ARG
ARG also known as Australia Railway Group’s
New South Wales Manildra contract will end on the 22nd of November 2008 after having the contract for over 4 years.
ARG is one of Australias Largest Private Rail Operators, operating over 10 000kms with operations from Western Australia to New South Wales.
ARG started operating in Western Australia in Demember 2000 when they purchased Westrail Freight Bussiness. It is a mainly Western Australia wholy owned subsidairy of QR(Queensland National).
The main commodities of Australia Railway Group in Western Australia are Grain, Mineral, Sands, Coal, Iron Ore and many other bulk products. In New South Wales, they transport Freight Containers and Flour to and from their base in Bomaderry.
The Organisation was developed in 2000 as a consourtium of US based Geneese and Wyoming and Australian Company Wesfarmers to purchase Westrail which was to be sold by their State Government Owner.
In Febuary 2006, Wesrail and their joint owners had reached an agreement with it’s joint venture partners to sell ARG for 1.3 billion Australian Dollars.
Babcock & Brownwould run ARG’s Rail bussiness in WA, mainly track and infrastructure.
Also at that time, Queensland Rail would buy the bussiness’ rolling stock and costumer contracts, making it a Major Player in Australia’s Rail Indusry. They would also run the the Rail Haulage Business and Infrastructure.
In March 2006, the ACAC(Australian Competitions and Consumer Commision) could not oppose the takeover as competition between the two Companies were limited.
The Takeover was completed in June 2006.
Currently, ARG run many services around Australia with the majority of them in Western Australia and with one or two in New SOuth Wales.
They have up to 1,000 staff, transport over 55 milion tones of bulk freight in WA itself, have 60 narrow guage and 40 standard gauge locomotives, and have 10 locomotives depots.
ARG currently use a variety of ex WA, SA and NSW locomotives some including ; SA’s 600 class, WA’s L class, NSW’s 422 class and AN’s CLP/F class.
In New South Wales, ARG haul Manildra products (Flour and Containers) from their base in Bomaderry to places over 500kms of track which include Sydney, Narranda in the SOuth, Gunnedah in the North and Manildra in the West.
These trains currently utilise ex NSWGR 422 class and ex WA L class.
Both classes have been renumbered the 22 class and the 31 class respectively.
Most recently, due to a large locomotive shortage, ARG have been spot hiring locomotives from Southern SHorthaul Railroad and CLCFA.
Currently, Australia Railroad Group have lost their only contract in New South Wales to Pacific National. Their contract ends on the 22nd of November with the contract going to the Patricks Portlink division of Pacific National.
The Blue and Yellow 81 and 48 class will be a huge change from the current “Bumblebee” Orange and yellow colour scheme and the currently colourful lease locomotives with SSR GM Class, many leased locomotives from CLCFA and even G512 in SCT livery even had a short stint!
Before we know it, the colourful ‘Bumblebee Locomotives will be banished to Western Australia to be replaced by 81 and 48 class Locomotives.
I suggest you guys get out there and get as many picture as you can before they vanish.
Farewell ARG…..
