Genesee & Wyoming Australia

Genesee & Wyoming Australia

Genesee & Wyoming Australia GM class locomotives in April 2008
Industry	Railway operator
Predecessor	Australian National
Founded	2006
Headquarters	Kilburn
Area served	Northern Territory South Australia
Key people	Greg Pauline (MD)
Parent	Genesee & Wyoming Inc
Website	www.gwrr.com

Genesee & Wyoming Australia (GWA) is an Australian rail freight operator based in Adelaide, South Australia. It is a subsidiary of Genesee & Wyoming and was formed in June 2006 to run the South Australian operations of the Australian Railroad Group.

History

700 class leading a Penrice Stone Train through Birkenhead in June 2005

CL class leads a GM class and two 22 class locomotives near Geelong in July 2007

The company's origins can be traced to when Australian National's intrastate South Australian freight operations were sold to Genesee & Wyoming Inc in August 1997.^[1][2] Operations commenced in November 1997 with the operation branded Australian Southern Railroad.^[3]

In 1999, GWA commenced operating services from Adelaide to Melbourne for Patrick Corporation.^[4] On 1 December 1999, GWA took over operation of the BHP network in Whyalla.^[5]

In October 2000, Australian Railroad Group, a 50/50 joint venture between Genesee & Wyoming and Wesfarmers, were the successful bidder for the Westrail freight business in Western Australia.^[6][7] As part of the joint venture agreement, ownership of Australian Southern Railroad passed to the Australian Railroad Group. This resulted in some exchanging of rolling stock between the two operations.

In June 2006, the Australian Railroad Group joint venture was broken up with the Western Australian operation sold to QR National and Wesfarmers 50% share in the South Australian operation back to Genesee & Wyoming Inc.^[8] The operation was rebranded Genesee & Wyoming Australia.

In June 2010, Genesee & Wyoming Inc purchased the assets of FreightLink from its receivers leading to Genesee & Wyoming Australia taking over operation of freight trains on the Adelaide–Darwin railway.^[9][10][11]

In October 2016, GWA entered into an agreement to purchase Glencore's Hunter Valley coal haulage business. The deal, which is subject to regulatory approval, is expected to close on 1 December 2016 with Macquarie Infrastructure & Real Assets to rake a 49% shareholding in GWA.^[12] These are operated by fellow G&W subsidiary Freightliner.

Operations

Genesee & Wyoming Australia operates trains on broad 1,600 mm (5 ft 3 in), narrow 1,067 mm (3 ft 6 in) and standard 1,435 mm (4 ft 8 ¹⁄₂ in) gauge lines throughout South Australia and the Northern Territory, as well as in Victoria.^[13] Major traffic flows include intermodal, grain, gypsum, iron ore, manganese, copper and other minerals over a 5,000-kilometre (3,100 mi) network.^[14]

Lines

The following lines are leased by Genesse & Wyoming Australia from the Government of South Australia:^[15]

Broad Gauge

• Gawler Central to Penrice - dormant since 24 June 2014^[16][17]
• Gawler Central to Burra - non-operational since 2007
• Hamley Bridge to Balaklava - non-operational
• Roseworthy to Kapunda - non-operational

Narrow Gauge

• Port Lincoln to Wudinna - seasonal grain trains
• Cummins to Kimba - seasonal grain trains
• Thevenard to Kevin - daily gypsum trains
• Yeelanna to Kapinnie - non-operational
• Wudinna to Penong Junction - limited use
• Kimba to Buckleboo - non-operational

Standard Gauge

• Tailem Bend to Pinnaroo - seasonal grain trains ceased July 2015^[18]
• Tailem Bend to Loxton - seasonal grain trains ceased July 2015^[18]
• Monarto South to Apamurra - non-operational

Note: GWA also operates on the interstate Australian Rail Track Corporation standard gauge lines and provides train control functions for the northern Australia railway from Northgate Block Point (near Tarcoola in SA) to Berrimah freight terminal (near Darwin) which is owned by the Asia-Pacific Transport Consortium. Northgate Block Point is 510 km (320 mi) from Coonamia (Port Pirie) in SA and Berrimah freight terminal is 2,754 km (1,711 mi) from Coonamia. Add approximately 220 km (140 mi) for distances from Adelaide. The 50-year lease on the Adelaide–Darwin railway was transferred to GWA with the purchase of FreightLink in 2011.

If no services on the line, the line may be classified as discontinued, with GWA responsible for care and maintenance of the line during this period sufficient to allow a train movement within 24 hours. At the end of the five year period without service, the lines will transfer back to the South Australian Government.^[19]

In 2008 Genesee & Wyoming Australia signed a five-year deal with ABB Grain to haul grain trains in Victoria.^[20]

As at October 2014, GWA owned 102 locomotives.^[21]

Current fleet

Class	Image	Type	Gauge	Top speed (km/h)	Built	Number	Notes
500		Diesel-electric	Standard	80	1964	1	ex Australian Railroad Group stored
700		Diesel-electric	Standard	115	1971	3	ex Australian Railroad Group 4 stored
830		Diesel-electric	Broad, Standard, Narrow	115	1960-1966	12	ex Australian Railroad Group 10 stored
900		Diesel-electric	Broad, Narrow	115	1960-1966	6	ex Australian Railroad Group
1200		Diesel-electric	Narrow			2	ex Australian Railroad Group used on the Eyre Peninsula Railway
1300		Diesel-electric	Narrow			4	ex Australian Railroad Group used on the Whyalla network
1600		Diesel-electric	Narrow			4	ex Australian Railroad Group used on the Eyre Peninsula Railway 1 stored
1900		Diesel-electric	Narrow		1972	1	ex Australian Railroad Group used on the Whyalla network
2200		Diesel-electric	Standard	115	1969-1970	5	ex Australian Railroad Group
ALF		Diesel-electric	Standard	115	1976-1977	7	ex Australian Railroad Group
CK		Diesel-electric	Narrow	100	1967-1968	4	ex Australian Railroad Group
CLF		Diesel-electric	Standard	115	1970-1972	2	ex Australian Railroad Group
CLP		Diesel-electric	Standard	115	1970-1972	4	ex Australian Railroad Group
FJ		Diesel-electric	Standard	115	1966	2	ex FreightLink
FQ		Diesel-electric	Standard	115	2003	4	ex FreightLink
GM		Diesel-electric	Standard	115	1965-1967	10	ex Australian Railroad Group 9 stored
GWA		Diesel-electric	Standard	115	2011-2012	10
GWN		Diesel-electric	Narrow	100	2012	5
GWU		Diesel-electric	Standard	115	2012	9

References