Asciano signs Macarthur Coal to long-term haulage deal

The take or pay, performance-based contract will provide the coal miner with 3.7m tonnes of haulage capacity annually.

"This is another significant step in securing market share in Queensland," Asciano managing director Mark Rowsthorn said, without revealing the value of the deal.

"Macarthur Coal has operations exclusively within Queensland and therefore it is particularly satisfying that they have shown confidence in our abilities as a new operator in the state.

"In a coal market which continues to be volatile in the short term, Macarthur Coal is looking for a rail operator who delivers on service."

Asciano said it had begun commissioning its first Queensland diesel coal trains last month, with early indications for full-size trains in the Goonyella and Blackwater systems described as "encouraging".

The first of its 23 Siemens AC traction electric locomotives was unloaded at the port of Brisbane on April 24 and all will be deployed through to the end of the next financial year.