QR National (QRN) was formed in 2005 when the bulk, coal and container traffic of Queensland Railways (QR) was brought under the banner of QRN.
QR’s initial foray into interstate operations came when in 2002 it purchased Northern Rivers Railroad (NRR), a private company which had been formed back in 1990 to operate a tourist train on the lightly used Murwillumbah line and which also hauled flyash traffic between Casino and Murwillumbah. (Refer DVD-R Northern Rivers Railroad & the Murwillumbah Line). It changed NRR’s name to Interail and in 2003, utilising NRR and some modified 1502 class QR locomotives plus old surplus QR coal wagons, commenced hauling coal in NSW between the Duralli and Stratford coal mines, and later between Newstan coal mine and Vales Point power station utilising leased locomotives from CFCLA and RTS (Refer DVD-R Hello Interail). In 2004 QR used Interail to commence east coast intermodal services between Brisbane-Sydney-Melbourne (these operations are covered in the DVD-R series the North Coast Line Pts 1-3 and Main South Line Pts 1-6).
2005 saw the introduction of high power 5000 class locomotives and 100 tonne capacity coal wagon operation in the Hunter Valley, the first rolling stock to carry the QR National livery and also the first rolling stock to be fitted with EPT braking. Then in 2006 QRN acquired part of Australian Railroad Group (ARG) which had operations in NSW, South Australia and Western Australia. It too operated as a separate entity until in 2011 when all operations moved under QRN banner and livery.
Subsequently to the 5000 class, QRN has introduced the 5020, 6000, 6020 and LDP classes of locomotive for use on Hunter Valley coal and intermodal interstate operations, returned leased EL and L class and retired some older CLF, CLP, DC (ex-422) LZ (ex-L) 421, 422, 423 class locomotives. This presentation covers the NSW, Queensland and Victorian standard gauge operation of QR National between 2002 and when it was floated as Aurizon in 2010.
Approximate run time: 130 minutes.