El Zorro (railway)
Encyclopedia
Victoria (Australia)
Victoria is the second most populous state in Australia. Geographically the smallest mainland state, Victoria is bordered by New South Wales, South Australia, and Tasmania on Boundary Islet to the north, west and south respectively....
, Australia
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...
. It is a private company that was founded in 1999, based in Spotswood
Spotswood, Victoria
Spotswood is a suburb in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 7 km south-west from Melbourne's central business district. Its Local Government Area is the City of Hobsons Bay...
, and named by director Ray Evans who has a taste for things Spanish. (El Zorro
Zorro
Zorro is a fictional character created in 1919 by New York-based pulp writer Johnston McCulley. The character has been featured in numerous books, films, television series, and other media....
is Spanish for "the fox"). The company has three shareholders: director Ray Evans, business manager Geoff Tighe, and Lisa Trezise. Mr Tighe is the former chief executive of Great Northern Rail Services
Great Northern Rail Services
Great Northern Rail Services is a former railway operator in Victoria, Australia. Great Northern Rail Services was incorporated in July 1993 and provided locomotives and train crews to other rail operators, ran general train operations and operated rail vehicle maintenance services in Victoria...
, a defunct rail operator which did similar work to El Zorro.
History
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...
, crewing their Brisbane-to-Melbourne rail service on the southern leg from Junee to Melbourne. Today the company is an accredited rail operator the in state of Victoria
Victoria (Australia)
Victoria is the second most populous state in Australia. Geographically the smallest mainland state, Victoria is bordered by New South Wales, South Australia, and Tasmania on Boundary Islet to the north, west and south respectively....
on both standard and broad gauges, and operates infrastructure trains (sometimes referred as plant trains or work trains), electric multiple unit
Electric multiple unit
An electric multiple unit or EMU is a multiple unit train consisting of self-propelled carriages, using electricity as the motive power. An EMU requires no separate locomotive, as electric traction motors are incorporated within one or a number of the carriages...
transfer trains, and regular freight trains on both
the metropolitan network
Railways in Melbourne
The Melbourne rail network is operated by Metro Trains Melbourne under franchise from the Government of Victoria. The network is based on a commuter rail model centred on the Melbourne Central Business District and Flinders Street Station, rather than a rapid transit model, with a focus on...
and the Victorian regional network
Rail transport in Victoria
Rail transport in Victoria, Australia, is provided by a number of railway operators who operate over the government-owned railway lines. Victorian lines use broad gauge, with the exception of a number of standard gauge freight and interstate lines, a few experimental narrow gauge lines, and...
. The company also provides train crews to other rail operators such as Pacific National.
The company also has contracts with AWB Limited
AWB Limited
AWB Limited is a major grain marketing organisation based in Australia. It was a government body known as the Australian Wheat Board until 1 July 1999, when the AWB was transformed into a private company, owned by wheat growers...
to operate two grain trains on the east coast
Eastern states of Australia
In Australia, the term eastern states refers to the states adjoining the east coast of Australia. These are the mainland states of New South Wales, Queensland and Victoria. The Australian Capital Territory and Jervis Bay Territory, while not states, are also included. The term usually includes the...
, and with the Port of Melbourne Corporation
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 operate container trains between 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...
's Swanson Dock and an intermodal freight terminal at Somerton.
In December 2007 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....
announced that they were scaling back their Victorian operations, with El Zorro admitting that the logistics of moving an entire Victorian wheat harvest were beyond their capabilities at the time, including two T class locomotives and 80 wagons. The first El Zorro grain train was operated on the standard gauge on December 11, 2007, and the first broad gauge grain train on January 18, 2008.
In March 2008 it was announced that El Zorro would be taking over the Warrnambool
Warrnambool, Victoria
-Cityscape:The original City of Warrnambool was a 4x8 grid, with boundaries of Lava Street , Japan Street , Merri Street and Henna Street . In the nineteenth century, it was intended that Fairy Street – with its proximity to the Warrnambool Railway Station – would be the main street of...
- 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...
container service from Pacific National, the first train running on April 1.
In August 2008 AWB Limited
AWB Limited
AWB Limited is a major grain marketing organisation based in Australia. It was a government body known as the Australian Wheat Board until 1 July 1999, when the AWB was transformed into a private company, owned by wheat growers...
announced a new 5 year contract with the operator, to run 4 trains moving grain throughout Victoria and New South Wales. 84 new rail wagons have been ordered for this work, to be delivered in early 2009. The wagon fleet is expected to cost $8–$10 million. It is expected that El Zorro would operate to Dimboola
Dimboola railway station, Victoria
Dimboola is a railway station in Dimboola, Victoria, Australia. The only passenger rail service which stops at the station is the Overland which runs thrice weekly each way between Melbourne and Adelaide. V/Line also operates road coach services to and from the station.The station is located on...
, Sea Lake
Sea Lake railway station, Victoria
Sea Lake is a closed railway station on the Kulwin railway line located in the town of Sea Lake, Victoria, Australia. The last regular passenger service ran from Bendigo to Sea Lake on 7 May 1977 and was operated by a DERM...
and Birchip
Birchip railway station, Victoria
Birchip is a closed railway station on the Mildura railway line in the town of Birchip, Victoria, Australia. It is 389 km from Southern Cross station in Melbourne....
using two train sets, one broad gauge and one standard gauge. The company intends to commission two to three diesel locomotive
Diesel locomotive
A diesel locomotive is a type of railroad locomotive in which the prime mover is a diesel engine, a reciprocating engine operating on the Diesel cycle as invented by Dr. Rudolf Diesel...
s from Avteq, builder of the CFCLA VL class
VL class
The VL class are an Australian diesel electric locomotives operated by Chicago Freight Car Leasing Australia. Built by Avteq in Melbourne, they use EMD components and are based upon the Freight Australia XR class design. The VL class are still being delivered to service, and have been leased to...
.
In September 2008 the company signed a multi-million deal with miner Iluka Resources
Iluka Resources
Iluka Resources is a mining company involved in the mining and processing of titanium based and zircon products. The company mines heavy mineral sands and separates the concentrate into its individual mineral constituents rutile, ilmenite, leucoxene and zircon...
to carry containerised mineral sands
Heavy mineral sands ore deposits
Heavy mineral sands are a class of ore deposit which is an important source of zirconium, titanium, thorium, tungsten, rare earth elements, the industrial minerals diamond, sapphire, garnet, and occasionally precious metals or gemstones....
from Portland
Portland, Victoria
The city of Portland is the oldest European settlement in what is now the state of Victoria, Australia. It is the main urban centre of the Shire of Glenelg. It is located on Portland Bay.-History:...
in the south-west to 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...
, with Iluka saying rail transport was cheaper than road. Trains will run three times a week from September 15, carrying 40 containers making up a load of 1000 tonnes.
In October 2008 El Zorro was given 10 days by Westvic Container Handling that the Melbourne - Warrnambool contract would be terminated, with the last train running on October 17. Westvic said on the first day of operations they were disappointed when a rusty assortment of wagons arrived. Patrick Corporation
Patrick Corporation
Patrick Corporation Ltd was an Australian publicly listed logistics conglomerate. Headed by CEO Chris Corrigan before it was absorbed by Toll Holdings in 2006, Patrick had interests in shipping, rail and aviation, including a 62% shareholding in airline Virgin Blue...
, subsidiary of Asciano Limited
Asciano Limited
Asciano Limited is an Australian transport infrastructure and operations company. It was split out of Toll Holdings in June 2007. The incoming CEO is John Mullen who will begin on 14 February 2011. The outgoing CEO Mark Rowsthorn will be with the company until mid 2011...
will take over the service. Issues El Zorro faced with the service included a lack of broad gauge locomotives and container wagons, the removal of crossing loops on the line by track manager V/Line
V/Line
V/Line is a not for profit regional passenger train and coach service in Victoria, Australia. It was created after the split-up of VicRail in 1983. V/Line is owned by the V/Line Corporation which is a Victorian State Government statutory authority...
with associated late running and delays, and the inability to carry high cube containers though the Geelong tunnel due to a lack of low platform wagons.
In October 2008 the company operated a trial service to the Gippsland Intermodal Freight Terminal (GIFT) outside Morwell, Victoria
Morwell, Victoria
-Transport:The main form of transport in Morwell is the automobile. The Princes Freeway now bypasses the town to the south while the old Princes Highway which once passed through east-west through its centre is now Princes Drive and Commercial Road. The highway connects Morwell with other...
, in what was the first train to use the facility in almost three years. El Zorro is currently in talks with local companies who wish to utilise rail freight.
In December 2008 the company started supplying rolling stock to Regional Rail Logistics
Regional Rail Logistics
Regional Rail Logistics is a rail freight operator based in New South Wales, Australia. They operate containerised freight services three days a week between the Riverina towns of Junee and Cootamundra to Port Botany in Sydney, using rolling stock of Melbourne rail operator El Zorro.The first RRL...
, a New South Wales
New South Wales
New South Wales is a state of :Australia, located in the east of the country. It is bordered by Queensland, Victoria and South Australia to the north, south and west respectively. To the east, the state is bordered by the Tasman Sea, which forms part of the Pacific Ocean. New South Wales...
based freight operator serving the Riverina
Riverina
The Riverina is an agricultural region of south-western New South Wales , Australia. The Riverina is distinguished from other Australian regions by the combination of flat plains, warm to hot climate and an ample supply of water for irrigation. This combination has allowed the Riverina to develop...
region.
Services
Current services operated by El Zorro include:- Containerised mineral sands between MelbourneMelbourneMelbourne 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...
and Portland, VictoriaPortland, VictoriaThe city of Portland is the oldest European settlement in what is now the state of Victoria, Australia. It is the main urban centre of the Shire of Glenelg. It is located on Portland Bay.-History:... - Grain trains for AWB LimitedAWB LimitedAWB Limited is a major grain marketing organisation based in Australia. It was a government body known as the Australian Wheat Board until 1 July 1999, when the AWB was transformed into a private company, owned by wheat growers...
around south-eastern Australia - Ballast and other works trains for V/LineV/LineV/Line is a not for profit regional passenger train and coach service in Victoria, Australia. It was created after the split-up of VicRail in 1983. V/Line is owned by the V/Line Corporation which is a Victorian State Government statutory authority...
Fleet
Australian Railroad Group
Australian Railroad Group was one of Australia's largest private rail operators, operating across almost 10,000 kilometres of track and began operating in Western Australia on 17 December 2000 following its purchase of the Westrail freight business. It was acquired by QR National...
, Specialised Container Transport
Specialised Container Transport
SCT Logistics is an interstate transport company in Australia, with facilities in Melbourne, Adelaide, Parkes, and Perth. The company was founded in 1974.- History :...
and Genesee and Wyoming Australia
Genesee and Wyoming Australia
Genesee and Wyoming Australia is an Australian rail freight operator based in Adelaide, South Australia. It is a 100 percent owned subsidiary of Genesee and Wyoming Inc based in the USA, and was formed in June 2006 to run the South Australian operations of the Australian Railroad Group joint...
; or hired from various Victorian railway preservation groups such as the Seymour Railway Heritage Centre
Seymour Railway Heritage Centre
The Seymour Railway Heritage Centre is a railway preservation group based in Seymour, Victoria, Australia. The volunteer non-profit incorporated association was established in 1983 to restore and preserve locomotives and rolling stock as used on the railways of Victoria.The group is an accredited...
, Steamrail Victoria
Steamrail Victoria
Steamrail Victoria is a not-for-profit volunteer group established in 1965 to the restore and operate historic locomotives and rolling stock used on the railways in Victoria, Australia. The main depot of the group is at the Newport Railway Workshops in suburban Melbourne...
, and 707 Operations
707 Operations
707 Operations is a railway preservation group based in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. The volunteer organisation was established in 1980 to restore R class locomotive R707. The company has its own section of the Newport Workshops that is used for storing carriages and locomotives when not in...
. The company has made approaches to acquire unwanted rolling stock from competitor 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....
parent Asciano Limited
Asciano Limited
Asciano Limited is an Australian transport infrastructure and operations company. It was split out of Toll Holdings in June 2007. The incoming CEO is John Mullen who will begin on 14 February 2011. The outgoing CEO Mark Rowsthorn will be with the company until mid 2011...
, but were told that rolling stock would be scrapped or exported to Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia , commonly known in British English as Saudi Arabia and in Arabic as as-Sa‘ūdiyyah , is the largest state in Western Asia by land area, constituting the bulk of the Arabian Peninsula, and the second-largest in the Arab World...
before it was made available domestically.
Locomotives owned by the company include S302
Victorian Railways S class (diesel)
The Victorian Railways S class mainline diesel electric locomotive were built from 1957 by Clyde Engineering for the Victorian Railways of Australia...
, T386
Victorian Railways T class (diesel)
The Victorian Railways T class diesel electric locomotive are a small branch line and shunting unit built by Clyde Engineering . They were the most numerous class of diesel locomotives in the state....
and Y145
Victorian Railways Y class (diesel)
The Victorian Railways Y class diesel electric locomotive is a small branch line and shunting unit built by Clyde Engineering . Three separate orders were delivered...
. Those on lease to the company include C501
Victorian Railways C class (diesel)
The Victorian Railways C Class GT26C mainline diesel locomotives are a hood unit heavy freight locomotive introduced from 1977 which are mechanically identical to American EMD SD40s, and used on interstate freight services...
, B65 and B74, SCT
Specialised Container Transport
SCT Logistics is an interstate transport company in Australia, with facilities in Melbourne, Adelaide, Parkes, and Perth. The company was founded in 1974.- History :...
G classes
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...
, GWA
Genesee and Wyoming Australia
Genesee and Wyoming Australia is an Australian rail freight operator based in Adelaide, South Australia. It is a 100 percent owned subsidiary of Genesee and Wyoming Inc based in the USA, and was formed in June 2006 to run the South Australian operations of the Australian Railroad Group joint...
GM classes, and CFCLA EL
EL class
The EL class are an Australian mainline diesel electric locomotive originally ordered by Australian National in 1990, and built by Goninan to a local design using imported GE engines and traction equipment. Appearing visually similar to the AN class design, these locomotives haul freight trains...
and VL class
VL class
The VL class are an Australian diesel electric locomotives operated by Chicago Freight Car Leasing Australia. Built by Avteq in Melbourne, they use EMD components and are based upon the Freight Australia XR class design. The VL class are still being delivered to service, and have been leased to...
es.
T386 was the first locomotive to receive any El Zorro marking, receiving a 'Z' painted on the end of each hood. In May 2008 Y145 was the first locomotive to be painted into the new El Zorro grey, orange and yellow livery. In January 2009 South Gippsland Railway
South Gippsland Railway
The South Gippsland Railway is a tourist railway located in south Gippsland, Victoria, Australia. It controls a section of the former South Gippsland line between Nyora and Leongatha, operating services from Leongatha to Nyora via Korumburra taking around 65 minutes, trains operate on sundays,...
owned T342 was painted in the El Zorro livery and commenced a long lease. In August 2009, S302 was also repainted in to the corporate livery.
Wagons include container flats, open wagons, rail transporters, and ballast hoppers. Grain hoppers, sleeper discharge wagons, container flats, and ballast hoppers are also leased by the company.
External links
- http://www.elzorro.com.au/ official site (offline)
- Vicsig.net: El Zorro Locomotive Fleet