Progress Rail in Redbank to maintain Queensland Rail’s Spirit of the Outback and Westlander tourist trains

The project will support 50 jobs in Ipswich and overhaul locomotives for popular tourists trains which travel hundreds of kilometres out west from Brisbane.

A multimillion State Government contract will support up to 50 jobs in Ipswich to maintain two Queensland rail icons.

Progress Rail, which has about 200 operations around the globe, has secured the contract for Queensland Rail’s Spirit of the Outback and Westlander tourist trains at its Redbank workshop.

Bundamba MP Lance McCallum said the project would involve overhauling five locomotives for the popular services which travel hundreds of kilometres out west from Queensland’s capital.

The Spirit of the Outback in Longreach.

The Spirit of the Outback travels more than 1300 kilometres from Brisbane to Longreach and the Westlander route to Charleville spans about 740 kilometres.

The government said the total value of the contract could not be revealed as it is commercial in confidence.

“They have a historic connection to Queensland’s rail history, and we want to preserve that while bringing them up to a more modern standard,” Mr McCallum said.

“This upgrade will improve engine reliability and performance, and reduce fuel use by up to 20 per cent, plus it will decrease exhaust emissions and oil consumption.

“It means a more reliable journey for passengers, and better outcomes for the environment.

“Better yet this will support 48 local jobs in Ipswich.”

Among the 48 jobs will be four recently qualified tradespeople after they completed their apprenticeship.

Transport and Main Roads Minister Mark Bailey said the contract was part of a broader government strategy to create local train manufacturing and maintenance jobs.

Transport and Main Roads Minister Mark Bailey. Picture: NCA NewsWire / John Gass

“Creating skilled manufacturing and maintenance jobs was a key commitment we took to the last election, and awarding this contract helps us deliver that commitment,” he said.

“It also builds on the 283 jobs saved by the Palaszczuk Government in 2017.

“All up we’ve created a $1 billion guaranteed pipeline of train building work in Queensland.

“This $1 billion pipeline is critical to Queensland’s economic recovery plan and will ensure there are efficient and reliable services for our growing train network for Cross River Rail, the 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games, and beyond.”

Progress Rail Australia senior vice president Patrick O’Donnell said the contract would provide “further stability” for the Redbank workforce.

“(The project) retains the high-level skill base developed over the introduction of a new class of locomotive,” he said.

“Great efficiencies are realised when we upgrade an ageing fleet with the latest technologies, which is akin to building new locomotives in Queensland.

Each locomotive will spend about a year at the Redbank facility and are expected to be brought into service successively between the middle of next year and mid-2023.

Read more stories by Lachlan McIvor here.