Australasia – Page 23
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Metro Report InternationalSydney Metro’s first trainset arrives
AUSTRALIA: Sydney Metro announced the delivery of its first trainset to the Rouse Hill depot on September 26. Alstom is supplying 22 six-car Metropolis driverless trainsets, together with Urbalis 400 communications-based train control, Iconis control systems and Smartlock 400 computer-based interlocking under a €280m contract awarded in September 2014. ...
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NewsWestern Australia budget backs rail growth
AUSTRALIA: The Western Australian government has allocated A$1·4bn for rail investment as part of its 2017-18 budget announced on September 8. The bulk of the money is destined for the Metronet programme to expand and upgrade the Perth suburban rail network, over the next four years. This includes federal funding ...
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Metro Report InternationalKeolis Downer retains contract to operate world's largest tram network
AUSTRALIA: The Victorian government has awarded incumbent Keolis Downer the next contract to operate the Yarra Trams network in Melbourne. The contract announced on September 12 runs for seven years from November 30 2017 and covers the operation of around 5 000 services a day on the world's largest ...
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NewsMelbourne suburban rail operating contract awarded
AUSTRALIA: Metro Trains Melbourne is to continue to operate and maintain the city's suburban rail network, Victoria's Minister for Public Transport Jacinta Allan announced on September 12. MTM is a joint venture of MTR Corp (60%), John Holland Group (20%) and UGL Rail Services (20%). It has operated the 390 ...
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Metro Report InternationalTesting begins on Gold Coast light rail Stage 2
AUSTRALIA: Testing on Stage 2 of the Gold Coast light rail line commenced on the night of September 7-8. The northern extension will run alongside Smith Street Motorway from Gold Coast University Hospital to Helensvale, where interchange would be provided with Queensland Rail services. The 7·3 km route would ...
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NewsCRRC presents Melbourne EMU mock-up
AUSTRALIA: Evolution Rail has presented to Victoria Minister for Public Transport Jacinta Allen a 39 m long mock-up of the electrical multiple-unit cars that it is supplying to operate Melbourne’s suburban network. Last year the Evolution Rail consortium of Plenary, CRRC Changchun Railway Vehicles and Downer Group was awarded ...
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NewsAuckland DMUs shipped to Mozambique
MOZAMBIQUE: Eight diesel multiple-units as well as spare parts are being shipped from New Zealand to Mozambique, where they are to operate passenger services around Maputo. The 1 067 mm gauge two-car units have been surplus to requirements since electrification in Auckland in 2014. ‘Selling the trains reduces Auckland Transport’s ...
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Metro Report InternationalMetronet drives Perth expansion plans
AUSTRALIA: The government of Western Australia expects to complete two more extensions to the Perth suburban rail network by late 2021, Premier Mark McGowan announced on August 21. Revised business cases for the two projects have been submitted to federal agency Infrastructure Australia for approval. One would add a ...
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NewsPenguin specialist supports rail infrastructure project
AUSTRALIA: TasRail has appointed a penguin specialist from BirdLife Tasmania to provide advice on the protection of habitats during coastal erosion and landslip prevention works which are expected to get underway in November. The request for tenders requires the contractors to consider environmental constraints and bird life during the work ...
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NewsNSW regional train fleet to be replaced
AUSTRALIA: The entire New South Wales regional train fleet is to be replaced and a new maintenance depot built at Dubbo, state Deputy Premier John Barilaro announced on August 14. Plans to replace the XPT fleet of 60 coaches and 19 power cars used on NSW TrainLink serves linking Sydney, ...
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NewsAurizon to quit intermodal freight
AUSTRALIA: Aurizon Holdings Ltd has announced its intention to withdraw from the intermodal market, with the closure or sale of its activities in the sector. The decision announced on August 14 followed a 12-month review of options including retention, divestment, joint ventures or the closure of activities that it felt ...
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Metro Report InternationalFirst CBD & South East tram delivered to Sydney
AUSTRALIA: Transport for New South Wales took delivery of first of 60 Citadis X05 trams that Alstom is supplying to operate on the CBD & South East Light Rail line in Sydney on August 1. The ALTRAC Light Rail consortium has a A$2·1bn PPP contract to build, operate and ...
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NewsElectric-battery multiple-units planned for Auckland
NEW ZEALAND: An order for 17 electric multiple-units equipped with batteries for off-wire operation between Papakura and Pukekohe has been approved in principle by Auckland Council’s Finance & Performance Committee. The units would be supplied by CAF, which has already delivered 57 three-car Class AM 25 kV 50 Hz suburban ...
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NewsInland Rail consultation starts
AUSTRALIA: Another milestone for the long-planned Inland Rail corridor was reached on July 19, when the New South Wales state government released the Environmental Impact Statement for the Parkes – Narromine upgrading project in New South Wales. Project promoter ARTC says public consultation on the EIS will run until August ...
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NewsBrookfield Rail becomes Arc Infrastructure
AUSTRALIA: Western Australia’s infrastructure management concessionaire Brookfield Rail announced on July 17 that the company was changing its name to Arc Infrastructure. CEO Paul Larsen said the move was ‘an exciting time for our business. While we remain a Brookfield company, we’re looking forward to creating our own unique identity’. ...
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Metro Report InternationalKeolis Downer takes over operation of Newcastle transport network
AUSTRALIA: A joint venture of French public transport operator Keolis and infrastructure services company Downer EDI took over the operation of bus and ferry services in Newcastle, New South Wales, on July 1. According to Keolis, this is the ‘first multimodal transport system to be operated by a private operator ...
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NewsXPT train and track monitoring contract awarded
AUSTRALIA: New South Wales TrainLink has awarded remote conditioning monitoring specialist Perpetuum a five-year contract to collect and monitor rolling stock and track information using sensors which will be fitted to the fleet of XPT power cars used on inter-city passenger services. This is the UK-based company’s first multi-year contract ...
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NewsAuckland City Rail Link project company established
NEW ZEALAND: Dedicated company City Rail Link Ltd assumed responsibility for delivering Auckland’s cross-city rail project with effect from July 1, the day after agreements were signed by Finance Minister Steven Joyce, Transport Minister Simon Bridges and Mayor of Auckland Phil Goff. ‘City Rail Link Limited is a new company ...
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NewsPassenger assistance to be stepped up as NGR EMUs enter service
AUSTRALIA: Queensland Rail is to recruit additional station staff to assist mobility-impaired passengers using the six-car EMUs being supplied to Queensland Rail under the New Generation Rollingstock PPP concession. The first of 75 sets are now expected to enter service later this year, CEO Nick Easy confirmed on June 27. ...
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NewsMurray Basin gauge conversion contract awarded
AUSTRALIA: A contract for regauging and upgrading more than 1 000 route-km of railway serving the Murray Basin region was announced on June 26 by Federal Minister for Infrastructure & Transport Darren Chester and Victoria’s Acting Minister for Public Transport Luke Donnellan. A joint venture of McConnell Dowell and Martinus ...