From student passenger to head of rail network

By PAM GRAHAM

The Government has named a former plastics company director to run the nation's rail network.

Cameron Moore, 63, who formerly ran Chequer Packaging of Christchurch, said the only thing he knew about trains was that he used to ride to school on one.

However, he said manufacturers and rail operators both had to have an eye for getting the best out of expensive assets.

Moore flew to Wellington yesterday for briefings on his new role of chairman of the Government's new publicly owned Track Co.

Track Co is expected to employ about 130 people, including the rail network's former signalling staff.

One of Moore's first jobs is to consider a shortlist of candidates for chief executive.

He will also be responsible for managing the relationship with Toll NZ, which has exclusive rights to most of the network.

Moore is a past president of the Canterbury Manufacturers' Association, a board member of the Canterbury Development Corp and a board member of private companies.

The Government is expected to buy the track from Toll before July 1. Toll will continue to manage the track until Track Co has safety clearances and staff in place.

Track Co comes into existence on July 1.

The Government is to invest $200 million on improving the network over five years.

Moore was appointed to the board of New Zealand Railways Corp as of June 1 and will be chairman of Track Co from July 1.

The corporation managed leases of rail assets but as a state owned enterprise had a profit motive so did not pressure the operator.

Track Co would be a state entity with a policy objective as well as a "return aspect", Moore said.

"What Track Co will be responsible for is managing all the land currently being managed by the New Zealand Railways Corp. They will take over all the track system, they will maintain that system and they will also run the signalling system."

Tranz Rail outsourced maintenance to Transfield and Moore said he was "impartial" on whether maintenance should continue to be outsourced.

Toll has a monopoly over freight but can lose it so there could be more operators.

"It is a tremendous challenge," said Moore. "I have twice started operations from nothing and in some ways we are doing the same again."