Cowra Rail Company general manager Mike Foster said two CF Asia Pacific CM Class 3500 horsepower locomotives and 40 wagons carried 80 containers to Forbes to load canola and wheat for export through Port Botany in Sydney last Thursday.

Two more trains are expected to make the trip prior to Christmas and several more early next year.

Mr Foster said this will be the start of many grain services picking up around the region.

If up and running in Cowra by next year, the company hopes to freight half a million tonnes per annum.

"When the Cowra Rail Line is reopened, Cowra will be the focus for collection and delivery of grains and the transport of hundreds of thousands of tonnes of mineral traffic," Mr Foster said.

"Ideally we would like to operate services out of Cowra to Sydney but need to wait for the decision to appoint an operator by Minister for Roads and Ports Duncan Gay.

"Cowra Rail Company has hundreds of thousands of tonnes of freight mostly bound for Sydney and is eager to start the reconstruction of the Cowra Rail Lines".

The company, which formed in February this year, plans to create an administration centre, engineering facilities, freight and intermodal terminals here in Cowra if they win the tender.

Mr Foster said they will be hiring engineering and administration staff, creating jobs and apprenticeships in a variety of skilled areas.

He said each train will carry the equivalent load of 40 B-Double trucks, easing congestion on the roads and enabling producers to quickly move large quantities of grain.

"The other benefits for Cowra include shifting large tonnes from our roads, thereby mitigating further extensive and expensive damage which is often restored by councils. Rail is recognised as a far more efficient and safe mode of transport than road," Mr Foster said.

"Cowra Rail Company has approached the Federal Government Department of Environment about accessing the Emissions Reduction Fund to provide incentives to clients to switch modes of transport. While there is a loss to road transport of some freight new opportunities will arise to bring freight to and from intermodal locations at Blayney, Cowra, Young and other sidings along the lines. This includes grain collection points between Koorawatha and Greenethorpe."

Other rail operators will be able to use the Cowra line, providing they don't affect the business operations of Cowra Rail Company.

"This is a unique situation where a NSW Government owned transport infrastructure is being offered to a private operator. The operator will be completely vertically integrated meaning that they will repair the line, maintain it and operate their own trains on it," Mr Foster said.

"There is a considerable cost to rebuild and maintain the lines that is being born by CRC as a private operator. Access charges will be set for transiting trains."

A spokesperson from the Office of the Minister for Roads and Freight said Transport for NSW is continuing its evaluation process for the Cowra Lines Request For Tender.

"In order to conclude the tender process further analysis into potential issues and risks is necessary," she said.

"This process is due to be completed in March 2015."