Spanish rolling stock manufacturer CAF has signed a deal worth almost €100 million to supply 15 electrical units to Auckland Transport (AT) in New Zealand.
The vehicles will be similar to 57 units CAF supplied for AT which were commissioned in 2014.
An option to fit the new 15 units with batteries, so they can operate on the non-electrified section between Papakura and Pukekohe, is also included. Currently diesel units run on this part of the network.
In addition, the contract covers eight years of maintenance and the option for further trains in the future.
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The three-carriage trains will consist of two cabbed end motor cars and one intermediate trailer car with a capacity for up to 380 passengers.
They will have a low floor and will be made of stainless steel.
The first train will enter passenger service from 2019.
AT chairman Lester Levy said: “We need to put on bigger trains to meet the demand and we need to be ready for when the tracks are electrified between Papakura and Pukekohe.”
He added: “Once the [City Rail Link] is open it will allow for train frequency to increase, and for that to happen we need more trains.”
The contract is funded by the NZ Transport Agency and Auckland Council.
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