Tasrail was the brand name of the Australian National Railways Commission's Tasmanian rail operations that it had absorbed from the former Tasmanian Government Railways in 1975. In November 1997, it was sold to the Australian Transport Network Limited, a partnership of New Zealand based Tranz Rail and United States railroad Wisconsin Central. Tranz Rail sold a number of locomotives to TasRail during this time.

In 2003 the railway was purchased by Pacific National, a partnership of Toll Holdings and Patrick Corporation following the purchase of Tranz Rail by Toll Holdings, and the sale of Wisconsin Central's overseas investments as a result of that railroads takeover by Canadian National. The company later acquired Emu Bay Railway in the north-west of Tasmania.

The main cargo carried by TasRail is cement, which is carried from Railton to the port at Devonport. Other major commodities carried are coal, logs, containers and newsprint.

Motive Power

TasRail's current locomotive fleet includes:-

Purchased from Tranz Rail:

• 12 DQ class locomotives;
• 3 QR class locomotives;
• 2 D class locomotives (similar to the New Zealand DXR class locomotives); and
• 1 New Zealand DC class locomotive.

External links

• Tasmanian Department of Infastructure, Energy and Resources - Transport pages
• Rail Tasmania