Orange County Transportation Authority (OCTA) awarded Siemens a contract for the supply of 8 trams, with an additional option for 10 trams. The contract also includes the delivery of spare parts and tools. Siemens will provide systems support and training to operators and maintenance technicians once the vehicles are delivered, expected early 2021.
The new OC Streetcars will be zero-emissions and based on Siemens S70 light rail vehicle platform that is being used in mass transit and regional services linking suburbs to cities, such as in Houston, Charlotte, San Diego, Portland and the Twin Cities.
The trams will sustainably link downtown areas with key business and government districts. The OC Streetcar will primarily serve Santa Ana’s central business district, which includes county and local government offices and courthouses in the Civic Center. It will also connect with many OCTA bus routes and Metrolink regional/commuter rail.
The S70 design has also provided reliable operation in inner-city areas such as Salt Lake City and Atlanta, which is utilizing digital rail analytics as one of the “smartest” trams operations operating in the country today.
According to OCTA, the trams are expected to carry more than 7,300 passengers per day within their first year of operation. As ridership needs grow, these streetcars can also be converted to meet any rising demand for light rail transit operation.
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