Auckland Electric Trains (EMU) Progress

[Andrew]

Govt announces $500m for Auckland's electric trains
Press Release by New Zealand Government at 11:22 am, 24 Nov 2009
The electrification of Auckland's rail system is one step closer today, with Cabinet approving funding of $500 million for the purchase of electric trains.

Transport Minister Steven Joyce says the confirmation of this funding will see the procurement process underway early in the new year, with the first electric trains on the ground and operational from 2013.

"After double tracking, electrification is the important next stage in the development of Auckland's rail network. Rail is an increasingly important way for Aucklanders to get to work each day.

"Today's announcement means Auckland can look forward to a fleet of modern electric trains running on a modern and more reliable rail network."

Mr Joyce says further work needs to be done on the day-to-day costs to ensure train services remain affordable as services expand.

"We have the capital side sorted, but there is much further work still to do with the Auckland Regional Transport Authority and the NZ Transport Agency to ensure new levels of service can operate sustainably and with reasonable levels of passenger transport subsidy. I expect that work to be complete within the next six months."

Mr Joyce says the upgrade and electrification of the Auckland rail network will provide for more frequent trains at peak times and help to meet future passenger demand.

"New Zealand's future success is tied to that of Auckland as our largest city and largest local economy. Getting the rail network operating as efficiently as possible is vital to increased economic growth that will deliver flow-on effects for the rest of the country."

The $500 million, by way of a loan to KiwiRail, brings the Crown's investment in the development of Auckland's metro rail system to $1.6 billion, which comprises:

· $600 million for Project DART

· $500 million for the infrastructure required to support electrification

· $500 million for purchase of electric trains.

ENDS

EDIT 30/08/2010: Updated thread title to be more relevant to ongoing discussion.

[jarbury]

A few comments:

1) It's a loan, so will cripple KiwiRail.
2) It says nothing about how many trains we will get.
3) It says nothing about what infrastructure might be sacrificed to provide funds for more trains.

Apart from that, I guess it is good news.

[doloras]

1) It's a loan, so will cripple KiwiRail.

Won't that mean that it will be a bitch to privatise KiwiRail now? If so, I can see an upside.

As for the other questions, what I get from this is that Joycey is just handing KiwiRail a bunch of money and KiwiRail will decide in their wisdom how to spend it. Which I am much, much happier with than having our train system mandated by a committee of Joycey's banker friends.

[greenwelly]

A few comments:

1) It's a loan, so will cripple KiwiRail.

Although if it was given as a capital expenditure item , the capital charge would have also crippled them.

Its going to generate a return on the asset, so it is probably not too arduous.

[shoreguy]

So there is no going back. This is good.
I want to know what these trains will look like, who makes them and how many. I presume this information will be released soon. Cant wait - 3 years to go!!!
As much as I dont like National, i still give them credit for continuing with this, regardless if its a loan. The could have riggled out of it and put it on ice and said we have no money.

[Riggles]

Looks all good to me. From what they were saying a few months ago Kiwi Rail will own all the trains and then lease them out to operators including themselves in situations where they are the operator.

The part I am interesting in is how they say new, does this actually mean new new or new as in the first time we have owned them. I still have a feeling that we may get some old classics with a few new seat covers.

[greenwelly]

So there is no going back. This is good.
I want to know what these trains will look like, who makes them and how many. I presume this information will be released soon.

Hold your horses, Kiwirail haven't even issued an RFP, there have been waiting for this cabinet sign off.

Wellington took about 6 months to go from an agreed improvement plan to a signed contract with a preferred tenderer ( then you start to get the funky renderings)

[Rail-it]

Finally some assurance.

[matthew25187]

Won't that mean that it will be a bitch to privatise KiwiRail now? If so, I can see an upside.

As in, what private transport/investment company in their right mind would want to pick up a (former) state asset with a half billion dollar debt (loan)? Maybe, but don't forget that the railways have had massive debts written off by the government before. The last time that happened, in the late 1980s, was only a few years before it was privatised.

[Nick R]

Hmmm, $500 million in the year 2013. I wonder what kind of fleet that will buy in comparison to say, if Labour and Arta had got their shit together a couple of years ago and we had the first units arriving already....

Oh well, it's not like you need to buy them all at once. Hopefully this is just the first half of the order order and they might extend it once the DART upgrades, electrfication and the new trains keep the patronage skyrocketing.

[jarbury]

Good point Nick. Yes the devil is in the detail for sure.

[greenwelly]

Hmmm, $500 million in the year 2013. I wonder what kind of fleet that will buy in comparison to say, if Labour and Arta had got their shit together a couple of years ago and we had the first units arriving already....

$210 million will get you 48 2 car Matangi sets from Korea, So $500 m could conceivably get you a fleet of between 100 and 120 double car sets, or if you were prepared to run them in 3 car sets you could probably get a few more as trailers are cheaper than motor-cars

[Rocky]

The part I am interesting in is how they say new, does this actually mean new new or new as in the first time we have owned them. I still have a feeling that we may get some old classics with a few new seat covers.

Considering the article mentions Auckland can look forward to a fleet of modern electric trains, you would think they would be brand new? I hope so.

[Riggles]

Hmmm, $500 million in the year 2013. I wonder what kind of fleet that will buy in comparison to say, if Labour and Arta had got their shit together a couple of years ago and we had the first units arriving already....

Given that we still have a number of bridges needing replacement before we can go through with electrification as well as the completion of the double tracking I don't think there was even much chance of having electric trains by today. Even in 2013 it will probably only be one line.

[greenwelly]

The part I am interesting in is how they say new, does this actually mean new new or new as in the first time we have owned them. I still have a feeling that we may get some old classics with a few new seat covers.

Considering the article mentions Auckland can look forward to a fleet of modern electric trains, you would think they would be brand new? I hope so.

FFS, of course they are going to be shiny and just off the production line.

Even Mike Lee is fairly over the moon about the announcement

Press Release by Auckland Regional Council at 12:20 pm, 24 Nov 2009

Public transport in Auckland is set to take a huge leap forward following the Government’s announcement today of $500 million for electric trains, said ARC Chairman Mike Lee.

“This is an historic moment for Auckland. Fast, frequent, efficient and modern electric train services can now be a reality.
“The announcement is of major importance for public transport and Auckland itself. The decision will not only significantly improve the quality of Auckland public transport but also change the way Aucklanders view public transport and their city.

“I believe Auckland’s new electric train fleet will be something Auckland will be proud of.”
Mr Lee said all this has not come easy but good things never do.
“Auckland has been waiting for this announcement for more than 60 years. Electrification of Auckland rail was first proposed in the 1940s, but advanced plans were ditched on two occasions in the mid-1950s and mid-1970s.

“Users and supporters of public transport in Auckland should be hugely encouraged by today. The decision by Transport Minister Steven Joyce will help the city solve its transport issues, and provide significantly greater numbers of people with viable public transport alternatives to their cars.

“This is great news for everybody. The Government and Transport Minister Steven Joyce are to be congratulated for finally delivering on their promise.”

[doloras]

So. CBT champagne breakfast on the first EMU out of Britomart?

[Nick R]

Given that we still have a number of bridges needing replacement before we can go through with electrification as well as the completion of the double tracking I don't think there was even much chance of having electric trains by today. Even in 2013 it will probably only be one line.

If they had started the process in earnest back in 2003 then the bridges and wires would have been started earlier also. The first report after the ARC voted to pursue the option had the first EMUs running by 2009.... which was delayed out to 2011, and now has become late 2013.

The sad fact is that it is going to take a full decade between the city deciding to revitalise the rail network (and identifying that electric trains would be cheaper way to do that than diesels) and the trains actually running.

[doloras]

The sad fact is that it is going to take a full decade between the city deciding to revitalise the rail network (and identifying that electric trains would be cheaper way to do that than diesels) and the trains actually running.

Yes, but better late than never. I keep debating whether to quit reading this forum because of most participants' seeming desire to focus endlessly on the (very real) negative and wallow in despair and negativity. Let's celebrate the few bright spots or we'll all become bitter and twisted.

[LucyJH]

This is obviously good news ($500 million is much better than no million) and the government has certainly done a lot more than I expected at one point.

However, I do think there are some big negatives in here. In particular, I think the fact that only $500 million has been supplied does mean that Kiwirail will have to cut some part of the project. And I think the fact that the government has left announcing the details up to Kiwirail shows that they know that and rather than taking that negative part of the announcement themselves they are cleverly passing over the problem to Kiwirail...

[john-ston]

Hmmm, $500 million in the year 2013. I wonder what kind of fleet that will buy in comparison to say, if Labour and Arta had got their shit together a couple of years ago and we had the first units arriving already....

I actually wonder; even assuming that the order had been placed within months of the announcement, it might have taken a few years before the first trains started arriving (and there would have been a desire to hold off the first trains arriving until there were some wires for them to travel under). We would have probably seen the first units arriving in either late 2010 or early 2011 (and even that might have required testing to be conducted on the NIMT south of Hamilton, as opposed to Auckland itself).

Given that we still have a number of bridges needing replacement before we can go through with electrification as well as the completion of the double tracking I don't think there was even much chance of having electric trains by today. Even in 2013 it will probably only be one line.

It would be possible, it is just that there has been a lot of dawdling - IIRC, the double tracking was due to be completed by either 2006 or 2007.

So. CBT champagne breakfast on the first EMU out of Britomart?

I would prefer an electrification ball (they did one of them when the line to Beenleigh was electrified in the mid 1980s, the ball finished, and the passengers boarded the last ever 2000 class Railmotor that did the Beenleigh run). Perhaps something in Papakura?