truck movements will increase by some 12 vehicles per day while over the longer term, truck movements will increase by 2 or 3 vehicles per day. In particular, it is expected that the transport of lime will increase with an additional one truck being required each day.
Q Will additional wagons on each train require changes to the rail track?
The additional wagons will require an extension to some crossing loops. However, crossing times will be largely unaffected by the additional wagons.
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If you have an specific question that is not covered here please email pinjarraupgrade@alcoa.com.au or visit the Pinjarra Refinery Efficiency Upgrade website. New questions and answers will be posted to this page on a regular basis.
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