CRT Group
Encyclopedia
CRT Group is an intermodal transport company in Australia
. Begun as Colin Rees Transport (CRT), a taxi truck company in suburban Sydney
in the 1950s, it became known as the CRT Group in 1981, and by the time of its acquisition by QR Limited was in the top 10 logistics companies in Australia with a turnover of $80 million, and moving over 600,000 tonnes of freight a year. The company specialised in the movement of food products, polymer
s, and plastic
s. It is now a subsidiary of QR Limited
.
CRT Group operated a number of terminals, with those at Yennora
in Sydney
and Altona
in Melbourne
provided with their own railway sidings. Privately owned X100
and X200 class rail tractors
X101, X107, X118, X208, X209 and X216 were used to shunt, as were larger 73 class
locomotives 7322, 7333 and 7334. Locomotives 7322, 7334 and X209 were painted in a blue and off white scheme with CRT Group logos. Blue appeared on the cab, with white on the edge of the frame and on the pilots at each end.
CRT Group also introduced the first CargoSprinter
to Australia in February 2002. Built by Windhoff
in Germany
this Diesel Multiple Unit
consists of two driving and power units, each fitted with a full width cab and two Volvo
truck engines for propulsion, which operate in a push pull
mode, with up to seven trailers in between. After a number of promotional trips, the CargoSprinter operated a tri-weekly service from Melbourne to Wodonga in 2003, followed by a port shuttle from the Port of Melbourne
to Altona
from 1 September that year.
The company also owned over 2000 low profile 30 feet (9.1 m) silver shipping containers
that were used on their own services.
Linehaul of freight between CRT Group terminals was contracted to outside railway operators. In the early 2000s Freight Australia
(FA) was contracted to move freight between Melbourne and Sydney. The contract contained a condition that if FA was acquired by a competitor of CRT Group, 10000 hp of locomotive power (calculated by the business CRT Group was offering FA) was to be transferred to CRT Group. As a result, when FA was acquired by Pacific National
in 2004, two Victorian G class
and two X class
locomotives were transferred to CRT. After this date linehaul of CRT freight passed to Queensland Rail
subsidiary Interail
, who also operated Melbourne to Brisbane services for the company.
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
. Begun as Colin Rees Transport (CRT), a taxi truck company in suburban Sydney
Sydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
in the 1950s, it became known as the CRT Group in 1981, and by the time of its acquisition by QR Limited was in the top 10 logistics companies in Australia with a turnover of $80 million, and moving over 600,000 tonnes of freight a year. The company specialised in the movement of food products, polymer
Polymer
A polymer is a large molecule composed of repeating structural units. These subunits are typically connected by covalent chemical bonds...
s, and plastic
Plastic
A plastic material is any of a wide range of synthetic or semi-synthetic organic solids used in the manufacture of industrial products. Plastics are typically polymers of high molecular mass, and may contain other substances to improve performance and/or reduce production costs...
s. It is now a subsidiary of QR Limited
Queensland Rail
Queensland Rail, also known as QR, is a government-owned railway operator in the state of Queensland. Under the control of the Queensland Government, Queensland Rail operates the inner-city and long-distance passenger services, as well as some freight operations and gives railway access to other...
.
Railway operations
Yennora, New South Wales
Yennora is a suburb of Sydney in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Yennora is located 29 kilometres west of the Sydney central business district, in the local government area of the City of Fairfield and is part of the Greater Western Sydney region....
in Sydney
Sydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
and Altona
Altona, Victoria
Altona is a suburb in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 13 km south-west from Melbourne's central business district. Its Local Government Area is the City of Hobsons Bay. At the 2006 Census, Altona had a population of 9685....
in Melbourne
Melbourne
Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
provided with their own railway sidings. Privately owned X100
New South Wales X100 class locomotive
The X100 class is a group of diesel locomotive built and operated by the New South Wales Government Railways of Australia.-History:A need existed for a small shunting unit that could handle the requirements at the smaller junction marshalling yards, larger intermediate stops and the workshop needs...
and X200 class rail tractors
New South Wales X200 class locomotive
The X200 class were a group of rail tractors introduced in 1968 and operated by the New South Wales Government Railways of Australia. They were a development of the smaller and less numerous X100 class...
X101, X107, X118, X208, X209 and X216 were used to shunt, as were larger 73 class
New South Wales 73 class locomotive
The New South Wales 73 class are a diesel-hydraulic locomotive originally purchased and operated by the New South Wales Government Railways of Australia, and now operated by a variety of private operators. The NSWGR were in the need of powerful diesel shunting locomotives in the 1960s. They had...
locomotives 7322, 7333 and 7334. Locomotives 7322, 7334 and X209 were painted in a blue and off white scheme with CRT Group logos. Blue appeared on the cab, with white on the edge of the frame and on the pilots at each end.
CRT Group also introduced the first CargoSprinter
CargoSprinter
The CargoSprinter is a multiple unit freight car;it could also be thought of as a container truck that runs on rails.Built by the German company Windhoff, it is in effect a self-propelled flatcar for containers...
to Australia in February 2002. Built by Windhoff
Windhoff
Windhoff is a German manufacturer of specialised railways trains, originally dating from 1889.It is particularly known for the CargoSprinter concept, a diesel multiple unit train for transporting intermodal containers...
in Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
this Diesel Multiple Unit
Diesel multiple unit
A diesel multiple unit or DMU is a multiple unit train consisting of multiple carriages powered by one or more on-board diesel engines. They may also be referred to as a railcar or railmotor, depending on country.-Design:...
consists of two driving and power units, each fitted with a full width cab and two Volvo
Volvo
AB Volvo is a Swedish builder of commercial vehicles, including trucks, buses and construction equipment. Volvo also supplies marine and industrial drive systems, aerospace components and financial services...
truck engines for propulsion, which operate in a push pull
Push-pull train
Push–pull is a mode of operation for locomotive-hauled trains allowing them to be driven from either end.A push–pull train has a locomotive at one end of the train, connected via some form of remote control, such as multiple-unit train control, to a vehicle equipped with a control cab at the other...
mode, with up to seven trailers in between. After a number of promotional trips, the CargoSprinter operated a tri-weekly service from Melbourne to Wodonga in 2003, followed by a port shuttle from the Port of Melbourne
Port of Melbourne
The Port of Melbourne is Australia's busiest port for containerised and general cargo. It is located in Melbourne, Victoria and covers an area at the mouth of the Yarra River, downstream of Bolte Bridge, which is at the head of Port Phillip, as well as several piers on the bay itself...
to Altona
Altona, Victoria
Altona is a suburb in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 13 km south-west from Melbourne's central business district. Its Local Government Area is the City of Hobsons Bay. At the 2006 Census, Altona had a population of 9685....
from 1 September that year.
The company also owned over 2000 low profile 30 feet (9.1 m) silver shipping containers
Containerization
Containerization is a system of freight transport based on a range of steel intermodal containers...
that were used on their own services.
Linehaul of freight between CRT Group terminals was contracted to outside railway operators. In the early 2000s Freight Australia
Freight Australia
Freight Australia was a railway company in Australia. Initially known as Freight Victoria, it operated rail freight services and controlled non-urban rail track in the state of Victoria, later expanding into freight haulage in other states. Freight Australia was taken over by Pacific National in...
(FA) was contracted to move freight between Melbourne and Sydney. The contract contained a condition that if FA was acquired by a competitor of CRT Group, 10000 hp of locomotive power (calculated by the business CRT Group was offering FA) was to be transferred to CRT Group. As a result, when FA was acquired by Pacific National
Pacific National
Pacific National is one of Australia's largest private rail freight businesses. Originally a joint venture between Patrick Corporation and Toll Holdings; it is now a wholly owned subsidiary of Asciano Limited following the restructure of Toll Holdings....
in 2004, two Victorian G class
V/Line G class
The V/Line G class are a mainline diesel electric locomotives built by Clyde Engineering from 1984, the last of 33 locomotives entering service in December 1989...
and two X class
Victorian Railways X class (diesel)
The Victorian Railways X class mainline diesel electric locomotives were built by Clyde Engineering from 1966, with a further two orders being placed in 1970 and 1975...
locomotives were transferred to CRT. After this date linehaul of CRT freight passed to Queensland Rail
Queensland Rail
Queensland Rail, also known as QR, is a government-owned railway operator in the state of Queensland. Under the control of the Queensland Government, Queensland Rail operates the inner-city and long-distance passenger services, as well as some freight operations and gives railway access to other...
subsidiary Interail
Interail
Interail is an Australian rail freight operator based in Casino, New South Wales.-Creation:Interail was launched on May 31, 2002, as the interstate running arm of Queensland Rail, entering railway operations in New South Wales with the acquisition of Northern Rivers Railroad...
, who also operated Melbourne to Brisbane services for the company.