Dubbed the ‘Monster Grain Train’ by enthusiasts, a 100 hopper train operated by Southern Shorthaul Railroad loaded at the Dimboola GrainFlow Centre on Monday and Tuesday this week.

This rail movement proved popular with rail enthusiasts with many following the train to Dimboola, photographing and videoing it from many locations along the line.

Originating in New South Wales, the train operated via Melbourne and arrived at Dimboola around 10.30 am on Monday morning, hauled by five locomotives including a rare combination of four of the popular former Victorian Railways’ C class joined by one member of the RL class.

Upon arrival at the Dimboola GrainFlow Centre the train was split into two, with three locomotives - C505, C507 and RL306 - assisting with the loading of 59 red hoppers whilst the remainder of the train sat in the adjacent Dimboola loop with two locomotives and the rake of silver hoppers.

Above - It was not just the length of this train that attracted attention, it was also the classic lines of the former Victorian Railways C class locomotive that prove popular with rail enthusiasts.

After loading of the first rake of hopper was completed, locomotives C510 and C506 departed with the loaded hoppers and travelled to stable for 24 hours at Glenorchy near Stawell.

On Tuesday morning the remaining hoppers were loaded.

The second loaded train departed Dimboola soon after 17.00 on Tuesday afternoon, initially destined for Glenorchy where the two trains were combined before commencing the trip back to the Parkes area in New South Wales.

The combined train, which was one of the longest to operate in western Victoria, was loaded with 6,000 tonnes of wheat for a total weight of 6,500 tonnes and a length of around 1.8 kilometres which is close to the maximum train length that can run on this line.

Grain trains of up to 40 hoppers are the most common in western Victoria, making this the biggest such train to operate in Victoria.

This is one of a number of services that have transported grain from the Wimmera to New South Wales due to the ongoing drought, and it is anticipated that this train will return in the coming weeks.