Australian Transport Network

Australian Transport Network

L Class locomotives at Picton station in September 2001
Industry	Rail operator
Founded	1 November 1997
Defunct	February 2004
Fate	sold
Successor	Pacific National
Number of locations	New South Wales Victoria Tasmania
Parent	Tranz Rail (67%) Wisconsin Central (Canadian National Railway) (33%)
Divisions	ATN Access Tasrail

Australian Transport Network (ATN) was a freight railway operator in Australia that commenced operating in November 1997. The company operated narrow gauge trains in Tasmania and standard gauge trains in New South Wales and Victoria. It was formed as a joint venture with Tranz Rail owning 67% and Wisconsin Central (owner of Canadian National Railway) 33%. In February 2004, ATN was sold to Pacific National. ^{[1] [2] [3]}

AN Tasrail

In August 1997, ATN was announced as the successful bidder for Australian National's Tasrail operation in Tasmania with the handover occurring on 1 November 1997. ^{[4] [5] [6]} In 1998, Tasrail purchased the Emu Bay Railway from Pasminco. ^[7]

The president of Wisconsin Central, Ed Burkhardt dispatched Mark Rosner to Australia to take control in Tasmania. Amongst Rosner's achievements was the implementing of a new condensed Operating Rule Book, which eliminated some more complex practices in favour of vastly simplified procedures. Single car roadside freight was resumed where customers required it (discontinued under Australian National) in line with US short line practice. On sections of the main trunk line north of Hobart, moving block train spacing (5,000 metres minimum) managed over train radio replaced fixed block train order working introduced under Australian National.

ATN inherited a fleet of Alco and English Electric locomotives from Australian National and Walkers diesel-hydraulics from Emu Bay Railway. In line with Wisconsin Central's preference for Electro-Motive Diesel products, 15 DQ class locomotives that had been rebuilt at Hutt Workshops from 1960s built Queensland Rail 1460 and 1502 class locomotives were transferred from Tranz Rail in 1998/99 ^{[8] [9] [10] [11]} along with DC4588. ^[12] Two rebuilt Westrail D class locomotives were also forwarded from Tranz Rail in August 2001. ^[13]

In conjunction with a new train radio system, in June 1998 the entire locomotive fleet was renumbered. At this stage 31 locomotives were operated. ^[14]

ATN Access

On the mainland, ATN Access was formed to bid for freight work. In 1999 a contract was awarded by the Australian Wheat Board to haul 300,000 tonnes of grain per annum from the Riverina and Dimboola regions to Port Kembla and Appleton Dock with operations commencing in June 2000. ^{[15] [16]}

ATN Access purchased seven L class locomotives from Westrail in July 1999 (251, 253, 254, 265, 270, 271 and 276) with four being overhauled by National Railway Equipment Company, Whyalla. ^[17] In June 2000, three 830 class (833, 838 and 845) locomotives were purchased from Australian Southern Railroad. ^[18] These were often supplemented by locomotives hired from Chicago Freight Car Leasing Australia and Great Northern Rail Services. ATN Access also imported 44 new grain wagons from China. These were constructed at the Qiqihar Railway Workshops in Northern China. ^[15]

References

1. Tasmania Archived 3 July 2008 at the Wayback Machine Pacific National
2. Acquirer: Pacific National Pty Ltd Target: Australian Transport Network Ltd Archived 31 March 2012 at the Wayback Machine Australian Competition & Consumer Commission 30 March 2004
3. Pacific National buys Tasrail Archived 28 December 2013 at the Wayback Machine "Rail Express" 26 February 2004
4. "AN Sale: Private Owners Go From Zero to Three" Railway Digest October 1997 page 8
5. "Three groups take on AN remains" Railway Gazette International 1 October 1997
6. "Australian Transport Network takes over Tasrail" Railway Digest December 1997 page 12
7. "Tasrail to Take Over Emu Bay Railway" Railway Digest April 1998 page 16
8. DQ Class Archived 19 February 2014 at the Wayback Machine Rail Tasmania
9. QR Class Archived 19 February 2014 at the Wayback Machine Rail Tasmania
10. "Tasrail's new locomotives and wagons arrive" Railway Digest November 1998 page 18
11. Oberg, Leon (2007). Locomotives of Australia 1854–2007. Rosenberg Publishing. p. 334. ISBN   978-1-877058-54-7.
12. DC Class Archived 19 February 2014 at the Wayback Machine Rail Tasmania
13. Oberg, Leon (2007). Locomotives of Australia 1854–2007. Rosenberg Publishing. p. 366. ISBN   978-1-877058-54-7.
14. "Tasrail Loco Renumbering" Railway Digest October 1998 page 36
15. "ATN Access Start-Up and Chinese Built XGAY Wagons Arrive" Railway Digest July 2000 page 16
16. "Intelligence" Railway Gazette International 1 July 2000
17. Oberg, Leon (2007). Locomotives of Australia 1854–2007. Rosenberg Publishing. p. 347. ISBN   978-1-877058-54-7.
18. Oberg, Leon (2007). Locomotives of Australia 1854–2007. Rosenberg Publishing. p. 310. ISBN   978-1-877058-54-7.