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This month QR National’s intermodal business more than doubled capacity on its service which leaves Melbourne each Thursday at 6pm and arrives in Perth on Sunday at 6am.

QR National Managing Director & CEO Lance Hockridge said the addition of new customers and the introduction of new rolling stock had encouraged the business to add more wagons to this service and introduce double-stacking of containers.

“The growth in this service is particularly pleasing given our east-west services began less than three years ago,” Mr Hockridge said.

“In the days following my commencement as CEO in November 2007, I was in Melbourne launching the first of our transcontinental services to Perth.

“We have now expanded to four weekly services on this link as we continue to build both capacity and capability across one of Australia’s most important rail transport corridors.

“QR National’s freight task continues to grow across our national footprint which offers customers container services from Cairns to Perth. This boost in capacity is another exciting stage of development in the lead up to our float on the Australian Securities Exchange later this year.”

Group General Manager Intermodal Hans Anneveldt said QR National was now offering four east-west services each week, which is twice the level of 12 months ago, with trains departing Melbourne for Perth on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday.

“By bolstering the Thursday service, we are responding to customers’ needs for increasing capacity at the end of the week with freight available in Perth for the start of the following week,” he said.

“Our improved market offering with increased capacity and more personalised and flexible services is attracting new customers and increasing our market share.

“It also further leverages us to growth in the market evidenced by forecasts from IBISWorld that non-bulk container freight will increase by almost 250 percent by 2050.”

Mr Anneveldt said a significant investment by QR National in the past year had increased its intermodal fleet by 15 locomotives, including the purchase of six new locomotives featuring advanced fuel-efficient technology.

“The multi-million dollar investment in new locomotives and wagons has been undertaken to increase our capacity and service reliability,” he said.

“This, combined with the opening of our efficient new depot at Forrestfield last year, signals our intention to play a strong role in the interstate intermodal freight market.”

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