The Orange County Transportation Authority (OCTA) has unveiled the first Siemens Mobility S700 for the 4.15-mile OC Streetcar system in California, which is 92% complete and slated to launch next spring.
The 70% low-floor light rail vehicle is the first of eight that Siemens Mobility is manufacturing at its Sacramento, Calif., plant under a $51.5 million contract signed in 2018.
According to OCTA, each LRV:
- Is 90 feet long, weighing just over 100,000 pounds.
- Can carry up to 211 riders (62 seated and 149 standing).
- Includes four sets of double doors on each side for efficient boarding.
- Is articulated with three sections.
- Includes an emergency battery drive, powered by lithium-ion batteries, allowing the vehicle to move at least 300 feet under its own power in the event of power disruption to the overhead catenary.
- Meets all ADA requirements and includes hydraulic-level boarding to improve access for riders using mobility devices, strollers, and bicycles.
The LRVs will be maintained and stored at a new facility in Santa Ana.
The OC Streetcar system (see map above) will connect the Santa Ana Regional Transportation Center (SARTC) and a new transit hub at Harbor Boulevard and Westminster Avenue in Garden Grove; it also includes a portion of the former Pacific Electric (PE) right of way. It will provide a “last mile” connection for riders of Metrolink rail, regional bus and OCTA’s local bus services.
Construction of the $649 million system began Nov. 30, 2018—the same day the Federal Transit Administration signed a full funding grant agreement—and continues in coordination with the cities of Santa Ana and Garden Grove, the California Department of Transportation, and the FTA. Walsh Construction won the contract to build the route. In addition to federal dollars, the project is covered by state and local dollars, including Measure M, the county’s half-cent sales tax for transportation improvements.
According to OCTA, the track is finished. As more LRVs are delivered in the coming weeks, it said, testing will start along the PE right of way, then move to city streets later in the year. Following months of testing, public operations are slated to begin in spring 2026.
Up to six LRVs will be in service daily, with two spares rotating in as needed, OCTA said. Stops will occur every 10 to 15 minutes at 10 stations in each direction. Maximum speed is 44 mph.
OCTA in 2022 selected INIT (Innovations in Transportation, Inc.) to supply, implement and support ticket vending machines for the OC Streetcar system.
To read more Railway Age coverage of the system, click here.
