13 December 2005
ARTA acknowledged for quality approach to train fleet
The Auckland Regional Transport Authority (ARTA) has won the Mechanical and Manufacturing Award 2005 at the inaugural NZ
Engineering Excellence Awards. The award acknowledges the quality of the SA train remanufacture and refurbishment from
old and unused carriages and recognises ARTA’s ‘highly successful approach to achieving attractive and efficient
solutions at an acceptable cost’.
Chief Executive Officer, ARTA Alan Thompson says, “It’s wonderful to see ARTA’s work acknowledged in this way and the
recognition of the quality and innovative nature of the SA train remanufacture. The judges also highlighted the
long-term community value the remanufacture generated for Aucklanders. The nine SA trains now in service, supported the
recently introduced expanded train timetable which offers Aucklanders a 25 per cent increase in services over the week.”
General Manager Infrastructure and Rail, ARTA Elena Trout says, “The solution has been a result of a partnership between
Toll NZ and ourselves to help us meet the rising patronage demands and address the region’s chronic train shortage. By
2007 14 sets of SA train carriages or additional capacity for over 9000 passengers will be introduced to the network.
Creating trains with a 25 year life span the design, construction and commissioning of the remanufactured trains took
less than two years and cost two thirds less than buying new rolling stock.”
“Land Transport NZ and the Auckland Regional Council (ARC) have committed around $1 million to enable ARTA to
investigate the procurement method and specification for new rolling stock.” said Ms Trout.
The SA train project was finalist in both 'Roads and Transport' and 'Mechanical and Manufacturing' categories. Described
by the judges as ‘having high quality engineering results achieved from the available materials with effective
coordination of several engineering contributors’, the project was noted as attracting attention in other areas, with
the potential to adopt the concept elsewhere in New Zealand.
The first of the trains, which comprises three SA carriages, an SD driving car and a DC locomotive, was unveiled in
Auckland in May 2004 by the Hon Michael Cullen, Minister of Finance. Land Transport NZ and the ARC provided funding for
the SA train remanufacturing and trains are remanufactured at Toll NZ Hillside Engineering Workshops in Dunedin, while
the locomotives are over-hauled at the Hutt Workshops in Wellington.
ENDS