The Australian Rail Track Corporation (ARTC) is an Australian Government-owned statutory corporation. It operates one of the largest rail networks in the nation, spanning 8,500km across five states and 39 worksites. ARTC continues to expand the network through major infrastructure projects including Inland Rail, which is a new 1,700km freight line between Melbourne and Brisbane via regional Victoria, NSW and Queensland that will complete Australia’s national freight network and better connect producers to markets.

History

In November 1996, the Australian Government announced a major rail reform package that included the sale of government-owned train operators Australian National and National Rail, and the establishment of ARTC to manage the sections of the interstate rail network which had been controlled by the two former organisations. ARTC was incorporated in February 1998, with operations starting in July 1998 when the lines managed by Australian National's Track Australia were transferred to it. These were the lines from Kalgoorlie to Port Augusta, Tarcoola to Alice Springs, Port Augusta to Whyalla, Adelaide to Broken Hill, Adelaide to Serviceton, and the Outer Harbor line in Adelaide. Its inaugural CEO was David Marchant. In 2000, the Tarcoola to Alice Springs line was leased to the Asia Pacific Transport Consortium as part of the project to extend the line to Darwin.

Victoria

In 1999, ARTC signed a five-year deal with VicTrack, the rail manager for the Victorian government, to lease the standard gauge North East line from Albury to Melbourne and the Western standard gauge line from Melbourne to Serviceton. This was later extended for another 10 years, and in May 2008 for another 45 years. As part of the lease extension, the run-down and under-utilised broad-gauge line from Seymour to Albury, that paralleled the standard gauge line, was leased to ARTC and converted to standard gauge. Included was construction of the five-kilometre Wodonga Rail Bypass which eliminated 11 level crossings in that city. In March 2009, the Portland line from Maroona to Portland would be leased to ARTC for 50 years, with $15 million to be invested in the line. ARTC also manages the Oaklands railway line between Benalla, Victoria and Oaklands, New South Wales.

Western Australia

In 2001, ARTC was granted rights for fifteen years to sell access between Kalgoorlie and Kwinana, Perth, to interstate rail operators under a wholesale access agreement with the Western Australian track-lessee Arc Infrastructure.

New South Wales

In September 2004, the New South Wales Government-owned RailCorp leased its interstate and Hunter Valley lines to the ARTC for 60 years. The lines covered by the lease are: As part of this agreement, ARTC agreed to the following investment programmes: The Rail Infrastructure Corporation also contracted operational responsibility of the remainder of its country branch lines to ARTC from September 2004. From January 2012, this was transferred to the John Holland Group operating as the Country regional Network. In July 2011, responsibility for the 370 km Mungindi line from The Gap to Boggabilla line was transferred from the Country Rail Infrastructure Authority to the ARTC. In August 2012, RailCorp leased its Metropolitan Goods line from Port Botany to Sefton to the ARTC for 50 years.

Queensland

In January 2010, the Government of Queensland leased its standard-gauge line from Border Loop on the New South Wales border to Acacia Ridge, Brisbane to ARTC for 60 years. In February 2014, the Federal and Queensland governments agreed to investigate further incorporating Queensland into the national rail network. This ultimately did not proceed.

Responsibilities

ARTC does not operate any trains, but provides and maintains the infrastructure for train operators to run on. ARTC controls tracks in all mainland states. These were previously run by five separate state railways in an uncoordinated fashion that gave an advantage to road transport. By combining the infrastructure under one corporation it was expected that a more integrated and coordinated one-stop-shop would be created. It provides its own reporting numbers to trains that operate on its network. It also allows Commonwealth officers undercover privileges presenting as staff of ARTC. ARTC does not control any of the narrow gauge track in Queensland or South Australia, nor broad gauge track in Victoria. However it does control the Albion to Jacana freight line which has been partially converted to dual gauge for use as a passing lane, but is considered a main line on the broad gauge network. It was transferred from VicTrack in May 2009.

Owned corridors

Leased corridors

ATMS

ARTC is the client for the Advanced Train Management System (ATMS) being developed by Lockheed Martin. This will replace older signalling and safe-working systems particularly in remote areas, such as deserts, where communications and power infrastructure is poor.