Australia’s Transport for NSW has announced that the first two of the 17 Waratah Series 2 trains for Sydney have arrived at Port of Newcastle.
The facility is a part of the A$4.3bn ‘More Trains, More Services’ programme launched by the NSW government.
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NSW transport minister Andrew Constance said: “Over the last few years, we’ve seen rapid growth in the number customers travelling on the rail network, which is why it is important we invest in new infrastructure, including new trains.
The trains will have to undergo testing and completion works in Cardiff, following which they will be transferred to the Auburn Maintenance Centre for testing on the Sydney Trains network.
Constance added: “Most of the testing will take place at night and across the weekend to minimise the impact on customers.”
In February last year, the NSW government placed an order to procure an additional 17 Waratah Series 2 trains for the Sydney rail network.
This is in addition to the previously ordered 24 vehicles and will increase Sydney’s Waratah Series 2 train fleet to 41 units.
The trains feature double-deck carriages, air-conditioning with temperature control, and high-definition passenger information screens.
They will also be designed with priority seating, wheelchair spaces and hearing aid loops, along with internal and external CCTV systems.
In November, Transport for NSW invited expressions of interest (EoI) to construct a digital signalling test facility in western Sydney.
