Bombardier has agreed to complete the design of bogies for the new standard gauge VLocity trains for Victoria’s North East Line, as part of the state’s efforts to get trains ready for the upgraded line when it opens.
State transport minister Jacinta Allan said on Monday the rollingstock manufacturer had agreed to complete the bogie design in addition to building the existing orders for 87 VLocity carriages.
VLocity trains have not previously been fitted with standard gauge bogies, and so this component is expected to take the longest to design, construct, and gain safety accreditation for.
Detailed design of the new standard gauge bogie has recently commenced, and it’s expected to take up to 12 months to complete.
The full build for the new long-haul VLocity trains, which will run between Albury-Wodonga (at the NSW-Victoria border) and Melbourne, will take two years to complete.
The North East Line is being upgraded to a Victorian Class 2 standard under the $1.7 billion Regional Rail Revival program, which is jointly funded by the Australian and Victorian Governments.
“It was a Labor Government that took the fight to Canberra to upgrade the track and it’s Labor who isn’t wasting a minute to ensure the trains are there, when the track’s finished,” Allan said.
“We’re getting on with delivering the redesigned VLocity trains [for the] North East Line which will provide passengers with a reliable and comfortable journey.”