Company hopes 175 new wagons will set it up for a future with increased demand for rail freight
Aurizon has boosted its east-west capability with a multi-million dollar investment in new wagons and trans-continental services.
Under the company’s existing transformational capital program, it will add some 175 wagons to its national intermodal operations over the next two months.
The new flatbed wagons allow for greater operational flexibility, with capability to load a range of container sizes, including 48-foot containers.
Executive vice president Mauro Neves says the investment will deliver increased value through improved customer service, growth, and productivity.
“These new wagons allow us to use our existing assets more productively, which is fundamental to the broader transformation program underway across Aurizon’s operations,” he says.
The increased investment is also preparation for expected future growth in freight demand, with the national freight task predicted to triple by 2035. Neves says a significant proportion of which will be moved by rail.
“Aurizon aims to capture a slice of this growth by delivering exceptional customer service and continually improving our operational productivity, innovation, flexibility, efficiency and responsiveness,” Neves says.
Aurizon’s national general freight network currently provides 25 return services weekly between Cairns and Brisbane, daily services between Melbourne and Brisbane, and four services a week between Melbourne and Perth (via Adelaide).