The wagon fleet of that era is primarily comprised of a large fleet of container/flat wagons for general use, and smaller fleets of specialised vehicles such as coal hoppers, cement wagons and mineral concentrate wagons. In addition to revenue earning vehicles, a dedicated fleet of service stock primarily of flat wagons and ballast wagons are also available for use in maintenance activities.
This page gives a brief overview of the wagons that could be seen in day to day use in Tasmania. The exact number of vehicles available for traffic varies greatly due to vehicles requiring repairs, or being placed into short or long term storage due to traffic requirements.
Tasmanian Rail News magazine publishes regular articles on the current wagon fleet, including statistics showing the status of existent vehicles (including stored wagons), changes since the last article and information on the major changes to the vehicles over the previous few years.
Articles have been published in the following issues: April 1993 (Issue 181), October 1996 (Issue 195), August 1999 (Issue 206), September 2002 (Issue 218) and July 2005 (Issue 228)
A block train operates almost continuously between the cement factory at Railton and the storage silos located on the wharf at Devonport. The train consists of a DQ locomotive at the Devonport end, a rake of cement wagons, and a DV class driving trailer at the Railton end of the train.
Previous classifications (Tasmania): QE (whilst vacuum braked)
History: Batches constructed from 1967 to 1998 by TGR Launceston Workshops, AN Port Augusta Workshops and others private firms to varying designs
Main Traffic: Bulk cement from Railton to Devonport only
Approximate number in service: 16
Coal is transported by rail from the Cornwall Coal washery near Fingal to the cement works at Railton and the paper mill at Burnie
Previous classifications (Tasmania): QF
History: Constructed new for Tasmanian service in batches from 1967 to 1982 by TGR Launceston Workshops and AN Islington Workshops with detail differences
Main Traffic: Bulk coal from Fingal to Railton and Burnie
Approximate number in service: 40
PN container services convey either general freight between Burnie or Bell Bay and Hobart, or the dedicated "Paper Train" service between Burnie wharf and the paper mill at Boyer.
History: Ex Tranz Rail (New Zealand). To Tasmania in 1998
Main Traffic: General container traffic
Approximate number in service: 18
Previous classifications (Mainland): NQ
History: Ex Commonwealth Railways. To Tasmania circa 1984
Main Traffic: General container traffic
Approximate number in service: 2
Previous classifications (Tasmania): FV
Previous classifications (Mainland): NRN, AQNA, AENY, RENY
History: Ex Commonwealth Railways, Australian National Railways and/or National Rail Corporation. To Tasmania circa 1981 (QL class) and 1999 (QLE class)
Main Traffic: General container traffic
Approximate number in service: 40
Previous classifications (Tasmania): FR, NRO
Previous classifications (Mainland): NRO, AQRY
History: Ex Commonwealth Railways. To Tasmania circa 1983
Main Traffic: General container traffic
Approximate number in service: 10
History: QN class were rebuilt ex FE class log wagons from 1994 onward. Later modified to take 12.2m containers and reclassified QNF. Additional wagons converted and set up for full weight containers and coded QNH
Main Traffic: General container traffic
Approximate number in service: 20
Previous classifications (Tasmania): FQ
History: Rebuilt ex SAR O series open wagons (O, OB, OC, OX, AOGA/F, AOWA/L/Y, AOXX, CE) from 1981 onward. Some wagons converted to/from FD or FW class log wagons and classified QP or QFD
Main Traffic: General container traffic
Approximate number in service: 10
History: Rebuilt ex QK (former TGR FJ) class flat wagons from 1999 onward
Main Traffic: General container traffic
Approximate number in service: 70
Previous classifications (Mainland): NQIF, NQIX, NQHX
History: Ex New South Wales Railways/FreightCorp/Pacific National. To Tasmania in 2005
Main Traffic: General container traffic
Approximate number in service: 30
Mineral concentrates are transported in dedicated wagons on the former Emu Bay Railway line from Melba Flats and Primrose to the unloading facilities at Burnie
History: Constructed new by Comeng for the Emu Bay Railway in 1970 and 1989. Converted to air brake from 2002.
Main Traffic: Mineral concentrates from West Coast mines to Burnie
Approximate number in service: 50
Thanks to Stuart Dix, Michael Dix, Phil Lange and Tasmanian Rail News magazine
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Page last updated: 6 January 2008
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