The Government of Victoria announced that works has begun to prepare the Cranbourne-Pakenham line for the 65 new High-Capacity Metro Trains. The USD 508.8 million upgrade project will be carried out along the entire length of Melbourne’s busiest train line and the entry to the Metro Tunnel.
Over the coming years, power and signalling will be upgraded between the City Loop, Pakenham and Cranbourne.
Longer platforms will be built at a total of 18 stations on the Cranbourne-Pakenham line to cater for the new trains, which will be 20 per cent longer than the existing fleet and carry hundreds more passengers with every trip.
As part of these works, platforms at 13 existing stations will be extended, in addition to longer platforms at the five new stations being delivered through the USD 1.2 billion Caulfield to Dandenong Level Crossing Removal Project.
More than 70 km of overhead power lines will be rebuilt, 20 substations will be built or upgraded, and a section of track in South Dandenong will be duplicated to boost reliability and support more services.
A new depot will be built in Pakenham East that will include a maintenance facility, train simulators and stabling for up to 30 trains.
The first high capacity metro train will be delivered and in testing by late next year, ready to enter service in 2019. All 65 trains will be ready for the opening of the Metro Tunnel in 2026.
“We’re building Melbourne’s first high capacity train line and creating thousands of new construction jobs. Bigger trains, better stations, and no level crossings will get tens of thousands of people in Melbourne’s south east home safer and sooner every day,” Premier of Victoria Daniel Andrews said.
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