OCTA Unveils OC Streetcar in Santa Ana

The Orange County Transportation Authority (OCTA), CA, has unveiled the first vehicle that will operate on the OC Streetcar system, giving OCTA Board members and elected officials a first look at what will be the county’s first modern, electric streetcar.

The vehicle, manufactured by Siemens Mobility in Sacramento, is the first of eight to be delivered for the OC Streetcar. Attendees at the event, held at the streetcar’s base in Santa Ana, were invited to walk through the vehicle and learn about its design and features from OCTA staff.

“The arrival of the first OC Streetcar vehicle is an exciting moment for Orange County and a clear sign of the strong progress we’re making toward getting the system running,” said OCTA Chair Doug Chaffee, also the county’s Fourth District supervisor. “We’re looking forward to beginning testing and ultimately launching a safe, reliable transit option that will better connect people to where they live, work and spend time.”

The Siemens S700 vehicle is 90 feet long and can carry up to 211 passengers, including 62 seated and 149 standing. It is a 70 percent low-floor vehicle, designed for accessibility and rider comfort and includes hydraulic level boarding to improve access for passengers using mobility devices, strollers, and bicycles. There are four sets of double doors on each side for efficient boarding.

The vehicle’s maximum operating speed is 44 mph, which will be reached along the former Pacific Electric right of way. Street-running segments will operate at or below the speed limit to ensure safe and predictable travel while operating alongside other cars, cyclists, and pedestrians. The OC Streetcar will run on electricity from an overhead catenary system.

The OC Streetcar will run on a 4-mile route between the Santa Ana Regional Transportation Center and Harbor Boulevard in Garden Grove. It will serve some of the most densely populated neighborhoods in the county, Downtown Santa Ana, and the Civic Center, and connect with Metrolink rail service, regional and international bus services, and OCTA’s busiest local bus routes.

Up to six vehicles will be in service daily, with two spares rotating in as needed, and stops will occur every 10 to 15 minutes at 10 stations in each direction.

The $649 million project is funded with federal, state, and local dollars, including Measure M, the county’s half-cent sales tax for transportation improvements.

The track for the streetcar project is finished along the entire route and, overall, the project is approximately 92 percent finished. Following months of testing, public operations are slated to begin in spring 2026.