The Minns Labor Government has today unveiled the first refurbished Tangara train, marking a major milestone in the biggest single fleet renewal in NSW history.
The $447 million Tangara Life Extension Program will upgrade 55 eight-carriage trains over the next three years, extending their life by at least a decade, while creating hundreds of local jobs and rebuilding NSW's rail manufacturing capability.
This is the first eight-carriage Tangara to be upgraded at the Sydney Trains' Flemington and Auburn maintenance yards. 54 more Tangara trains will be refurbished over the next three years.
While the Liberals sent thousands of rail jobs offshore, the Minns Labor Government is ensuring the Tangara Life Extension program creates local jobs, with more than 300 people expected to be employed over the life of the project.
The life extension program is part of the Government's focus on improving rail reliability in response to the Independent Rail Review.
The Tangaras are some of the oldest rolling stocks and refurbished carriages will help to reduce maintenance faults.
The Government has embarked on a recruitment drive for the Tangara Life Extension program as we build back up the rail manufacturing base.
With the Tangara Life Extension prototype now complete, Sydney Trains is recruiting for more than 200 mechanical and electrical trades and engineering roles for the refit program, including apprenticeships.
Those new workers will complement the 260 existing rail employees insourced back into public employment from private rail maintenance firm UGL Unipart last year.
While the refurbishment of the Tangara's will ensure at least another ten years of service, procurement work will soon commence on the succession plan for the trains, which will be at least 50 per cent locally manufactured.
A recent damning report by the NSW Auditor-General in October found the former government squandered $2.5 billion in cost blow outs buying new intercity and regional trains overseas which then took years longer than planned to get on the tracks and into passenger service.
The Tangara Life Extension will deliver critical systems upgrades, including the installation of more accessible emergency help points, emergency door release, passenger visual displays and upgrades to the passenger address system.
The Tangara fleet already has wheelchair accessible entrances, but the project will install new wheelchair spaces handrails and upgrades to priority seating.
Due to their age, Tangaras are often the most vandalised trains and suffer the most maintenance faults on the Sydney network.
Premier of NSW Chris Minns said:
"This is about rebuilding what was lost. The former government sent rail jobs and contracts offshore we're bringing them back home."
"For too long, NSW paid billions for trains built overseas. We're starting the long process of putting that money back into local workshops, local workers and a rail industry that should never have been dismantled."
"The Tangara Life Extension Program means more reliable trains for passengers, good jobs for skilled workers and apprentices, and the start of rebuilding a proud rail manufacturing future in this state."
"This is a practical example of how we're working to improve reliability now, while planning for the next generation of locally built trains."
Minister for Transport John Graham said:
"The recent Auditor-General's report laid bare the failure of the former government's approach which exported rail jobs overseas but ended up costing NSW billions over the odds for trains that were delayed years - and, in the case of Regional Rail Fleet still not in service.
"Reviving the local rail industry is a big task but the Tangara Life Extension is a step along the way because it is recruiting hundreds of workers, including many apprentices, who will be able to build their careers here in NSW.
Minister for Domestic Manufacturing and Government Procurement Courtney Houssos said:
"This milestone is about more than trains, it's about jobs, skills, and rebuilding an industry that should never have been lost.
"We're not just fixing trains, we're fixing a broken system the former Liberal-National Government left us, that sent jobs offshore and cost taxpayers billions.
"After more than a decade of ideologically sending jobs and investment offshore, it will take time to rebuild our local manufacturing capacity.
"By investing in projects like this, and committing to building the new fleet locally, we're delivering world-class rail upgrades and laying the groundwork for a new, locally built suburban fleet."
Member for Auburn Lynda Voltz said:
"The Tangara Life Extension program is happening right here in Western Sydney, creating local jobs for local people.
"It is great to see the first upgraded Tangara today, it is clear this program will deliver some great improvements to this train fleet that locals will see the full benefit of soon, when they are on the
tracks."
Sydney Trains Chief Executive Matt Longland said:
"Our Tangara fleet has been a faithful workhorse for 35 years, and this life extension project will ensure it continues to be a reliable service while our new fleet is built.
"The Tangaras cover more than six million kms a year but without the life extension works, we risk more trains breaking down which will inconvenience our passengers."
Tangara facts:
- Built in Newcastle and entered service 1988 - 1995.
- Tangara fleet travels 123,000 kilometres a week.
- One in four Sydney Trains trips is on a Tangara.
- Unusual for having fixed seats, with half seats facing backwards.
