The shortlist of very fast train manufacturers for the Newcastle to Sydney High Speed Rail project have been named.
And the federal government says the victorious bidder will have to build an automated manufacturing factory as part of the contract.
Under the proposed plan, trains will travel up to 320km/h and reduce travel time to an hour from Newcastle to Sydney and around 30 minutes from the Central Coast to Newcastle or Sydney.
It currently takes three hours to travel by train or car between Newcastle and Sydney.
On the shortlist are:
- Alstom/UGL (a joint venture between Alstom Transport Australia and UGL Engineering);
- ARC (a joint venture between Siemens Mobility, Siemens Mobility GmbH and Mott MacDonald Australia);
- Hitachi Rail STS Australia.
High Speed Rail Authority (HSRA) chief executive officer Tim Parker says the project will not be “starting from scratch”.
“Australia’s high speed rail will use tried and tested high speed trains and systems already operating successfully around the world,” he says.
The technology will be adapted to Australian conditions, safety standards and passenger needs, Parker adds.
The Authority says the line is Australia’s busiest’ opened in the 1880s, it carries 15 million passengers a year with freight trains also sharing the line.
It also says the line is expected to reach full capacity by the early 2040s when the population of the Newcastle, Hunter Valley and Central Coast regions is expected to have grown by 22% to nearly 1.2 million people.
Federal Infrastructure and Transport Minister Catherine King says they are “ready to drive a resurgence in local (rail) industry”.
“The three proponents we have shortlisted will take globally proven high-speed rolling stock and systems and adapt them …,” she says.
“Through this process, (they) will explore where we can use existing rail manufacturing capability and advanced manufacturing facilities to support local jobs, and train the next generation of Australian workers.”
SHORTLIST FOR DELIVERING ROBOTIC MANUFACTURING
The shortlisted companies will now compete for the contract to design and develop Australia’s first high speed trains and systems using existing systems.
The contract involves supplying the drains, designing and making rail systems with a depot and operations control centre; and testing and commissioning the new dedicated high speed rail.
The companies are being asked to examine the benefits of advanced manufacturing in high speed rail with the HSRA wanting an advanced plant that will use automation, robotics and precision manufacturing.
The government says no major construction contract will be awarded until the development phase ends.
TUNNELLING CONTRACT SHORTLIST
The government has also shortlisted three companies for a tunnelling contract on the Sydney-Central Coast section of the route.
Shortlisted are Acciona John Holland (joint venture), Advanced Alliance (a joint venture of Gamuda Engineering, FCC Construction Australia and Samsung C&T), and GoFar (involving CPB Contractors, Ferrovial Construction (Australia) and VINCI Construction Grands Projects Australia).
The contract involves 35km of twin tunnels between Berowra and Ourimbah, a new station at Gosford, and rail and system installation.
The HSRA claims the new project will deliver 160,000 new homes, create more than 99,000 jobs and deliver a $250 billion economic boost.
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