Siemens wins San Diego light rail contract

Siemens will provide the San Diego Metropolitan Transit System (MTS) with 57 new, low floor light rail vehicles over a two-year period. The contract is worth $205.2 million.

As the first phase of a major rehabilitation project for the San Diego system's Blue and Orange lines, these ultra-modern low-floor Siemens S70 vehicles will provide level boarding for all riders.

The 57 new vehicles will replace some of the 134 light rail vehicles in operation on the MTS lines, many of which are more than 20 years old. Eleven S70 vehicles have been in operation in San Diego since 2005. Each new car will provide seating for 60 people with all seats facing the middle of the vehicle, providing enhanced visibility for passengers and security personnel.

The vehicles will be built entirely at Siemens' solar-powered manufacturing plant in Sacramento, Calif. The S70 model is 81 feet long, nine feet shorter than the trains that currently run on the MTS Green Line through Mission Valley between Old Town and Santee. The shorter trains will allow the use of three-car trains in downtown San Diego without blocking intersections and holding up traffic.