65 trains put election promise on track but NGR fixes slow to roll

The Queensland government has committed $7 billion to build 65 trains in Maryborough, creating 800 local jobs and honouring a 2020 election promise.

“During the last election campaign we said that we would bring train manufacturing back and this announcement secures it,” Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said at the announcement in the south-east Queensland city on Wednesday.

The next 65 trains for Queensland will be built in Maryborough.

“Initially we were asking for 20 trains to be built. We will now be asking for 65 trains to be built,” she said.

The project continues a 150-year history of train building in Maryborough.

“Not only is [the city] going to be the hub, but this is the largest investment in train manufacturing in Queensland,” she said.

In 2020 the Labor Party promised to build 20 trains in Maryborough “with an option for a further 45”.

Three companies are bidding to construct the first 20 trains and can bid when the contract for the additional 45 trains is available in early 2022.

It had said the first 20 trains were needed for the $5.4 billion Cross River Rail underground rail project under way between the Gabba and Roma Street stations in Brisbane, which would improve links with future Gold and Sunshine coasts rail networks.

Thirty of Queensland’s Citytrain fleet of 149 three-car train and carriage sets will be retired from 2025.

Queensland Opposition Leader David Crisafulli questioned the scale of the $7.1 billion investment, when $600 million was originally disclosed for the 20 trains.

However, Transport Minister Mark Bailey’s office said the $7.1 billion included $239 million to build a train manufacturing facility at Torbanlea, north of Maryborough, new rail infrastructure in south-east Queensland, plus maintenance costs for the “whole of life” of the 65 trains.

Three companies - Alstom, CAF and Downer Rail - are bidding to construct the first 20 trains and can bid when the contract for the additional 45 trains is available in early 2022.

Mr Bailey contrasted the announcement with the actions of the LNP Newman government, which arranged for 75 Next Generation Rollingstock trains to be built in India.

“Maryborough was fast becoming a ghost town because Campbell Newman and David Crisafulli ordered trains be built overseas and not made in Maryborough,” he said.

Mr Crisafulli was the minister for local government in Mr Newman’s cabinet.

A separately funded $334 million project to fix by 2024 the poor disability access on the 75 NGR trains built to specifications in the 2013 contract has a long way to go.

Five of the required 75 trains have had their problems repaired and in the Citytrain fleet, Mr Bailey said.

“Another seven NGR trains are currently being upgraded and will soon re-enter passenger service.”

Mr Bailey said the pace of disability modifications had been slow because it involved considerable setting work to make the modifications.

“Acceleration options” for the remaining work was being explored and the 2024 deadline would be met, he said.