First locally-made train makes maiden journey
In a major milestone for local manufacturing, the first passenger train to be manufactured in Western Australia in more than 30 years has today taken its maiden journey.
Hundreds of community members and workers joined Premier Roger Cook and Transport Minister Rita Saffioti on board the new C-series train, which took a 50-minute return journey on the Joondalup Line from Stadium Station.
It is the first of 41 new locally-built C-series trains to be completed and will formally enter passenger services tomorrow, operating on the Mandurah and Joondalup Lines.
The new 143-metre train is fitted out with close to 400 seats and is capable of carrying more than 1,000 passengers. Once operational, the six-car train will manage more than 103,000 daily passenger boardings.
Passengers will be able to enjoy additional doors for better access, modern passenger display information and USB ports under select seats on the six-car sets. Returning railcar manufacturing has been a long-held commitment of the WA Labor Government, which promised to bringing railcar manufacturing home to WA as part of its 2017 Election commitments.
The train came out of a new railcar manufacturing facility in Bellevue, which currently employs around 150 workers.
Returning railcar manufacturing to WA is also boosting the State's industry capabilities with 15 local businesses playing a role in manufacturing parts for the new trains, including:
• bogie frames (Hofmann Engineering - Bassendean);
• battery boxes (Aerison - Forrestfield);
• pantographs (mounts on the roof of the train that connect with the overhead line, Austbreck - Kewdale);
• passenger seats (McConnell - Bayswater);
• piping (Parker Hannifin - Welshpool); and
• metallic components (Unique Metals - Wangara).
The trains meet the 50 per cent local content target, a significant increase on the two per cent local content on the previous B-series.
Over the duration of the 10-year railcar contract, 246 C-series electric railcars (41 trains) and six new Australind diesel railcars (two trains) will be built, helping to meet the growing demand for train services.
It is anticipated a new C-series train will enter passenger services every few months over the life of the 10-year contract.