Co-ordinated Road Rail service.

[telljb@OZozemail.com.au (< Tell >)]

The Northern Territory CO-ORD road transport company
has finally come to an end.
HOLD ON, before you flame me, please let me explain.

CO-ORD was short for Coordinated Road Rail Service
which originally traded under the name of Territory
Transport Association and was based in Alice Springs.
CO-ORD was the road bridge between the end of the line
at Alice Springs and the Larrimah terminus of the North
Australia Railway.  From 1950 under contract to the
Commonwealth Railways the red and white CO-ORD road
trains not only carried all of the rail freight but the
very trains themselves as and when required.  
Loco's, railcars, rolling stock and the huge amount of
rails which were used to upgrade the line from Darwin
to Francis Creek for the iron ore trains.

After the closure of the North Australia Railway in
1976, CO-ORD took over the old Darwin Goods shed and
yards and was the ANR agent in Darwin.  All of the
loco's, rolling stock and huge amounts of sundry
equipment were all returned to Alice Springs by C0-ORD.

The sealing of the Stuart Highway South to Port Augusta
and the Highway through Western Queensland allowed even
greater competition.  With the big changes in national
freight forwarding companies and the formation of
National Rail Corp the winds of change were upon this
unique transport group, with the Alice to Darwin line
imminent, the owners finally decided to call it a day.

Small commercial, :-)   There is planned for the middle
of next year up here in Alice Springs a CO-ORD REUNION,
it will be a once only event for the many drivers,
workers, mechanics and staff.  If you were one of us or
know somebody who was, please feel free to contact me. 
 
----Terry Burton
[clear OZ in address for email reply]