Australian National Railways Commission

GM class and 830 class at Mount Gambier in April 1995

Genesee & Wyoming Australia GM class in Australian National livery in April 2008

Pacific National AN class in Australian National livery in Newport in May 2008

The Australian National Railways Commission was established by the Whitlam federal government following a commitment made in the 1972 federal election to invite the states to hand over their railway systems to the federal government. On 1 July 1975, the Australian National Railways Commission took over responsibility for the operations of the federal government owned Commonwealth Railways and branded itself Australian National Railways.

The state governments of South Australia and Tasmania, whose railway systems were deeply in debt, accepted. During the next two years, following discussions between the two states and the federal government new staffing and operating agreements enabled the transfer in March 1978 of all South Australian Railways services (except the Adelaide metropolitan passenger network) and all Tasmanian Government Railways services to Australian National Railways, the latter being branded AN Tasrail.

Overnight, Australian National Railways went from an organisation with 4000 employees operating routes of just over 2000 kilometres (1200 miles) – 20 per cent of Australia's rail network – to just over 12,000 to employees operating 7890 km (4900 mi). Reflecting the persistence of three mainline gauges that had afflicted Australia since 1865, the total comprised 2395 km (1488 mi) of 1600 mm (5 ft 3 in) broad gauge, 2812 km (1747 mi) of 1435 mm (4 ft 8+1⁄2 in) standard gauge and 2683 km (1667 mi) of narrow gauge track.[note 1]

Australian National Railways was a federal government owned corporation and in 1978, the Fraser government made it clear it was expected to achieve a financial break-even point during the next 10 years. This decision was unique in Australia's railway history because with the exception of Commonwealth Railways, all the state systems were running at a loss, being financially supported by their respective governments. The commission appointed a professional engineer with overseas experience as General Manager in a break from the traditional railway practice of making such appointments from within the organisations.

The commission's first corporate plan in 1979 set out six ways that the commission was to pursue if it was to survive. These were:

• concentrating its marketing drive on bulk traffic, inter-capital freight and major city freight
• seeking agreement to cease services where there is little or no demand for the services
• rationalisation of services and withdrawal of services not effectively demanded
• implement technological changes in all areas of railway operation particularly track maintenance
• acquire larger and more efficient locomotives and rolling stock to operate trains at maximum capacity
• pursue a vigorous policy directed towards staff reductions and more efficient use of manpower

In 1980, a delegation of senior staff and led by the General Manager visited North America to examine current railway practices. In Canada, the delegation had talks with Canadian National Railway (which like Australian National was government-owned) and Canadian Pacific Railway. In the United States, contact was made with Chessie System and Southern Pacific Railroad. The areas looked at included marketing and pricing, finance and planning, engineering and staff training.

On 12 March 1980, a new green and yellow corporate identity was launched with GM1 the first locomotive painted.[2]

In October 1980, a new standard gauge line from Tarcoola to Alice Springs opened replacing the narrow gauge Central Australian Railway which closed in December 1980. In December 1982, the Adelaide to Crystal Brook line was converted to standard gauge.

Ownership of the Queanbeyan to Canberra railway line was transferred to the State Rail Authority in May 1985.[3]

Australian National Railways inherited the following diesel locomotive classes:

• Commonwealth Railways standard gauge: DE, GM, CL
• Commonwealth Railways narrow gauge: NC, NSU, NT, NJ
• South Australian Railways: 350, 500, 600, 700, 800, 830, 900, 930
• Tasmanian Government Railways: X, Y, Z, Za

Built new for Australian National were the AL, BL, DL, EL and AN classes all for standard gauge use.

Also purchased were five T class locomotives from V/Line in 1993 that were reclassed as CKs.[4]

In 1986, a new computer system required the class leaders of the former South Australian Railways to be renumbered as the last member of the class, e.g. 600 became 607.[5]

The Trans-Australian at Cook as a frosty dawn breaks in 1986. The train was headed by GM class diesel-electric locomotives GM36 and GM22.

Australian National operated passenger services within South Australia, mainly using Bluebird railcars. In December 1986, Australian National reintroduced services to Whyalla and Broken Hill using CB railcars.[6] The remaining services were withdrawn in 1990. It also operated The Ghan. It also operated the Indian Pacific in partnership with the Public Transport Commission and Westrail and The Overland in partnership with the Victorian Railways. It took over the running of these services in full in February 1993 and 1994 respectively.[7][8][9]

Australian National also operated the Trans Australian until June 1991[10] and The Alice between November 1983 and mid-1988.[11]

Australian National operated Roadrailers under the Trailerail brand

Australian National entered a joint venture with National Rail to operate Roadrailers under the Trailerail brand. In November 1994, the first service commenced operating between Adelaide and Perth followed in November 1995 by a service from Adelaide to Melbourne.[12][13] In 1996, Australian National withdrew from the joint venture with National Rail taking over its share.[14]

Following the formation of National Rail, Australian National's interstate freight operations and rolling stock were transferred in 1994.

In November 1996, the Federal Government announced a major rail reform package that included the sale of Australian National.[15]

On 1 November 1997, The Ghan, Indian Pacific and Overland passenger services were sold to Great Southern Rail,[16] the South Australian intrastate services to Genesee & Wyoming Australia and AN Tasrail to the Australian Transport Network.[17]

In July 1998, the railway infrastructure operated by Australian National's Track Access division, was transferred to the federal government owned Australian Rail Track Corporation.[18]

In October 2000, following the resolution of outstanding issues relating to property and employee compensation, Australian National was wound up.[19]

• Donovan, Peter F.; O'Neil, Bernard; Jay, Christopher (1991). The long haul: Australian National 1978–1988 (Revised ed.). Double Bay, New South Wales: Focus Books. ISBN 1-875359-08-7.