Downer Rail
| Company type | Division |
|---|---|
| Industry | Railway rolling stock manufacturing and maintenance |
| Predecessor | Evans Deakin Industries, Walkers Limited |
| Founded | March 2001 (as Downer EDi) |
| Headquarters | North Ryde , Australia |
| Products | Diesel locomotives, electric multiple units, tilt trains |
| Parent | Downer Group |
Downer Rail operates as a division of the Downer Group, focusing on the production and upkeep of railway rolling stock as well as overseeing contracts for rail infrastructure maintenance. Its main headquarters are situated in North Ryde.
History
Downer Rail was established in March 2001 through the merger of Evans Deakin Industries with the Downer Group, resulting in the formation of Downer EDi. The company adopted the name Downer Rail in July 2007 and later combined with Downer's Infrastructure Services branch in 2018 to form Transport and Infrastructure.
The company's origins date back to 1867 when Walkers Limited inaugurated a branch in Maryborough. Evans Deakin Industries acquired Walkers in 1980, which was subsequently integrated into the Downer EDi merger.
Evans Deakin managed former Clyde Engineering facilities located at Kelso and Somerton, along with the Maryborough site. Additionally, it reopened the former Cardiff Locomotive Workshops specifically to construct CityRail M sets.
In 2008, Locomotive Demand Power was launched as a subsidiary dedicated to locomotive leasing. By November 2009, Downer Rail had entered the tram operations sector by acquiring a 49% share in Keolis Downer, which operates Melbourne's Yarra Trams. In July 2014, Keolis Downer commenced operations of the G:link light rail system on the Gold Coast.
March 2015 saw Keolis Downer broaden its scope through the acquisition of bus operator Australian Transit Enterprises, overseeing Hornibrook Bus Lines, Link SA, Path Transit, and SouthLink, collectively managing a fleet of 930 buses.
Products
Rolling stock production is carried out by Downer Rail at multiple sites including Cardiff, Somerton, Maryborough, and Port Augusta. As a previous licencee for Electro-Motive Diesel products, the company has supplied and maintained more than 150 American-manufactured EMD SD70 series locomotives for both BHP and Fortescue Metals Group within the Pilbara region.
Diesel Locomotives
- GT42CU AC – A total of 62 units constructed at Maryborough for clients including Pacific National and QR National
- GT42CU ACe – 131 units built at Maryborough for Genesee & Wyoming Australia, Locomotive Demand Power, Pacific National, and QR National
- GT46C – Five units produced at both Port Augusta and Somerton for operators such as Westrail, FreightLink, and Freight Australia
- GT46C ACe – Seventy-six units manufactured at Cardiff serving Genesee & Wyoming Australia, Pacific National, QR National, SCT Logistics, Southern Shorthaul Railroad, and Whitehaven Coal, currently produced by EMD
Electric Multiple Units
- Sydney Trains M sets – 141 carriages assembled at Cardiff
- Sydney Trains A sets – 626 carriages constructed at Cardiff
- Sydney Trains B sets – 328 carriages initially built by CRRC Changchun Railway Vehicles in China
- QR Interurban Multiple Unit 160 series – 84 carriages fabricated at Maryborough
- QR Suburban Multiple Unit 260 series – 114 carriages produced at Maryborough
- Transperth B series – 234 carriages manufactured at Maryborough
- High Capacity Metro Trains – A total of 455 carriages assembled by Downer at Newport Workshops using shells and essential components supplied by CRRC Changchun Railway Vehicles based in Changchun, China
Tilt Trains
- Diesel Tilt Train – Comprising six power cars and thirty-two carriages, these trains were manufactured in Maryborough.
Locomotive leasing
- Through its subsidiary Locomotive Demand Power, the company provides locomotives for lease. By January 2014, a total of thirteen standard gauge GT46 locomotives and six narrow gauge GT42 units had been produced at Cardiff and Maryborough, with nine GT46s leased out to Aurizon.
Light rail
- Holds a 49% ownership in Keolis Downer, a partnership with Keolis responsible for operating the Melbourne tram network since November 2009 and managing the G:link light rail system since July 2014.
Infrastructure projects
- In 2014, completed the construction of two passing loops north of Gosford as part of the Northern Sydney Freight Corridor initiative.
Maintenance contracts
- Engaged by the Australian Rail Track Corporation to service 2,000 kilometres of railway infrastructure across New South Wales and Victoria.
- Responsible for maintenance of the Leigh Creek line until 2017.
- Holds a 50% interest in a joint venture with Bombardier Transportation, tasked with maintaining the A-series, B-series, and Transwa Australind rolling stock for the Public Transport Authority through June 2019.
- Secured a decade-long contract starting February 2015 to maintain a fleet of 300 locomotives for Pacific National.
- Awarded a 25-year agreement to provide maintenance services for the B sets on behalf of Sydney Trains.