THE Australian state of Victoria has awarded a €900m 10-year contract to Alstom to maintain VLocity DMUs and classic train fleets used to operate regional services.
Victoria’s Department of Transport exercised an option in September 2022 under an existing contract to purchase an additional 12 three-car VLocity DMUs. The 12 extra trains are part of a third option from the contract.
Since 2001, Alstom (formerly Bombardier Transportation) has received orders for 118 standard and broad-gauge VLocity regional trains. 99 trains are currently in service and 19 are still to be manufactured, plus the 12 additional trains now ordered.
The new trains will be built at Alstom’s Dandenong plant in Melbourne. Both fleets of trains will be maintained at workshops in West Melbourne, South Dynon and Ballarat East.
“We will establish a fleet control centre in South Dynon, based on Alstom’s British Voyager DMU control centre which will further improve reliability and availability of the fleet,” says Mr Pascal Dupond, Alstom’s managing director, Australia and New Zealand. “Local suppliers across Victoria will also play an important part in supplying parts, overhauls, repairs, preventative maintenance and wheel turning.”
Alstom will also deploy predictive maintenance technology to reduce fuel consumption and carbon emissions.
