TasRail

	A TasRail container train led by a TR Class locomotive in January 2016
Overview
Headquarters	Launceston
Locale	Tasmania, Australia
Dates of operation	2009–present
Predecessor	AN Tasrail
Technical
Track gauge	1,067 mm (3 ft 6 in)
Length	843 km (523.82 mi)
Other
Website	www.tasrail.com.au

TasRail (legal name Tasmanian Railway Pty Limited)^[1] is a Tasmanian Government state-owned enterprise that has operated the mainline railways in Tasmania since September 2009. It operates only freight services.

History

Established under the Rail Company Act 2009,^[2] in September 2009 the Tasmanian Government purchased the AN Tasrail business from Pacific National.^[3] TasRail combined the above-rail (rollingstock) and business assets with the below-rail assets (track and associated infrastructure), for which the state had assumed responsibility in May 2007,^[4] to form a vertically integrated rail operator.^[2]

The Tasmanian Government Railways had operated the state's railway network until it passed to the federal government's Australian National in March 1978.^[5]

Fleet

As at April 2017, the fleet consisted of 27 operational locomotives.^[6]^[7]

Current locomotive fleet

Class	Image	Type	Built	Number	Notes
DQ		Diesel-electric	1964-1969	12	From Pacific National in 2009. Four stored.
DV		Diesel-electric	1961-1971	1	From Pacific National in 2009. De-motored and is used as a driving van.
TR		Diesel-electric	2013-2014	17	Purchased from Progress Rail and have Caterpillar 3512 engines. All are still in operation.
Y		Diesel-electric	1961-1971	1	From Pacific National in 2009. One in service as a shunter and one de-motored and is used as a driving van.

Former locomotive fleet

Class	Image	Type	Built	Number	Notes	Preservation
2050		Diesel-electric	1978	4	Purchased from Aurizon in 2011. 2 stored as 2 others Returned to Service.
D		Diesel-electric	1971	2	From Pacific National in 2009
QR		Diesel-electric	1964-1969	3	From Pacific National in 2009. All stored.
DC		Diesel-electric	1964	1	From Pacific National in 2009, scrapped in 2011
MKA		Diesel-electric	1967-1972	6	From Pacific National in 2009, all stored
ZC		Diesel-electric	1966-72	4	From Pacific National in 2009, 3 scrapped in 2012	1 at Launceston and North East Railway
Z		Diesel-electric	1973	4	From Pacific National in 2009, all stored	2 at Don River Railway 2 at Bellarine Peninsula Railway
Za		Diesel-electric	1973-1976	3	From Pacific National in 2009, 2 stored, 1retained for preservation	1 at Tasmanian Transport Museum 1 at Don River Railway
ZB		Diesel-electric	1973	4	From Pacific National in 2009, 2 members preserved	1 at Don River Railway 1 at Launceston and North East Railway
ZP		Diesel-electric	1973	1	From Pacific National in 2009, Preserved with the Don River Railway	At Don River Railway
ZR		Diesel-electric	1973	1	From Pacific National in 2009, stored

Road crossings

There are 199 level crossings on the TasRail network with active control at 123 crossings and passive control at the remainder.^[8] Active control includes flashing lights and warning bells that are activated by approaching trains and passive control includes 'Stop' or 'Give Way' sign which rely on motorists to watch for trains before crossing the railway line. From 2003 to 2012, there were 36 reported crashes at level crossings, with 20 resulting in casualties, 3 of which were fatal.^[9] Almost two thirds of crashes occurred within urban areas with speed limits 50 or 60 km/h. Relocation of the Hobart terminal to Brighton during June 2014 meant that 29 crossings became inactive, which was expected to reduce level crossing crashes in Tasmania by 30%.^[10]

References

^ Tasmanian Railway Pty Ltd Australian Securities & Investments Commission
^ ^a ^b "TasRail – Home". tasrail.com.au. Archived from the original on 22 February 2011. Retrieved 22 June 2010.
^ Rail Sale Agreement Finalised Archived 11 April 2013 at the Wayback Machine Asciano 7 September 2009
^ "Tasmanian Railway Network Declaration Application" (PDF). National Competition Council. 1 May 2007. Archived from the original (PDF) on 16 February 2011. Retrieved 22 June 2010.
^ Background – Organisation of Australia's Railways Archived 4 February 2014 at the Wayback Machine Department of Infrastructure & Regional Development
^ "Australia Wide Fleet List" Motive Power issue 96 November 2014 page 73
^ "TasRail locomotive and rolling stock update" Railway Digest December 2014 page 20
^ "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 14 July 2014. Retrieved 7 June 2014.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
^ [1] Archived 14 July 2014 at the Wayback Machine Para 3.1
^ [2] Archived 14 July 2014 at the Wayback Machine Para 4.2