New trains: Rail car manufacturing plant to be built in Perth

[ozbob]

Perth Now --> New trains: Rail car manufacturing plant to be built in Perth

A SITE has been chosen for a new manufacturing plant in Perth where rail cars for the $1.6 billion Metronet project will be made.

The proposed facility will be at Bellevue and will also be co-located with the Public Transport Authority’s next rail car depot, where Transperth will maintain the city’s broader train fleet.

The WA Government says it has picked a historically-significant area for the facility, with the site just 1km from the Midland Workshops, where hundreds of railway workers and apprentices toiled for almost a century.

The facility will be used to assemble many of the extra 246 rail cars needed for Metronet projects and replace ageing trains on the Transperth network over the next decade.

Three consortia have been shortlisted to participate in a tender to supply the new trains.

A supplier will be selected in early 2019 and a key consideration will be their ability and commitment to manufacture or assemble 50 per cent of rail cars in WA.

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[ozbob]

https://twitter.com/MarkMcGowanMP/status/1034351230405885952

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[ozbob]

WA Today --> Train builds return to Midland after historic railcar 'super-contract' signing

Rail car manufacturing will return to WA 25 years after the Midland Railway Workshops were closed.

On Tuesday Premier Mark McGowan signed a contract with French train manufacturer Alstom to build 246 of the next generation of C-Series railcars.

The government said at least 50 per cent of those railcars would be built in WA in a new manufacturing and assembly plant in Bellevue near the old Midland workshops, creating up to 200 jobs including 15 to 20 apprenticeships.

The 10-year build program would cost WA $1.25 billion, $347 million less than the original budget announced in April 2018.

“The Metronet project provides a unique opportunity for Western Australia to manage Perth’s projected future growth while re-establishing its railway manufacturing industry, creating jobs, investing in infrastructure and supporting local manufacturing and supply chains,” Alstom Australia managing director Mark Coxon said.

Mr Coxon said the bare bones of the rail cars would come from overseas but the entire interior would be sourced locally.

He said the majority of the workforce would be local but some experts would be brought in from overseas to train WA workers.

Transport Minister Rita Saffioti said it was a quality deal for the state and they had learned lessons from other Australian governments who had gone overseas to build new railcars.

"By bundling multiple railcar orders into one super-contract, we have encouraged the market to make very competitive bids for the work," she said.

"Victoria has moved to this policy many years ago, Queensland is spending hundreds of millions to correct railcars that were fully imported.

"NSW has also had its problems so we're very proud of this policy, I would argue the value for money concept any day of the week with anyone because these are cheaper railcars, quality railcars and one built for WA.

“Alstom will deliver the railcars over a 10-year period and will be responsible for maintaining the fleet for the next 30 years, ensuring ongoing work and opportunities for local businesses."

Mr McGowan said the announcement marked a turning point for WA jobs and apprenticeships. “This just shows that WA is capable of anything, and building railcars locally makes economic and financial sense," he said.

“Work will start on building the new production plant in Bellevue next year, on top of six other Metronet projects that will be under construction in 2020 alone."

In a statement, the government said it would cost $2.97 million per railcar under the new contract, compared to the cost of B-Series cars that cost $4.05 million to be built in Queensland.

About 144 of the C-Series rail cars will replace the ageing A-Series trains that currently frequent the historic rail lines such as Armadale and Fremantle.

An additional six railcars will replace the existing Australind service.

The Bellevue plant was expected to produce its first rail car for use in 2022, while the Australind railcars were expected to be ready in 2022-23.

Each C-Series will be able to carry 1200 passengers, about 80 more passengers than two B-series trains.

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[ozbob]

https://twitter.com/railbotforum/status/1204423308059398144

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[#Metro]

The WA department of transport and the PTA are very good at both planning and contracting.

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[Stillwater]

^^ from the article:

Transport Minister Rita Saffioti said it was a quality deal for the state and they had learned lessons from other Australian governments who had gone overseas to build new railcars.

"By bundling multiple railcar orders into one super-contract, we have encouraged the market to make very competitive bids for the work," she said.

"Victoria has moved to this policy many years ago, Queensland is spending hundreds of millions to correct railcars that were fully imported.

"NSW has also had its problems so we're very proud of this policy, I would argue the value for money concept any day of the week with anyone because these are cheaper railcars, quality railcars and one built for WA.

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[ozbob]

 

https://twitter.com/ozbob13/status/1204425136935297025

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[ozbob]

The Public Transport Authority of WA, is on the ball.  Gives succinct sound advice to Government.

They get things done.  They are properly foccused on public transport.

Compare to the shambles that is TMR and the collection of desks that make up TransLink.  Throw in a lack of moral fortitude from the State Government to do the right thing, despite clear recommendations from the Citytrain Response Unit, the result is shambles.

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[ozbob]

https://twitter.com/Rita_Saffioti/status/1204246520540717056

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