The transport agency issued the directives two weeks before Christmas for the changes to the 29 trains of various lengths,which have been purchased for key interstate rail lines from Sydney to Melbourne,Brisbane and Canberra,as well as for services to regional centres in NSW.
The latest modifications involve major changes to crew controls for doors,emergency exit devices,automatic doors,CCTV and passenger information systems.
In addition,the directives will require the manufacturer to remove CCTV cameras from crew cabs,as well as getting rid of functions that allow crews to make group calls and the requirement to have satellite links for when mobile network coverage is lost.
The train builder will also need to make alterations to backlighting of controls in the cabs,as well as to steps for drivers and guards to get into them.
The Heraldrevealed last year the extent of major cost blowouts and delays to the regional rail project,as well as a scathing assessment of Transport for NSW’s handling of the train purchases andinfrastructure upgrades necessary for them to run on lines.
A leakedinternal report by Infrastructure NSW,which was classified as cabinet in confidence,warned in late 2022 that the project was running 35 months late.