The NGR fleet are being progressively sent to Maryborough to undergo accessibility upgrades at the Downer rail facility.

Timeline of accessibility upgrade works at Maryborough

• January 2019: Familiarisation and minor refit works on NGR train 701
• 29 October 2019: Delivery of first NGR train Downer Maryborough to begin pre-series installation of accessibility upgrades
• April 2021: First upgraded NGR train began passenger services in South East Queensland
• 2024: Completion of the NGR accessibility upgrades, and all 75 trains returned to passenger service

Phased installation of the accessibility upgrades

The installation program of the NGR accessibility upgrades is being undertaken in 2 phases: pre-series and series (full production). 

This two-phase approach allows the new design to be validated both physically and through testing, and provides the opportunity to identify and resolve any issues with the design before full production starts.

Pre-series phase

The pre-series phase is a standard practice for the construction of any train fleet, or for major modifications on an existing fleet. 

The first NGR train arrived at Maryborough in October 2019 to start the pre-series process, with the second train due to arrive in the second half of 2020.

Having just 1 NGR train at Downer during this time allows staff time to:

• familiarise themselves with the design of the train and the accessibility upgrades
• validate the design
• identify and resolve any issues with the design
• complete testing of the design.

The timeframe for installation and testing will be progressively reduced for each pre-series train until full production starts.

Series (full production) phase

Once the full production phase of the NGR accessibility upgrades commences, up to 8 NGR trains will be upgraded at any one time at the Downer facility.

All 75 NGR trains will be upgraded and back in service by 2024. 

Infrastructure improvements

The Queensland Government funded $10 million infrastructure improvements to the Downer rail plant in Maryborough to enable multiple New Generation Rollingstock (NGR) trains to undergo simultaneous upgrades at the site.

These infrastructure improvement works include:

• installation of overhead power lines at Lower Kent Street to support 6-car static testing
• construction of a new section of track to support weighing, levelling and water testing
• improved stabling
• additional cranes
• general infrastructure upgrades to support the upgrade works.

Delivering NGR trains to the Downer rail plant

NGR trains travel up to Maryborough West under their own power on the electrified North Coast line. The trains are then shunted by Downer from Maryborough West to the Downer rail facility.