FreightLink

File:Freightlink container train headed for Darwin passes through Dry Creek on 5 Aug 2005.jpg in 2005]]

File:FJ104, Alice Springs, 2015 (01).JPG-owned J class diesel shunter in Alice Springs]]

In 2000, the AustralAsia Railway Corporation awarded the contract to build and operate the Adelaide-Darwin railway line as a Build, Own, Operate and Transfer project to the Asia Pacific Transport Consortium, which in turn awarded the contract to FreightLink to build and operate the project.

FreightLink commenced operations in January 2004 on the Tarcoola to Darwin line. FreightLink had intermodal terminals at Adelaide, Alice Springs, Tennant Creek, Katherine, and Darwin. It performed marketing, integrated service management and management of service providers. A number of operational activities were outsourced to specialist providers including train and terminal management, port terminal operations and rail maintenance.

In May 2008 the consortium of banks and infrastructure companies behind Freightlink decided to sell the railway and its operating company {{cite news | author = Vesna Poljak and Michael Smith | title = Banks force sale of $1.2bn Adelaide- Darwin rail link | work = Australian Financial Review | date = 19 May 2008 | page = 1 and 19 }} In June 2008 FreightLink announced that it would add an extra weekly rail service between Adelaide and Darwin due to growing demand, taking the total number of services to six.{{cite web|url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2008/06/24/2284651.htm|title=Extra Adel-Darwin rail service starts|work=ABC News|date=24 June 2008|publisher=Australian Broadcasting Corporation|access-date=9 July 2008|archive-date=3 July 2008|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080703081751/http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2008/06/24/2284651.htm|url-status=dead}}

During November 2008 the company was placed into voluntary administration. This resulted in FreightLink's bankers exercising their rights to appoint a receiver, KordaMentha which then took control of the company, as the deal to sell the company fell through after a small number of the banks funding FreightLink refused the terms of the sale to the preferred bidder. Freightlink Pty Ltd - [http://freightlink.com.au/aspx/news_article.aspx?id=131 Press release 8 November 2008] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081225145555/http://freightlink.com.au/aspx/news_article.aspx?id=131 |date=25 December 2008 }}{{cite web|url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2008/11/06/2412115.htm|title=FreightLink goes into administration|work=ABC News|publisher=Australian Broadcasting Corporation|date=6 November 2008|access-date=6 November 2008|archive-date=9 November 2008|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081109081039/http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2008/11/06/2412115.htm|url-status=dead}}

On 9 June 2010, Genesee & Wyoming Australia (GWA) signed an agreement with the receivers to buy the assets of FreightLink for $334 million.{{cite news|url=http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/business/adelaide-darwin-line-in-foreign-hands/story-e6frede3-1225877456939|title=FreightLink-owned Adelaide-Darwin railway to be sold to US company Genesee & Wyoming|publisher=The Advertiser|date=9 June 2010|access-date=9 June 2010|archive-date=10 June 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100610185036/http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/business/adelaide-darwin-line-in-foreign-hands/story-e6frede3-1225877456939|url-status=live}} It would be operated as part of GWA.{{cite news|url=http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/genesee--wyoming-inc-signs-agreement-to-acquire-freightlink-expands-rail-operations-in-south-australia-and-the-northern-territory-95920649.html|title=Genesee & Wyoming Inc. Signs Agreement to Acquire FreightLink|publisher=PRNewswire|date=9 June 2010|access-date=9 June 2010|archive-date=11 June 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100611004714/http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/genesee--wyoming-inc-signs-agreement-to-acquire-freightlink-expands-rail-operations-in-south-australia-and-the-northern-territory-95920649.html|url-status=live}}

Diesel locomotives owned by FreightLink included:{{cite web|url=http://www.vicsig.net/index.php?page=locomotives&operator=FreightLink|title=VICSIG - Locomotives - FreightLink|publisher=vicsig.net|accessdate=26 October 2009}}

• 4x FQ class mainline units (new build Downer EDI Rail GT46C)
• 2x FJ class shunters (second hand WAGR J class)

{{Reflist}}

• [https://web.archive.org/web/20070828202814/http://www.freightlink.com.au/aspx/home.aspx Archived FreightLink website]

Category:Freight railway companies of Australia

Category:Interstate rail in Australia

Category:Railway companies established in 2004

Category:Railway companies disestablished in 2010

Category:Australian companies disestablished in 2010

Category:Australian companies established in 2004