Oscar project

The first Oscar train entered service on 21 December 2006. As of April 2010, Oscars are operating 854 CityRail services per week to destinations including Wyong, Kiama and Springwood.

These state-of-the-art double-deck trains feature:

• Air conditioning
• Reversible, high-backed seats
• A toilet in each four-car set
• Internal destination displays
• CCTV and help points

Project history

Stage 1 - involved the design and manufacture of 41 Oscar carriages. The contract was awarded to United Group Limited Rail (UGL Rail) in February 2003, with the first of the new trains entering service in December 2006.

Stage 2 - involved the manufacture of an additional 81 carriages, with RailCorp extending the contract with UGL Rail in April 2005. The first Stage 2 Oscar entered service in January 2008.

These first two stages delivered 122 carriages - 30 four-car sets plus two spare control trailer carriages. The total project value was $439.4 million.

Stage 3

In March 2009, RailCorp signed a $320 million contract extension with UGL Rail to deliver an additional 72 Oscar carriages for the CityRail network. In March 2010 the order was increased to 74 carriages.

The total value of the Stage 3 project, including new stabling facilities, is $370 million. The first of the new carriages are scheduled for delivery from October 2010 and all of the carriages are scheduled to be delivered by mid-2012.

The contract is expected to create around 200 jobs at UGL Rail's Broadmeadow plant in Newcastle where the carriages will be manufactured and around 40 jobs at the company's Taree facility which will supply parts.

Manufacture of the Stage 3 carriages commenced on 14 September 2009.