Fresh work keeping Dandenong busy

Adelaide order, VLocity Refresh keeping Dandenong busy

Dandenong will be refurbishing the existing VLocity fleet, and delivering more trains in the near future.

A fresh contract extension from the South Australian government and the first of 75 refurbished VLocity trains have been keeping Bombardier’s Dandenong workshops busy.

ADELAIDE WILL HAVE ALMOST THREE dozen electric multiple unit (EMU) trains from Bombardier after more were added to the manufacturer’s orderbook.

Bombardier said on June 28 it had won a contract variation from the South Australian government, which calls for twelve three-car EMU trains for an undisclosed fee, to be manufactured at Bombardier’s workshops at Dandenong in Melbourne’s south-east.

Once complete, the deal will bring Adelaide’s A-City EMU fleet to 34.

Bombardier Transportation’s President for South East Asia and Australia Region, Wendy McMillan, said the news was a welcome extension of what has been a good relationship for some time.

“Since 2005, Bombardier has been supporting Adelaide’s mobility needs with its diesel and electric commuter trains and this contract variation is another huge endorsement of our workforce and the quality of the products designed, built and maintained here in Australia,” McMillan said. “We are proud to deepen our long-term partnership in this important market, built on a strong track record of delivery performance, best-in-class rail technology and value-adding long-term solutions; which has laid the foundation to further support South Australian Government’s great efforts to meet a higher demand for public transport that will ensure the comfort and ease of every passenger’s journey.”

The three-car A-City trains operate on Adelaide’s Seaford and Gawler line, and can accommodate 240 passengers seated and 300 more standing.

The trains won a Good Design Award at the 2015 Australian International Design Awards, and the company says it achieves more than 60 per cent local content with each train.

VLocity refresh rolls out first train In another piece of good news for local manufacturing, the Dandenong workshop also recently finished refurbishment work on the first three-carriage VLocity train as part of Victoria’s $50 million refreshment program.

The VLocity Refresh program is refurbishing the interior of all 75 VLocity trains operating on the state’s regional network. OPPOSITE LEFT: Dandenong will deliver more A-City trains for Adelaide.

OPPOSITE RIGHT: The B-series fleet was delivered by an EDI Rail and Bombardier alliance working out of Maryborough in Queensland.

The trains are being fitted out with new carpets and seats, priority seating areas, more handrails and minor repairs as required. Automatic announcement technology will also be installed.

The state government says the program goes further than any previous refurbishments, and will bring the existing fleet up to the standard of the future VLocity fleet. It will also pave the way for nine-car VLocity trains to operate across the entire fleet.

Visiting Dandenong on July 8 to see the first three-car VLocity train roll out of Bombardier’s workshop, acting premier Lisa Neville noted more people than ever before were being moved by regional operator V/Line, with 22.3 million journeys recorded in FY19.

“With more V/Line passengers than ever before, there has never been a better time to upgrade our VLocity fleet to boost accessibility and comfort for passengers in regional Victoria and Melbourne’s west,” the acting premier said.

“These upgrades will not only improve the travel experience for regional Victorians, they’re supporting local jobs in Melbourne.”

Public transport minister Melissa Horne said the $50 million Refresh program was part of a big boost for regional rollingstock in Victoria. $340 million was announced in the 2019 budget for 18 n ew VLocity trains.

“We’re updating our existing regional train fleet and building more trains, trams and buses – getting more and more Victorians where they need to go and creating local jobs in the process,” Horne said.

“The millions of trips taken on V/Line every year will now be smoother and more comfortable than ever before.”

The VLocity Refresh program is set to be complete by late 2021. PHOTOGRAPHY CREDIT: RAIL GALLERY

Final B-series railcar delivered to Perth On the other side of the country, the Western Australian government said it aims to sign a deal for the next generation of passenger trainsets by the end of 2019, after taking delivery of the final B-series railcar from EDI Rail-Bombardier’s site in Queensland. The last new B-series trainset entered service in June, making it the 78th three-car B-series set to enter service (234 cars in total), since the first set rolled onto the Joondalup line in September 2004. The B-series sets were built in Maryborough by a joint venture of Downer and Bombardier, and were designed to provide a 30 per cent capacity boost compared to Transperth’s initial electric two-car A-series model. State transport minister Rita Saffioti was on hand at Nowergup Depot on June 22 to tour the site and take a look at the final B-series train. “Nowergup Depot is the exact site where, 15 years ago, the B-series railcars were first revealed to the public by the Gallop Labor Government,” Saffioti said. “Since that date, 78 three-car trains have been fitted out at this facility, significantly boosting capacity on the Transperth network and setting the standard for modern, accessible and efficient public transport.” Procurement is already underway for the next fleet of trains for Perth, the C-series, which will be six car sets. Budgeted at $1.6 billion, the contract will see 102 new railcars (17 sets) built to service new projects as they come online under the WA Government’s Metronet urban rail program. A further 144 railcars (24 sets) are being procured to replace the ageing A-series fleet. The contract also includes a component for up to 30 years of maintenance of the fleet. Delivery is set to begin in 2021, with the state set to sign a deal with a chosen supplier by the end of this year. The Downer/Bombardier partnership is among the shortlisted candidates to deliver that fleet. The state wants trains with capacity for around 1,200 passengers, which works out to 200 per car. The trains are to have extra, wider doors, USB charging ports and eco-friendly measures. Manufacturing will take place in WA, with a 50 per cent local manufacturing target. The project includes construction of a railcar assembly and commissioning facility at Bellevue. “We’re committed to maximising jobs and local content on this project,” Saffioti said. “It’s only right that Western Australians reap the long-term economic benefits from the infrastructure they fund.”

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