Illawarra commuters could be waiting until 2025 for the new Mariyung fleet of trains to arrive on the South Coast line.
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That also means at least another 18 months before long-promised service improvements will arrive.
Transport Minister Jo Haylen and the Rail, Tram and Bus Union have this week finally resolved a long-running stoush that further delayed the fleet's introduction, prompting the minister's promise they would hit the tracks soon.
"These trains were supposed to be on the tracks five years ago," Ms Haylen said.
"It's been a priority of mine to ensure we get these trains out of sheds and on the tracks next year. Today I can announce that the New Intercity Fleet trains will be on the tracks and carrying passengers by 2024."
Does that target of next year include the Illawarra? Well, probably not.
"The Mariyung fleet will gradually begin to enter passenger service in the second half of 2024," a Sydney Trains spokesman said.
"The fleet is planned to enter service on the Central Coast and Newcastle line, followed by the Blue Mountains line and the South Coast line.
"This staging reflects that the average age of the fleet on the South Coast line is younger than those on the Blue Mountains, Central Coast and Newcastle lines."
That the South Coast line is at the back of the queue is nothing new - that has always been the case.
The Transport for NSW spokesman said each line needed to gain accreditation from the independent rail safety regulator before operations could commence "which will take some time".
"The number of trains operating in each region will be known once the fleet has been accredited," the spokesman said.
"The new agreement reached by government will ensure the 63 trains are ready to enter service in the shortest possible time. To date 49 of the 63 trains have arrived in the state."
There have been service improvements planned for the South Coast line for some time.
Under the More Trains More Services policy, the peak times will see 10-carriage trains coming every 15 minutes.
Former Transport Minister Andrew Constance announced that back in February 2019 and it is still part of Transport for NSW's plans.
But those extra carriages and extra services are entirely dependent on the arrival of the Mariyung fleet.
Which means those improvements could come as much as six years after they were promised.
When it comes to trains being late, it doesn't get any worse than that.
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Glen Humphries
I'm an award-winning senior journalist with the Illawarra Mercury and have well over two decades' worth of experience in newspapers. I cover the three local councils in the Illawarra for the Mercury, state and federal politics, as well as writing for the TV guide. If I'm not writing, I'm reading.
I'm an award-winning senior journalist with the Illawarra Mercury and have well over two decades' worth of experience in newspapers. I cover the three local councils in the Illawarra for the Mercury, state and federal politics, as well as writing for the TV guide. If I'm not writing, I'm reading.
