Trial of first northern suburbs electric train a success

The northern suburbs railway line carried its first electric train in a successful trial today.

Transport Minister Pam Beggs said the project's engineers ran the train from Perth station to Stirling station at an average speed of 110km/h.

The trial was the first in a series that will be run between now and the beginning of driver training next month.

The next phase of the trial will begin in the next two weeks in preparation for driver route training which begins on December 7 and the familiarisation service on December 21.

"The trial train was a four-car set that will be used on the northern line as well as some services on the Armadale line," Mrs Beggs said.

She said the second phase of the community consultation on integrated bus routes for the northern line also was about to get underway.

"Community reaction to the proposed bus services has been positive and planners are now assessing public comment and looking at possible changes," she said.

"The $275 million northern suburbs railway line is a huge advance in meeting the needs of residents for greater access to other parts of the city.

"When the full service is underway next year, it is expected that more people with travel on the northern line than the three existing lines currently carry.

"This will mean the metropolitan rail system will carry more than 30,000 people a day."