The Orange County Transportation Authority (OCTA) has unveiled the first vehicle for the upcoming OC Streetcar system.

This marks a major step in developing Orange County’s first modern electric streetcar, which will serve Santa Ana and Garden Grove in California.

The vehicle was built by Siemens Mobility in Sacramento and is the first of eight being delivered for the project.

At an event held at the streetcar’s maintenance facility in Santa Ana, OCTA Board members and local officials were invited to view the vehicle and learn more about its features.

An OC Streetcar vehicle

© APTA

The Siemens S700 model is 90 feet long and can carry up to 211 passengers, with 62 seats and standing room for 149. It is designed with a low-floor layout for easier boarding, and includes space for bicycles, strollers, and mobility devices. There are four sets of double doors on each side to help passengers board and exit more easily.

The OC Streetcar will run on electricity using overhead wires and will reach top speeds of 44 miles per hour on its dedicated track. In street-running sections, it will travel at or below the posted speed limit to ensure safe movement alongside cars, bicycles, and pedestrians.

Once in service, the streetcar will operate along a 4-mile route between the Santa Ana Regional Transportation Center and Harbor Boulevard in Garden Grove. It will connect key areas such as Downtown Santa Ana, the Civic Center, and some of the county’s busiest bus routes. It will also link with Metrolink trains and regional bus services.

Ten stations will serve the route, with vehicles running every 10 to 15 minutes. Up to six streetcars will operate at a time, with two kept in reserve.

The OC Streetcar is a 649 million USD project funded through federal, state, and local sources, including Orange County’s Measure M sales tax for transport improvements. Track work is complete, and the overall project is around 92 percent finished. Testing will begin soon, with public service expected to start in spring 2026.

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