AUSTRALIA: ABB has been awarded a US$150m contract to provide complete traction packages for 65 electric multiple-units which Hyundai Rotem is to supply under the Queensland Train Manufacturing Programme.
The company is also to invest US$6m to establish a traction centre of excellence in Maryborough with converter, motor and battery assembly and servicing facilities.
President of ABB’s Traction Division Edgar Keller said the order placed in February ‘reflects our commitment to supporting local markets and employment opportunities’.
The 65 six-car EMUs are to be supplied by Hyundai Rotem as the manufacturing partner in a joint venture with asset management company Downer EDI Rail. They will be assembled at a state-owned factory being built in Torbanlea, 25 km north of Maryborough.
The EMUs are expected to be fully operational in time for the Brisbane 2032 Olympic & Paralympic Games, operating across the 1 067 mm gauge Southeast Queensland network, including the Cross River Rail route now under construction.
