The NSW Government has today unveiled the first refurbished Tangara train, marking a major milestone in the biggest single fleet renewal in the state’s history.
The $447 million Tangara Life Extension Program will upgrade 55 eight-carriage trains over the next three years, extending their life by at least a decade, while creating hundreds of local jobs and rebuilding NSW’s rail manufacturing capability.
Today the Government revealed the first eight-carriage Tangara to be upgraded at the Sydney Trains’ Flemington and Auburn maintenance yards. Fifty-four more Tangara trains will be refurbished over the next three years.
“This is about rebuilding what was lost. The former government sent rail jobs and contracts offshore we’re bringing them back home,” said Premier, Chris Minns.
“For too long, NSW paid billions for trains built overseas. We’re starting the long process of putting that money back into local workshops, local workers and a rail industry that should never have been dismantled.”
“The Tangara Life Extension Program means more reliable trains for passengers, good jobs for skilled workers and apprentices, and the start of rebuilding a proud rail manufacturing future in this state.”
“This is a practical example of how we’re working to improve reliability now, while planning for the next generation of locally built trains.”
The Tangaras are some of the oldest rolling stocks and refurbished carriages will help to reduce maintenance faults.
“Our Tangara fleet has been a faithful workhorse for 35 years, and this life extension project will ensure it continues to be a reliable service while our new fleet is built,” said Sydney Trains Chief Executive, Matt Longland.
“The Tangaras cover more than six million kms a year but without the life extension works, we risk more trains breaking down which will inconvenience our passengers.”
With the Tangara Life Extension prototype now complete, Sydney Trains is recruiting for more than 200 mechanical and electrical trades and engineering roles for the refit program, including apprenticeships. The new workers will complement the 260 existing rail employees insourced back into public employment from private rail maintenance firm UGL Unipart last year.
While the refurbishment of the Tangara’s will ensure at least another 10 years of service, the Government says procurement work will soon commence on the succession plan for the trains, which will be at least 50% locally manufactured.
A recent damning report by the NSW Auditor-General in October found the former government squandered $2.5 billion in cost blow outs buying new intercity and regional trains overseas which then took years longer than planned to get on the tracks and into passenger service.
“The recent Auditor-General’s report laid bare the failure of the former government’s approach which exported rail jobs overseas but ended up costing NSW billions over the odds for trains that were delayed years – and, in the case of Regional Rail Fleet still not in service,” said Minister for Transport, John Graham.
“Reviving the local rail industry is a big task but the Tangara Life Extension is a step along the way because it is recruiting hundreds of workers, including many apprentices, who will be able to build their careers here in NSW.”
The Minister said the Tangara Life Extension will deliver critical systems upgrades, including the installation of more accessible emergency help points, emergency door release, passenger visual displays and upgrades to the passenger address system.
The Tangara fleet already has wheelchair accessible entrances, but the project will install new wheelchair spaces handrails and upgrades to priority seating.
