The first of 65 new trains for Queensland is to roll out of a new high-tech manufacturing plant next year, the state government says.
It confirms that construction has begun on a fleet of 65 six-car passenger trains at the Torbanlea purpose-built plant, 25km north of Maryborough.
Mechanical tradies, fabricators, electricians and trades assistants will work alongside robotic welders, the government says.
The facility is expected to run up to 24/7; click here for more details.
Minister for Manufacturing Dale Last says recent trade talks in South Korea to attract investment, strengthen supply chains and unlock new opportunities are benefiting train manufacturing at the Torbanlea plant.
“Once production is in full swing, the Torbanlea facility will support nearly 200 blue collar jobs and 100 white collar jobs alongside positions for apprentices and cadets,” he says.
Last predicts that the full 65-train fleet should be ready for the 2032 Brisbane Olympic games.
“We are seeing the ripple effect of manufacturing in action – one job here helps sustain many more right across the state,” he says.
FIRST OF ITS KIND TRAINS
The Torbanlea facility is more than twice the size of the field at Suncorp Stadium (covering more than 22,000 square metres) and will include steel fabrication, bogie construction, car body building, electrical manufacturing, equipment fit out and testing of completed rollingstock.
Train carriages will be built from the ground up across eight dedicated stations where components will be installed.
MP for Maryborough John Barounis says that the start of production marks the start of a new chapter for manufacturing in Maryborough.
“This facility is going to serve Queenslanders now and into the future by manufacturing these state-of-the-art trains, I am proud to say, right here in Maryborough,” he says.
“The launch of the production-line at the Torbanlea facility means hundreds of high-quality jobs for local tradies, apprentices and engineers.”
Construction of the facility is expected to be complete by the end of the year with the first trains due to roll out from next year, the government says.
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