Engineering, Passenger Rail, Rail Supply, Rolling stock & Rail Vehicle Design

Shortlisted intercity players given formal RfT

V-set train at Central station. Photo: Creative Commons / Alexanderino

Transport for NSW has formally invited the four shortlisted consortia for the NSW intercity train fleet project to tender for the new fleet’s delivery and maintenance.

Four consortia were announced on the shortlist for the intercity contract in July:

  • Alstom Transport Australia
  • Downer-CNRCRC Consortium, comprising Downer EDI Rail and CNR Changchun Railway Vehicles
  • Stadler Bussnang
  • UGL/MEA/CSR Consortium, comprising UGL Rail Services, Mitsubishi Electric Australia and CSR Corporation

Transport for NSW formally released a Request for Tender for design, manufacture, testing, commissioning, supply, delivery and maintenance to the shortlisted consortia on September 4.

“The four consortia will be asked to consider different options for seating configuration, bike storage, luggage racks and the possibility of Wi-Fi and a premium carriage,” Transport said.

“The consortia will also be asked to design a longer train and a shorter train configuration to support travel on different lines along the network.”

Shortly after the shortlist announcement in July a Transport spokesperson confirmed the new intercity fleet will replace the “aging” V-set trains.

NSW TrainLink has roughly 196 V-set cars left in its fleet. The V-sets, typically arranged in 4-car sets, were built between 1970 and 1989 by Commonwealth Engineering (a.k.a. Comeng), at its now-demolished Granville factory.

The spokesperson explained the new fleet will also allow H-set ‘Oscars’ to replace S-set trains on the Sydney Trains network.

Built by UGL Rail at its Broadmeadow factory between 2006 and 2012, 55 four-carriage Oscar sets are shared between Sydney Trains and NSW TrainLink.

S-set trains, once prevalent on the Sydney Trains network, have been being phased out rapidly over the last decade.

“Transport for NSW is looking to procure a standard product that can be configured specifically for NSW’s rail network,” the spokesperson told Rail Express.

“It is up to each tenderer to propose how to configure the carriages, as long as their responses meet the needs and requirements set out by Transport for NSW in the tender documents.”

The tender calls for 520 cars, or equivalent, to be delivered under the contract.

“Transport for NSW is continuing to engage with industry on the Intercity Fleet tender to ensure we have the right solution for our customers,” the spokesperson continued.

“Procurement for the new fleet is being undertaken via an open tender process to maximise competition and ensure that NSW taxpayers receive value for money.

“The New Intercity Fleet will be Electric Multiple Units (EMUs) and the first train is expected to be in service by 2019 with the delivery of the fleet complete by 2024.”