Passenger Rail, Rail Supply, Rolling stock & Rail Vehicle Design

First of Queensland’s new generation rollingstock arrives in Brisbane

First next generation rollingstock arrives at Brisbane. Photo: Translink

PHOTOS: The first train of the Bombardier-built new generation passenger rollingstock fleet for South East Queensland arrived at the Port of Brisbane on Monday night.

Bombardier is building a fleet of 75 trains for the South East Queensland network, which includes the greater Brisbane area.

Queensland transport minister Stirling Hinchliffe on Tuesday said the first of those 75 trains had arrived in port overnight, after a more than 10,500km sea journey.

 

Next generation rollingstock arrives in Brisbane. Photo: Translink

Next generation rollingstock arrives in Brisbane. Photo: Translink

Next generation rollingstock arrives in Brisbane. Photo: Translink

 

“This train is the first of 75 new commuter trains that will be delivered over the next three years to replace the ageing fleet, and boost the number of rollingstock on South East Queensland’s passenger rail network by 30%,” Hinchliffe said.

The state says the fleet is on track to begin servicing commuters in the second half of this year.

Technical specialists will put the six-car train together, so it can be hauled to the purpose-built Wulkuraka Maintenance Centre, west of Ipswich.

There the train will be put through extensive testing, prior to being put into service.

“The first stop for the train will be the new maintenance centre in Wulkuraka, officially opened on Saturday, where the trains will be serviced, repaired and tested into the future,” Hinchliffe said.

“The Wulkuraka facility generated 500 full-time construction jobs for Ipswich and Brisbane while it was built, and the NGR project will support 150 ongoing jobs and up to 1,500 indirect jobs when it is operational.

“The train will undergo extensive testing in Wulkuraka to ensure key operational and safety standards are met and it is ready for passenger services.

“Features of the train that will be tested include the seating, the endurance of the door system and the dynamic performance of the braking and traction systems.”

Hinchliffe said the train was unloaded from the vessel Matsumae, and moved to the port’s rail line on Monday night.

 

Next generation rollingstock arrives in Brisbane. Photo: Translink

Next generation rollingstock arrives in Brisbane. Photo: Translink

Next generation rollingstock arrives in Brisbane. Photo: Translink

 

“The cargo vessel arrived last night about 9pm at the Port of Brisbane with the first car of the 260-tonne train unloaded at 2am,” Hinchliffe explained.

“The six train cars, each about 24.5 metres long, were transported in the vessel’s hull and all six cars are expected to be unloaded by the end of the day.”

Photos: Translink

3 Comments

  1. It is an absolute disgrace that these carriages were not built in this country by Australians.
    At least the newest Victorian trains/trams were built in Australia.

  2. I agree. And I am told that QR aren’t looking after the maintenance of them either. More jobs lost.