Rail Express has reported that Downer EDI has delivered its first Waratah train set to RailCorp for completion.
The project has faced many setbacks including ‘delays, cost blowouts and the departure of three chief executives,’ Rail Express said.
An inspection of the train will be completed over 6 weeks to judge whether it is ready to be put into passenger service on Sydney’s metropolitan rail network.
A RailCorp spokesman told Rail Express that, “a decision will then be made whether RailCorp can accept the train or whether more work needs to be done to meet performance and safety requirements.”
A four car pre-production test train was built to test the train sub-systems and compatibility with the Sydney suburban network last year.
The trains initially experienced poor reliability due to insufficient testing. The test train was expected to perform trial runs from mid 2009 but the first production eight car set began network testing in August 2010.
The first Waratah trains were scheduled to be introduced in late 2010, but a series of delays pushed back the introduction of the trains, which are now anticipated ‘to be progressively delivered to RailCorp for practical completion between July and October this year.’
‘Train set seven is then due to enter passenger service following the achievement of reliability performance targets by train sets one to six.’
