Ann: Aurizon secures major national freight contract, page-25

AZJ's reintroduction of interstate intermodal (container) train operations should commence on a day between Friday 14 and Sunday 16 April 2023. I don't know more than that.

The first train should be a Melbourne to Perth: if it (say) departs on Saturday 15 April, its Australian Rail Track Corporation train number will be 7MP1.

'7' is the day of the week: while I regard 'Sunday' as the 'day of rest' and hence the final day of any week, ARTC uses 'Saturday'.

'M' is origin of Melbourne. 'P' is the destination, Perth. I do not know from which terminals AZJ is operating.

'1' is the ARTC-allocated train number, usually from '1' to '9'. It just happens that '1' on this route is vacant.

I am unaware as to whether AZJ will double stack containers between Adelaide and Perth. (Tunnels and low overhead pedestrian or road bridges mean this cannot occur between Melbourne and Adelaide or Sydney and Parkes: only possible from Adelaide or Parkes to either Darwin or Perth).

Eastbound, a train may depart Perth on the same day, numbered (if a Saturday departure) 7PM1.

In time, railway enthusiasts will place videos on YouTube so without going overboard, I will repost.

For months if not longer, one wouldn't expect maximum length 1800 metres intermodal trains east-west (or in time 1500 metres north-south Melbourne-Brisbane). AZJ has said Team Global Express loading should achieve '70 per cent', but will vary by day of week and month, in line with demand for rail freight, consumer spending patterns, supermarkets' and others' need for stock among numerous factors.

Gven AZJ have a newish wagon rake for carrying grain from the NSW Riverina to Port Kembla NSW and perhaps elsewhere, quite a few of its NSW-based train drivers should be qualified ('route knowledge') for the main south Sydney-Melbourne line, probably as far south as Cootamundra at a minimum. However I've not observed any AZJ train crew training between Melbourne and Junee or Cootamundra so Melbourne to Brisbane trains (and vice versa) may not start for months.