<span class="" id="parent-fieldname-description"> The first of 19 metropolitan trains to be fully assembled in Victoria was unveiled last week at UGL Railâs Ballarat workshop, as part of a local content agreement that is boosting jobs in the stateâs manufacturing industry. </span> <p>The Victorian Government ordered 38 X’Trapolis trains for the metropolitan network. Three trains are in service and a further three are undergoing commissioning and testing at the Newport rail yards.<br />“When we originally contracted Alstom to assemble these new trains in Ballarat, they agreed to a significant increase in the local content for the trains’ manufacture and supply,” premier John Brumby said.<br />“Alstom is now taking their local content agreements even further by engaging more local businesses. As a result we expect these new trains to create 135 jobs across Victoria including 65 for UGL Rail and Alstom workers here in Ballarat.”<br />This is a significant boost for Victoria’s manufacturing industry with local contracts and opportunities expected to be worth more than $75m.<br />“The combination of manufacturing and maintenance brings the local content deal up over 50% over the life of the contract which exceeds the minimum of 40% outlined in the $245m Building Our Industries for the Future strategy,” Brumby said.<br />“This creates new jobs, secures existing jobs and supports Victoria’s renowned and proud rail manufacturing industry.”<br />Public transport minister Martin Pakula said the package for the 38 new trains totalled $1.2bn and included funding for new train drivers, infrastructure improvements and new stabling yards.<br />“We are rolling out a $440m train stabling project to ensure there is enough housing for trains in place as they roll out onto the network and begin passenger service,” Pakula said.<br />“And in regional Victoria, we are continuing to roll out the popular VLocity rail carriages with 22 out of 54 already in service.”<br />The first of the Ballarat assembled trains will enter service next year. Three trains are in service and another three are undergoing commissioning and testing at the Newport rail yards. The seventh train is en route from Europe and expected to arrive in a month.<br /> </p>
