“Australia’s first” train-welding robot is being installed at the new facility where 65 passenger trains will be built as part of the Queensland Train Manufacturing Program (QTMP).
The Resistance Welding Robot, which recently rolled into the QTMP site at Torbanlea on the Fraser Coast, will streamline train car assembly by precisely welding components and allowing simultaneous operations for efficient, high-quality production.
The Queensland Government said this is the first, and most advanced, robot of its kind in Australia.
The site is now structurally complete and the internal fit-out is underway to prepare for manufacturing to begin in 2026.
Once the robot is installed, local teams will be trained in how to use it. A recruitment drive is currently underway for the 300 staff needed to operate the facility.
The QTMP was set up to meet increasing demand for rail transport in South East Queensland over the next 10 years, supporting population and economic growth as well as Cross River Rail and the Brisbane 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games.
The new Torbanlea site will operate up to 24 hours a day, seven days a week and will include a workshop and sheds, train tracks, offices and car parks.
