Newcastle's restoration as a train manufacturing hub continues to gather steam, with Hunter workers playing a vital role in the extension of the CityRail's ageing fleet.
Work has begun on the refurbishment of the first of 18 Tangara trains at the Cardiff Maintenance Centre, formerly known as the Cardiff Locomotive Workshops.
The NSW government anticipates the work will extend the fleet's operational life by 10 to 15 years.
The $447 million Tangara Life Extension Program will employ 100 skilled workers and 20 apprentices at Cardiff.
The work includes replacing internal cladding and computer operating systems, installing more accessible emergency help points, emergency door release, passenger visual displays, and upgrades to the passenger address systems and CCTV.
The refurbishment program follows an announcement last Saturday that the state government is investing $12 billion to re-establish a manufacturing hub in the Hunter to build trains over the next 30 years.
The sites under consideration include the Broadmeadow Locomotive Depot and the former Glencore coal mine at Teralba.
"For too long, NSW got out of the business of building trains," Premier Chris Minns said.
"We lost thousands of skilled jobs, manufacturing capability and the opportunity to keep billions of dollars of investment here at home. We're changing that.
"The Hunter has a proud history of building the trains that kept NSW moving.
"Our job is to make sure it has the opportunity to do it again, and not just for one project but for generations to come."
The first refurbished Tangara train is expected to return to service shortly.
It's been almost 40 years since the NSW government's first Tangara train was manufactured in Newcastle at the old Goninan train factory in Broadmeadow.
"It's fantastic to see the first old Tangara train roll into the sheds at Cardiff, 40 years after it rolled out of Broadmeadow and began serving the travelling public," Minister for Transport John Graham said.
"The Hunter has a rich history of building trains, and this refurbishment work is the perfect way to ramp up the workforce as we bring train manufacturing back where it belongs."
The Tangara Life Extension Program will include five production lines set across Cardiff, Auburn and Flemington.
Over the next three years 55 eight-car Tangara trains will be refurbished.
Minister for the Hunter Yasmin Catley said the region had the necessary industrial skills to support the plan.
"This spectacular milestone is the first part of our plan to build and maintain trains in the Hunter again," Ms Catley said.
"The Hunter built the original Tangaras. Almost 40 years later, we're working on them again - and this time, we're building a pipeline of work that will last for generations."
