Tasrail
In August 1997 ATN was announced as the successful bidder for Australian National's TasRail operation in Tasmania. In April 1998 Tasrail purchased the Emu Bay Railway from Pasminco.
Wisconsin Central Chairman, Ed Burkhardt dispatched Mark Rosner to Australia to take control in Tasmania. Amongst Rosner’s achievements was the implementing of a new condensed Operating Rule Book, which eliminated some more complex practices in favour of vastly simplified procedures. Single car roadside freight was resumed where customers required it (discontinued under Australian National) in line with US short Line practice. On sections of the main trunk line north of Hobart “moving block” train spacing (5,000 metres minimum) managed over train radio replaced “fixed block” train order working introduced under Australian National.
ATN inherited a fleet of Alco and English Electric locomotives from Australian National and Walkers diesel-hydraulics from Emu Bay Railway. In line with Wisconsin Central's preference for Electro-Motive Diesel products, 12 DQ class locomotives that had been rebuilt from Queensland Rail 1460 class locomotives as well as three unrebuilt 1460s were transferred from Tranz Rail in 1998/99. Two rebuilt Westrail D class locomtives were also forwarded from Tranz Rail in August 2001.
Commodities moved by Tasrail included cement, paper, coal, zinc, mineral concentrates, containers, and timber.
Read more about this topic: Australian Transport Network