New Zealand Railways Corporation

The New Zealand Railways Corporation ( NZRC ) is a state-owned New Zealand company, State -Owned Enterprise ( SOE), which is the national railway system over the two departments ontrack (rail ) and KiwiRail ( Rolling device) operates on behalf of the government. The company was formed in 1982 from the privatization of the New Zealand Railways Department.

Subsidiaries

Since October 2008, the following subsidiaries are subject to the two departments:

  • Ontrack Infrastructure Limited, operates the New Zealand rail network.
  • KiwiRail Limited, operates passenger and freight services.

The KiwiRail Limited in turn consists of the following divisions:

History

Since 1870, when Julius Vogel, then Finance Minister of the colony in New Zealand, launched an unprecedented national campaign to develop the infrastructure of New Zealand, and the rail-bound transport systems were a matter for the State. Expenses incurred during the years since 1862 before the railway lines that were initiated and run by private companies or provincial governments, now found themselves placed under government control. Bird made ​​sure that with borrowed money new routes could be built. So the route network was expanded in only 10 years from just 100 km to almost 1900 km and carried 3 million passengers with simultaneous transport of 830,000 tons of goods per year. 20 years later, turn of the century, the national route network already consisted of 3250 km.

Had direct responsibility for the development, expansion and operation of the rail network until 1982 but always ministries, the multiple alternated in the hitherto last more than a hundred years in the form, manner and responsibilities and more over the years and more on the efficiency of the were lacking rail transport. In order to protect the railway network in front of the competition of the road, one hand in 1936 even for protectionist measures and limited transport on the road, first to a maximum of 30 miles, later to 40 miles and finally increased pressure from the transport company in 1977, the possible maximum transport distance 150 km.

In the context of extremely unfavorable economic situation in New Zealand in the late 70 's and early 80's as well as substantial financial losses in railway operations began in 1983 with the deregulation of the national rail transport system, abolished the restrictions on shipments from the street, creating a competition between road transport and the rail transport, as a result of rail operations continue earning more and more losses.

After an accumulated deficit in the order of magnitude of 1.1 billion NZ $ up to 1990, and finally it was decided to restructuring and privatization of the rail system, founded in the same year the New Zealand Rail Limited ( NZR ) and entrusted it with the rail network, as well as railway operation.

1993, the Government, the New Zealand Rail Limited sold together with the rail network and rail operations for $ 328 million NZ to an American consortium, which the company in 1995 in Tranz Rail renamed and a year later in 1996 at the New Zealand Stock Exchange ( NZX ) was recorded. In order to safeguard the national interests in the affairs of rail transport and be able to control the now private operator of the system in accordance with, the government created the same time as for sale on the basis of the New Zealand Railways Corporation Act of 1981, the New Zealand Railways Corporation, which reports directly to the Minister of Railways was assumed.

After then Tranz Rail fell into a loss and maintenance of the rail network threatened to be neglected, the New Zealand government, the route network in Auckland decided in 2000 to buy back first. Surprisingly, it came to the Australian Toll Holdings to "game" that took over the loss Tranz Rail and believed the New Zealand rail system, Toll Rail without government influence to be able to continue profitably, not to ask but no financial demands on the government, which the maintenance of the route network was concerned.

After lengthy negotiations, the Tranz Rail government gave in 2003 before being taken over an injection of 75.8 million NZ $, eventually bought all of the remaining route network for only 1 NZ $ back and transferred founded as a subsidiary of the New Zealand Railways Corporation Transfield Service Infrastructure ( New Zealand) Limited - renamed on 10 February 2006 in Ontrack Infrastructure Limited - the network. But the years that followed, there were disagreements between the Toll Holdings and the Government, which had led in 2006 almost to adjust the Overlanders. On 1 July 2008, the government finally bought back the rail and ferry services from Toll Holdings for $ 665 million NZ and transferred both October 1, 2008, which was founded by the New Zealand Railways Corporation KiwiRail Limited.

With the repurchases so once the celebrated privatization of the New Zealand Railway was a painful end. The " dues ": 328 Mill NZ $ course proceeds - 665 million NZ $ Buyback - NZ $ 200 million investment in maintenance, making together at least 537 million NZ $ loss. Add to that that the Toll Holdings got exclusive rights to use the New Zealand rail network for their Transport for up to 66 years. Since July 2008, the New Zealand Railways finds itself back to 100 % state-owned.

Swell

All sources of information and links in English

  • History of New Zealand Rail - Ontrack - A Devision of New Zealand Railways Corporation
  • Bateman New Zealand Encyclopedia, David Bateman Ltd. , Auckland, 5th Edition, 2000. ISBN 0-90861-021-1
Division (business) Interislander Picton, New Zealand North Island Northern Explorer New Zealand Exchange Toll Group Toll NZ Dictionary of New Zealand Biography
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