Aurizon

 ( Interstate Rail In Australia ) 

Aurizon Holdings Limited ( ) is a freight rail transport company in Australia, formerly named QR National Limited and branded QR National. In 2015, it was the world's largest rail transporter of coal from mine to port. Formerly a Queensland Government-owned corporation, it was privatised and floated on the Australian Securities Exchange (ASX) in November 2010. The company was originally established in 2004-05 when the coal, bulk and container transport divisions of Queensland Rail were brought under one banner as QR National.

In 2019, the company operated in five Australian states. On an average day, it moved more than of coal, iron ore, other minerals, agricultural products and general freight, equating to more than 250 million tonnes annually. Aurizon also managed the 2670 kilometre (1660 mi)-long Central Queensland coal network that links mines to coal ports at Bowen, Gladstone and Mackay. It was the largest haulier of iron ore outside the Pilbara.

In 2021, a major corporate change was foreshadowed when Aurizon sought to acquire rail operator One Rail Australia. The corporate regulator, the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission, approved the sale subject to One Rail Australia's coal-haulage business in New South Wales and Queensland being Divestment. Aurizon's purchase of One Rail Australia's assets not subject to divestiture occurred in July 2022. Divestiture of the remaining assets occurred on sale to Magnetic Rail Group on 17 February 2023.

The company in 2023 was Australia's largest rail-based transport business, transporting more than 250 million tonnes (246 million long tons) of commodities per year.

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QR National The QR National brand was established in the 2004-05 financial year when Queensland Rail's coal, bulk and containerised business units were brought under one banner.

The company's major traffic at the time was coal, both for export and domestic power generation, in Queensland. Coal QR National In 2005, QR National started to operate export coal services in the New South Wales Hunter Valley. Hunter Valley Coal System QR National October 2011 By 2008, its operations extended across the entire mainland other than the Northern Territory when their first Melbourne–Perth intermodal container service started. In August 2008, QR National took over the operation of Melbourne–Horsham container service for Wimmera Container Line, after Pacific National withdrew its service.

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Public float In 2009, the Queensland Government announced that Queensland Rail's commercial activities were to be separated from the government's core passenger service responsibilities, formed into a new company named QR National Limited, and Privatization. Premier announces QR privatisation plan Railway Gazette International 4 June 2009 The new company was incorporated the following year, taking:

• the coal business in Queensland and New South Wales
• regional freight business in Queensland
• bulk mineral and grain haulage in Queensland and Western Australia
• containerised freight between Cairns, Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide and Perth. A Milestone Event in the History of QR QR National 1 July 2010

QR National obtained a 99-year lease over the Queensland coal network, comprising: Network systems QR National

• the Blackwater system around the Port of Gladstone
• the Goonyella system around the Port of Hay Point and Dalrymple Bay
• the Moura line to the Port of Gladstone, which transports coal from Moura Mine and Boundary Hill Mine
• the Newlands line to Port of Abbot Point, which transports coal from Newlands coal mine, Sonoma Mine, Collinsville coal mine and Carmichael coal mine

On acquiring the lease, QR National became responsible for the maintenance of the coal lines.

The rolling stock workshops at Redbank, Rockhampton and Townsville were included in the privatisation.

The float took place in November 2010. QR National makes sharemarket debut QR National 22 November 2010

In August 2021, Aurizon signed a six year agreement with CBH Group (with two options to extend for a further two years) to provide rail haulage services for their grain trains. target="_blank" rel="nofollow"> Aurizon and CBH sign long-term agreement for WA grain haulage Aurizon 6 August 2021 target="_blank" rel="nofollow"> CBH chooses Aurizon as rail services provider Rail Express 13 August 2021 Although scheduled to transition in May 2022, all parties agreed to bring the handover date forward to September 2021. target="_blank" rel="nofollow"> CBH seeks a rail new deal Farm Weekly 14 April 2021Grain contracts change hands in Western Australia The Railway Magazine issue 1447 October 2021 page 106 Aurizon had already been informally providing rail haulage services in the Geraldton region since mid-2021. .

In February 2022, Aurizon commenced a five-year contract to haul mineral sands from Broken Hill to Kwinana for Tronox, to be extended 320 km east to Ivanhoe, where a new loading facility has been constructed.

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Re-branding as Aurizon Following a vote by its shareholders, in 2012 QR National was rebranded as Aurizon. QR National - results of AGM Aurizon 21 November 2012 QR National Limited - Change of name to Aurizon Holdings Limited and adoption of replacement Constitution Aurizon 3 December 2012 The CEO at the time, Lance Hockridge, said the new name derived from the words Australia and horizon. Marketers opined that the name was "a nearly perfect example of all that can go wrong with a rebranding" and that it was "a classic case of people making a weird hybrid name to try and make it unique and interesting so that people will remember it. This is not true: people don't remember made-up words."

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Company sales and purchases In 2005, QR National incorporated a subsidiary, Interail, which had been acquired in 2002 and operated in New South Wales., provides first ~600 characters (first paragraph and part of second)

In the same year, QR National acquired logistics company CRT Group, for which it already provided line haulage.

In 2006, QR National acquired Australian Railroad Group (ARG), which operated in New South Wales, South Australia and Western Australia. ARG remained a separate subsidiary operation until it was rebranded as QR National in 2011.

In 2007, the company acquired the Golden Bros Group.

In 2019, after a Federal Court judgement, Aurizon's intermodal and trucking business was acquired by Linfox for A$7.3 million. subscription: the source is only accessible via a paid subscription ("paywall"). target="_blank" rel="nofollow"> Linfox acquires Aurizon's Queensland Intermodal business Railway Gazette International 1 February 2019 subscription: the source is only accessible via a paid subscription ("paywall").

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Purchase of One Rail Australia non-coal assets In October 2021, Aurizon agreed terms to purchase One Rail Australia. subscription: the source is only accessible via a paid subscription ("paywall"). The transaction was approved in July 2022 by the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) after the commission accepted Aurizon's court-enforceable undertaking to dispose of the seller's Hunter Valley coal haulage and Queensland coal haulage business to maintain competition levels. The ACCC Chair, Gina Cass-Gottlieb, said: "We are also satisfied that the divestment of One Rail's east coast business would preserve it as a potential competitor to Aurizon for the supply of non-coal bulk rail haulage in the future, and Aurizon would continue to be constrained by a number of existing bulk rail haulage competitors.” Aurizon SA and NT, target="_blank" rel="nofollow"> Archived copy Retrieved 30 July 2022. The sale was completed on 29 July 2022, The Daily Cargo News, target="_blank" rel="nofollow"> Archived copy. Retrieved 30 July 2022. and Aurizon took over One Rail Australia's South Australian, Northern Territory and interstate operations the following day under the brand, "Aurizon Bulk Central".

In December 2022, Aurizon agreed to an offer by Magnetic Rail Group Pty Ltd to purchase the divested assets. The buyer was to pay about $A425 million ($US284.3 million) – the equity value of the east coast business – and assume existing debt facilities, which originally totalled $A500 million. Proceeds$, A125 million of which was to be deferred for 12 months, would be used initially to reduce Aurizon's debt and would form part of Aurizon's available capital. After the ACCC gave regulatory approval, the sale was completed on 17 February 2023.

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Price regulation As Aurizon's infrastructure was a monopoly, it was subject in 2018 to regulation by government organisations including the Queensland Competition Authority. Aurizon disputed the price that it should be allowed to charge its clients – for example when the Authority used a lower weighted average cost of capital that did not account for the risk that clean energy poses to fossil fuel.

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Events after purchase of ORA non-coal assets On 20 February 2023, Aurizon announced it had re-entered the interstate intermodal market on being awarded a  billion 11-year contract with Team Global Express (formerly Toll Global Express) – the largest non-coal contract in the history of the company. The company stated that services would begin in April 2023 and that by April 2024, five weekly services would run east–west (Melbourne–Sydney–Adelaide–Perth); two would run north–south (Brisbane–Sydney–Melbourne). target="_blank" rel="nofollow"> Aurizon Press Release. Archived from the original on 20 February 2023. The first revenue service of this contract departed Melbourne for Perth on 8 April.

In March 2023, Aurizon and Viterra proposed that the Australian federal government supply A$220 million in funding to repair and upgrade the Eyre Peninsula Railway lines. The proposal included re-opening the Port Lincoln–Wudinna and Cummins-Kimba lines and upgrading the outloading facilities at Viterra's Lock, Wudinna, Cummins, Kimba and Rudall sites. An annual target of at least 1.3 million tonnes of grain haulage was estimated. Aurizon and Viterra planned to have the network reopened within 12 months if funding were approved. target="_blank" rel="nofollow"> Grain Central. Archived from the original. Both retrieved 15th March 2023. target="_blank" rel="nofollow"> ABC News. Archived from the original. Both retrieved 15th March 2023.

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East coast container service In February 2023, Aurizon inaugurated two Melbourne–Perth containerised freight services and in September 2023 a weekly return container service on the Melbourne-Sydney–Brisbane corridor in collaboration with its customer, Team Global Express.

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Accidents On 23 February 2022, as part of the 2022 eastern Australia floods, freight train Y279 derailed at approximately 3:30am due to flash flooding that had resulted in a track washout at the 149.020km point just south of Traveston.

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Locomotive fleet

AC class		Diesel-electric	115	2009	8	Aurizon Bulk West	Western Australia	Ex Australian Railroad Group
ACB class		Diesel-electric	115	2011	6	Aurizon Bulk West	Western Australia	Ex Australian Railroad Group
ACC class		Diesel-electric	115	2013	3	Aurizon Bulk West	Western Australia	ACC6032 Allocated to Bulk Central/Intermodal
ACD class		Diesel-electric	115	2022-2023	15	Aurizon Bulk Central/East	NSW, Interstate mineral sands	ACD6050 - ACD6055 allocated to Intermodal
GWU class		Diesel-electric	115	2020-2021	4	Aurizon Bulk Central	South Australia/Northern Territory	Ex One Rail Australia
5000 class		Diesel-electric	80	2005–2007	12	Aurizon Coal	Hunter Valley coal
5020 class		Diesel-electric	80	2010–2014	25	Aurizon Coal	Hunter Valley coal	Improved version of 5000 class
6000 class		Diesel-electric	115	2009	12	Aurizon Coal	Hunter Valley coal	Ex QR National.
6020 class		Diesel-electric	115	2012	9	Aurizon Coal	Hunter Valley coal	6022, 6023 & 6025 allocated to Bulk Central/Intermodal
6040 class		Diesel-electric	115	2017–2018	5	Aurizon Coal	Hunter valley coal
CF class		Diesel-electric	115	2012–2013	2	Aurizon Coal	Hunter Valley coal	Ex CFCL Australia
GWA class		Diesel-electric	115	2011-2012	9	Aurizon Bulk Central	South Australia/Northern Territory	Ex One Rail Australia
GWB class		Diesel-electric	115	2019-2022	6	Aurizon Bulk Central	South Australia/Northern Territory	3 ex One Rail Australia, 3 delivered to Aurizon.
Q class		Diesel-electric	115	1997-1998	19	Aurizon Bulk West	Western Australia	Ex Australian Railroad Group
V class		Diesel-electric	115	2002	1	Aurizon Bulk Central	South Australia/Northern Territory	Ex One Rail Australia
FQ class		Diesel-electric	115	2003	4	Aurizon Bulk Central	South Australia/Northern Territory	Ex One Rail Australia
CLF class		Diesel-electric	115	1970	2	Aurizon Bulk Central	South Australia/Northern Territory	Ex One Rail Australia
CLP class		Diesel-electric	115	1970	4	Aurizon Bulk Central	South Australia/Northern Territory	Ex One Rail Australia
GM class		Diesel-electric	115	1965-1967	9	Aurizon Bulk Central	South Australia/Northern Territory	Ex One Rail Australia
J class		Diesel-electric	62	1966	3	Aurizon Bulk Central	Northern Territory - Alice Springs	Ex One Rail Australia 2x Former Alice Springs Shunt Locos, now stored in Dry Creek with mechanical troubles and vandalism damage from Alice Springs
G class		Diesel-electric	115	1981-1989	2	Aurizon Bulk Central	South Australia/Northern Territory	Ex One Rail Australia
422 class		Diesel-electric	115	1969–1970	7	Aurizon Bulk Central/West	South Australia/Northern Territory/Western Australia	4 Ex One Rail Australia 3 Stored at Forrestfield Aurizon
ALF/ ALZ class		Diesel-electric	115	1976	8	Aurizon Bulk Central	South Australia/Northern Territory	1 Ex Australian Railroad Group, Scrapped. 7 Ex One Rail Australia
L class		Diesel-electric	115	1967	1	Aurizon Bulk West	Western Australia	Ex Australian Railroad Group, 1 stored
LQ class		Diesel-electric	115	1967	1	Aurizon Bulk West	Western Australia	1 Ex Australian Railroad Group stored at Avon Yard. 1 Ex Interail scrapped in 2016 due to an accident.
LZ class		Diesel-electric	115	1967	6	Aurizon Bulk West	Western Australia	Ex Australian Railroad Group
3200 class		Diesel-electric	100	1995–1998	3	Aurizon Bulk East	New South Wales	Regauged from gauge
1720 class		Diesel-electric	80	1966–1970	28	Aurizon Bulk East	General freight and shunting	16 other units sold to South Africa in 2012, 8 stored
2000 class		Railmotor	80	1960–1970	2	Aurizon Network	Queensland network track inspections	Nos. 2004 and 2032
2100 class		Diesel-electric	80	1970–1984	53	Aurizon Bulk East	General freight and minerals	5 other units transferred to Western Australia as the DD class (see below), 4 other units sold to TasRail in 2011, 3 to South Africa in 2012, 2 stored for parts
2300 class		Diesel-electric	100	1997–2002	51	Aurizon Bulk East	General freight and minerals, 7 other units in Western Australia as DFZ class (see below)	Rebuilt from 1550 class
2400 class		Diesel-electric	100	1977–1980	38	Aurizon Bulk East	General freight and minerals	18 converted to 2300 class 1 stored
2700 class		Diesel-electric	110	2019–present	6 in service	Aurizon Bulk East	General freight and minerals	These locomotives are dubbed the Super Clyde. These are rebuilt from older locomotives.
2800 class		Diesel-electric	100	1995–1998	46	Aurizon Bulk East	General freight and minerals	3 other units on standard gauge see, 1 other unit in Western Australia as PA class see
4000 class		Diesel-electric	100	2000–2005	49	Aurizon Coal	Blackwater and Moura coal networks	4020 scrapped
4100 class		Diesel-electric	100	2007–2012	56	Aurizon Coal	Blackwater, Moura and Newlands coal networks	Originally 75 units, 19 units transferred to Western Australia as ACN class
3100/3200 class		Electric	80	1986–1989	15	Aurizon Coal	Bowen Basin	63 rebuilt as 3700 class (see below), 4 other units sold to South Africa in 2012–2013, Remaining units scrapped during May and June 2016
3300/3400 class		Electric	80	1994–1995	13	Aurizon Coal	Blackwater coal network	All Stored
3500/3600 class		Electric	80	1986–1988	68	Aurizon Coal	Goonyella coal network	15 stored
3551 class		Electric	80	2003–2004	14	Aurizon Coal	Blackwater coal network	Rebuilt from 3900 class
3700 class		Electric	80	2005–2007	63	Aurizon Coal	Goonyella and Blackwater coal networks	Rebuilt from 3100/3200 class
3800 class		Electric	80	2008–2010	45	Aurizon Coal	Goonyella and Blackwater coal networks
3900 class		Electric	100	1988-90	11	Aurizon Coal	Blackwater coal network	All Stored
A class		Diesel-electric	100	1960	1	Aurizon Bulk West	Western Australia	Ex Australian Railroad Group, 1 other unit exported to South Africa in January 2015.
AB class		Diesel-electric	100	1970	2	Aurizon Bulk West	Western Australia	Ex Australian Railroad Group. 2 other units exported to South Africa in January 2015.
ACN class		Diesel-electric	100	2011–2012	19	Aurizon Bulk West	Western Australia	Originally part of 4100 class, transferred to Western Australia and retained their original numbers
DAZ Class		Diesel-electric	100	1972	1	Aurizon Bulk West	Western Australia	Stored at forestfield. 5 other locomotives exported to South Africa in 2015. 1 other unit converted into 1900 class and used on the iron ore narrow gauge Railways on South Australia. All converted from WAGR D Class diesel locomotives.
DBZ class		Diesel-electric	100	1982	3	Aurizon Bulk West	Western Australia	Ex Australian Railroad Group converted from DB class 10 sold to CBH group in 2017 (later sold to Watco Australia).
DFZ class		Diesel-electric	100	1971	7	Aurizon Bulk West	Western Australia	Converted from Queensland Railways 2300 Class see.
P class		Diesel-electric	100	1989–1991	17	Aurizon Bulk West	Western Australia	Ex Australian Railroad Group
PA class		Diesel-electric	100	1996	1	Aurizon Bulk West	Western Australia	Converted from Queensland Railways 2800 Class
S class		Diesel-electric	90	1996	11	Aurizon Bulk West	Western Australia	Ex Australian Railroad Group
830 class		Diesel-electric	121	1960-1966	5	Aurizon Bulk Central	Thevenard, South Australia	Ex One Rail Australia, all stored. Last 2 operational units placed into storage April 2023 with the arrival of two 2300 class from Queensland.
900 class		Diesel-electric	121	1960-1966	7	Aurizon Bulk Central	Thevenard, South Australia	Ex One Rail Australia, all stored. Rebuilt from 830 and NSW 48 class locomotives. Last 3 operational units placed into storage April 2023 with the arrival of two 2300 class from Queensland
1200 class		Diesel-electric	100	1960-1967	2	Aurizon Bulk Central	Thevenard, South Australia	Ex One Rail Australia, ex WAGR A Class. Stored serviceable as backup units for the Gypsum train
1300 class		Diesel-electric	Unknown	1956-1965	4	Aurizon Bulk Central	Whyalla, South Australia	Ex One Rail Australia, ex BHP Whyalla DE Class
1600 class		Diesel-electric	Unknown	1971	3	Aurizon Bulk Central	Thevenard, South Australia	Ex One Rail Australia, formerly the NJ class. 3 stored, 2 stored serviceable as backup locos for the 2300 class in Thevenard.
2250 class		Diesel-electric	100	2004	5	Aurizon Bulk Central	Whyalla, South Australia	Ex One Rail Australia, repatriated from South Africa in 2019 and owned by Aurizon beforehand.
2300 class		Diesel-electric	100	1997–2002	2	Aurizon Bulk Central	Thevenard, South Australia	2332 and 2364 trucked to Thevenard in March 2023. Both entered service on 13/04/2023.
CK class		Diesel-electric	100	1967-1968	4	Aurizon Bulk Central	Whyalla, South Australia	Ex One Rail Australia, former Victorian Railways T class

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Former fleet Details of Aurizon's former fleet are as follows:

Class	Image	Type	Gauge	Top speed (km/h)	Built	Number	Business unit	Use and area of operation	Notes
421 class		Diesel-electric	Standard	115	1965–1966	5	Aurizon	Intermodal freight, grain	Ex Interail, 4 stored
423 class		Diesel-electric	Standard	112	1967–1969	6	Aurizon	Intermodal freight, Hunter Valley Coal, Grain	Renumber QR 1502 NSW.
500 class		Diesel-electric	Standard	80	1964	1	Aurizon	Shunting, South Australia	Ex Australian Railroad Group; donated to SteamRanger in October 2010
830 class		Diesel-electric	Narrow	115	1963	1	Aurizon Bulk Freight West	Western Australia	Ex Australian Railroad Group; sold to Junee Railway Workshop in 2012
2250 class		Diesel-electric	Narrow	100	2004–2007	25	Aurizon	General freight and minerals	Rebuilt from 2100 class and 1550 class. All sold to South Africa 2014–2015; five bought back by GWA to operate in South Australia in 2019 - these are now owned by Aurizon again.
2600 class		Diesel-electric	Narrow	100	1983	13	Aurizon	Queensland coal and minerals	Exported to South Africa in 2012

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