New electric trains for Auckland commuters confirmed

Transport Minister Steven Joyce has welcomed the signing by Auckland Transport of a purchase contract for 57 new electric trains just weeks after the government sealed a rail funding and ownership deal with the region.

“This is another key milestone on our way to delivering a real step change in commuter rail travel in the region,” he says. “We are on track for these new electric trains to start coming into service from the end of 2013.”

ABOVE AND BELOW: Auckland transport's mockup images of the new trains.

“The difference between the new modern units to be supplied by Construcciones y Auxiliar de Ferrocarriles SA (CAF) and the current rolling stock will be dramatic.”

The design will be based on rolling stock supplied for the Heathrow Express in England and will replace the diesel units and diesel locomotive hauled rolling stock.

Auckland Transport has signed a contract with Spanish manufacturer, Construcciones y Auxiliar de Ferrocarriles SA (CAF) to purchase 57 three car Electric Multiple Units (EMUs) for the Auckland metropolitan rail network.

The new EMUs will be owned by Auckland Transport and will come into service from the end of 2013. They will replace the diesel units and diesel locomotive hauled trains currently providing passenger services to commuters in the city.

Auckland Transport said the trains will incorporate the latest technology in terms of safety, accessibility and modern amenities like on-board Wi-Fi networks. They will be "comfortable, quiet, environmentally friendly and attractive."

CAF has also signed a contract to maintain the EMUs until 2026 in a new maintenance facility that Auckland Transport is building at Wiri.

The contract signing concludes a procurement process that began in November 2009 when the government announced that it had agreed to provide a $500m loan to buy 38 new trains and build the new maintenance depot.

Circa NZD$400m of the loan will be used to purchase the trains, while the remainder will be used to build the new maintenance depot.