Siemens spurt sees early birth of Connex Melbourne train fleet

<p>Train manufacturer Siemens has today (Tuesday, December 6) handed over the final train in an order of 30 carriages to Connex Melbourne.</p> <p>The order has been completed six months ahead of schedule and means the entire fleet of 72 Siemens trains (216 carriages) will be in operation well before the 2006 Commonwealth Games.</p> <p>"Siemens has accelerated the train manufacture and commissioning program to ensure the entire fleet of trains will be ready in time for the Commonwealth Games," Siemens’s executive general manager, transportation systems, Paul Bennett, said.</p> <p>The assembly, commissioning and testing of the trains was carried out at Siemens Newport depot.</p> <p>Staff at the depot will also carry out maintenance on the fleet over a 15-year contract period.</p> <p>"We continually focus on building local competency and through ongoing training, have ensured knowledge is transferred from our rollingstock specialists in Europe to our local staff," Mr Bennett said. </p> <p>The Newport depot had also made enhancements on the fleet at the request of Connex, he said.</p> <br />