News
3 September, 2026
Works pave the way for new Regional Rail fleet
Works will be undertaken at the Menangle and Douglas Park train stations this month as the State Government prepares for the introduction of new state-of-the art intercity and regional trains.
Works will be undertaken at the Menangle and Douglas Park train stations this month as the State Government prepares for the introduction of new state-of-the art intercity and regional trains.
Member for Wollondilly Judy Hannan said the modified Mariyung inter-city fleet and new Regional Rail fleet would offer improved accessibility, safety, passenger facilities and reliability.
However to accommodate them Transport for NSW has advised the existing rail infrastructure needs to be upgraded at various locations across the network – including Menangle and Douglas Park.
Mrs Hannan has urged local rail passengers to be patient while the works are carried out in mid-September given that “sometimes there is a little short-term pain for longer-term gain”.
The works will take place between Monday, September 14 and Friday, September 18 and will include digging to identify existing utilities and to assess ground conditions, site investigations and surveying and laser scanning of existing utilities and assets.
Equipment will include excavators, cranes, vacuum trucks, handheld scanning equipment and temporary lighting towers.
The standard hours of work will be between 7am and 6pm weather permitting and TfNSW has advised that it will be making every effort to minimise the impact of the works on local residents in relation to noise and lighting.
Mrs Hannan said she understood that any disruption to rail services could be frustrating – particularly for people who rely on the line every day – but encouraged local residents to “work together through the disruption and keep pushing for a safer, more reliable and better rail service for our growing communities”.
Information about service changes including replacement buses when required will be available online at www.transportnsw.info
The Regional Rail project will see 29 new trains operating across NSW and between Sydney, Canberra, Melbourne Brisbane.
Thirteen of the 29 trains have already been manufactured and have arrived in Australia and work is well underway on the remaining 16.
Three of the new trains are being put through intensive tests across electrified and non-electrified works, trialling the bi-mode capability using both overhead electric and diesel power which will be an Australian first for passenger rail.
The first regional rail trains will enter passenger service upon the completion of testing, modifications and safety accreditation from the Office of National Rail Safety Regulator.
They will be operated by NSW TrainLink and will replace the existing XPT and XPLORER fleet.
The new Mariyung intercity trains will operate between Sydney and Central Coast, Newcastle, the Blue Mountains and the South Coast.
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