Rail Infrastructure Corporation

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The Rail Infrastructure Corporation (RIC) is a New South Wales government owned corporation with responsibility for the management of the railway network in rural New South Wales, Australia.

The RIC is answerable to its two shareholders, State Treasurer Michael Costa and Finance Minister John Watkins. Mr Watkins also has the responsibilities of portfolio minister as Minister for Transport.

[edit] History

RIC was established on 1 January 2001 with the breakup of the State Rail Authority into a 'below rail' operator (the RIC) and an 'above rail' operator (the residual State Rail Authority). The RIC became the "owner and maintainer of the NSW rail network". On 1 January 2004, it ceded "ownership" of the greater metropolitan rail network to a newly-created body, Rail Corporation New South Wales (RailCorp).

In 2004, the RIC leased the interstate and Hunter Valley lines to the Australian Government's Australian Rail Track Corporation for a period of 60 years. The ARTC has responsibility for the management and maintenance of the:

Main South line between Macarthur and Albury
North Coast line between Broadmeadows and the Queensland border
Broken Hill line between Parkes and Broken Hill
Unanderra-Moss Vale line connecting Wollongong to the Main South line
Stockinbingal to Parkes line
Parkes to Narromine line
Troy Junction to Merrygoen line
Sandy Hollow to Gulgong line
the Maitland - Werris Creek section of the Main North line

The RIC has devolved operational responsibility of the remainder of the open country branch lines to the ARTC, however maintains responsibility for maintenance of these lines.