QR Limited

Type	Company government-owned corporation
Founded	1865
Headquarters	Brisbane, Australia
Area served	Australia
Key people	John Prescott AC, Chairman Lance Hockridge, Chief Executive Officer
Industry	Rail transport
Products	Freight and logistics, commuter, long-distance and tourist passenger services
Services	Queensland railway network access, rail-specific expertise
Revenue	▲ A$3,221.0 million (06/07)
Operating income	▼ A$564.3 million (06/07)
Profit	▲ A$183.2 million (06/07)
Employees	14,602 (06/07)
Divisions	QRNational, Passenger Services, Network Access, Infrastructure Services, Rollingstock and Component Services, Shared Services
Subsidiaries	Australian Railroad Group, CRT Group, Interail
Website	www.qr.com.au

QR Limited is the company government-owned corporation^[1] responsible for the operation and maintenance of the railway system in the State of Queensland, Australia.

It was previously known as Queensland Rail, Queensland Railways and Queensland Government Railways over its 144-year existence. It maintains the physical infrastructure of the railway network and also directly operates all commuter (Citytrain) and long-distance (Traveltrain) passenger services, and the majority of freight rail services (QRNational).

[edit] Company structure

As a government-owned corporation, QR Limited is responsible to the Minister for Transport and the Treasurer with equal shareholdings.

Corporately, QR is a large organisation with six operating divisions:

• QRNational – coal and bulk logistics transport and national general freight business
• Passenger Services – commuter, long-distance and tourist passenger transport
• Network Access – managers of the Queensland railway network including access to it and the operations on it
• Infrastructure Services Group – construction, maintenance and management of the rail network
• Rollingstock and Component Services – manufacture, heavy repair and overhaul of most of QR's rollingstock fleet
• Shared Services Group – internal business support across QR's operations

[edit] Rail business

Unlike the freight railway systems in all other Australian States, QR remains in full State ownership, and private sector involvement in the operation of train services remains minimal. Pacific National, through subsidiary company Pacific National Queensland, is the only private operator to run freight trains on QR rails, hauling container traffic between Brisbane and Cairns.

QR owns and operates a route network of 8,313 km (5,165 mi),^[2] of which some 1,000 km (621 mi) is electrified at 25kVAC. This the largest electrified network in the southern hemisphere; the backbone of the network, the North Coast Line from Brisbane to Cairns, is electrified as far north as Rockhampton, approximately 636 km (395 mi) north-west of Brisbane. Most of the lines used to transport coal from inland mines to coastal ports are also electrified. Many coal trains in Queensland are hauled by multiple locomotives, with remotely controlled locomotives in the middle.^[3] These trains are some of the heaviest in the world and can reach over 4 km (2 mi) in length.

Queensland's railways are among the safest in the world, a condition resulting from their high-quality track and the maintenance of their rolling stock. The most recent passenger accident was in November 2004, when a coastal tilt train from Brisbane to Cairns derailed at more than 112 km/h. [1] There were no fatalities among the 150 people injured. [2]

[edit] History

Grandchester railway station

Locomotive at the Cooktown Railway Station, ca 1889

The railways of Queensland were all built as narrow gauge lines, 1067 mm (3' 6") gauge, commencing in 1865 with a line extending from Ipswich to the small town of Grandchester (then known as Bigge's Camp), 25 km to the west. This stretch now forms part of the main line from Brisbane to the western interior. This was one of the first 1067 mm mainline railway in the world, but the gauge subsequently spread to Western Australia, South Australia, Tasmania, Northern Territory, New Zealand, Japan, Indonesia, Southern Africa, Nigeria and Ghana among others (see Rail gauge). The narrow gauge was intended to reduce costs through the steep escarpment.

Railways subsequently spread inland from the east coast ports of Brisbane, Maryborough, Bundaberg, Gladstone, Rockhampton, Mackay, Bowen, Townsville, Cairns and Cooktown. These lines (except for the Cooktown line) were connected down the east coast by the North Coast Line between 1888 and 1924. Many heavy haul coal lines were added, beginning in 1968.

An electrified rail system was developed in Brisbane from 1979. Many of the heavy haul coal lines were electrified from 1986, as was the North Coast Line between Brisbane and Rockhampton, constituting Australia's only significant rural rail electrification.^[4].

[edit] Company timeline

• 1865 – First rail line opened in Queensland, from Ipswich to Grandchester.
• 1876 - Albert Bridge at Indooroopilly is opened, allowing travel from Ipswich to Brisbane.
• 1913 - First self-propelled railmotors introduced (McKeen Cars - imported from U.S.A.).^[5]
• 1953 – The Inlander, the first long distance air-conditioned train, introduced.^[6]
• 1979 – Brisbane suburban network electrified.
• 1986 – Starts electric coal haulage in Central Queensland.
• 1989 – North Coast Line electrified from Brisbane to Rockhampton.
• 1998 – Electric Tilt Train service introduced from Brisbane to Rockhampton.
• 1998 – Luxury tourist train, the Great South Pacific Express, launched (since withdrawn due to a slump in tourism and lack of incoming international visitors).
• 1999 – Electric Tilt Train breaks Australian rail speed record, reaching 210km/h.
• 1999 – Hauls 100 million tonnes of coal for first time.
• 1999 – Becomes a statutory Government Owned Corporation; name unofficially shortened to QR with the text "Queensland Rail" removed from branding.
• 2002 – Purchased Northern Rivers Railroad, based in Casino, New South Wales, and starts interstate operations as 'Interail'.
• 2003 - Diesel Tilt Train service introduced from Brisbane to Cairns.
• 2005 – Faces competition on its own lines for the first time, with Pacific National Queensland commencing revenue services.
• 2005 – QRNational launched, commences hauling export coal in the New South Wales Hunter Valley.
• 2005 – Hauls 150 million tonnes of coal for first time.
• 2005 – Purchased specialised freight and logistics business CRT Group.
• 2006 – Purchased Australian Railroad Group, operator of 5,000 kilometres of standard and narrow gauge track in Western Australia.
• 2007 – Becomes a Company Government Owned Corporation, QR Limited, registered as a public company.

[edit] See also

• QRNational
• Citytrain
• Traveltrain

[edit] References

This article needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding reliable references. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (July 2007)

[edit] External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Queensland Rail

• QR
• QR photos at RailPictures.Net
• Queensland Train Page