Railways and Tramways of Australia
7 April
C Series train south of Joondalup, Western Australia, 18 October 2024. Photo: Steelkamp, Wikimedia Commons.
C for contemporary
Perth’s C Series train was launched on 7 April 2024.
The C Series trains were the first passenger trains to be built in Western Australia for over 30 years. A Railcar Manufacturing and Assembly Facility was opened at Bellevue for the trains to be manufactured by French company Alstom. Local businesses provided a range of components. Maintenance of the trains for 35 years was also contracted to Alstom.
Orders were placed in 2019 for 41 C Series train sets, to be delivered over a period of up to ten years. They were intended to replace the A Series trains, which entered service in 1991. Extensive testing of the new trains commenced in December 2022.
C Series trains operate in six-car sets. Each train has 390 seats and a total capacity of over 1200 passengers. Features include passenger information displays, high-backed seats and USB charging ports. Each carriage has three double doors on each side for enhanced passenger movement. Their maximum speed is 130 km/h. They are part of the Transperth fleet operating on the suburban railway network in Perth.
The special launch event for the new trains was held at Perth Stadium station. There were special displays, speeches and a ribbon cutting ceremony. Afterwards one of the C Series trains took guests from Perth Stadium to Whitfords and return. Two return journeys were then made for the general public.
Following the launch, the C Series trains entered service on 8 April on the Mandurah and Joondalup lines.
The C Series are among Australia’s most contemporary trains.
Bibliography
‘First WA-made METRONET C-series train makes maiden journey’, Railway Digest, vol. 62, no. 6, June 2024, p 26.
‘Live testing for METRONET C-series trains begins’, Railway Digest, vol. 61, no. 2, February 2023, p 39.
Transperth C Series train entering Canning Bridge station, 1 October 2024. Photo: Steelkamp, Wikimedia Commons.
