METRO Magazine Logo
MenuMENU
SearchSEARCH

Siemens wins $648M San Francisco railcar contract

With an initial order of 175 light railcars and an option for an additional 85 cars, this is one of the biggest orders for light railcars ever placed in the U.S.

September 23, 2014
Siemens wins $648M San Francisco railcar contract

 

1 min to read


San Francisco's Municipal Transportation Agency (SFMTA) awarded Siemens a $648 million contract to deliver an initial 175 light railcars for its Muni transit system. With an option for an additional 85 cars, this is one of the biggest orders for light railcars ever placed in the U.S.

The trains will be built at the Siemens plant in Sacramento, Calif., with the first cars set to be delivered at the end of 2016.

Ad Loading...

Siemens will deliver a newly-developed light railcar based on its Model S200 for the San Francisco order. The car is especially energy-efficient thanks to a light-weight drive system that recuperates braking energy and an LED lighting system that uses up to 40% less electricity than standard neon lighting.

The light railcars will be built according to the Buy America rules at the Siemens plant in Sacramento. Around 80% of the electricity used by the plant for manufacturing is generated by a two-megawatt photovoltaic installation on the building's roof. The solar units reduce the facility's carbon dioxide emissions by around 1,470 tons a year.

More Rail

GO Transit railcars
Railby StaffMarch 20, 2026

Alstom Awarded 5-Year Extension for GO Transit, UP Express Services

Company officials said that this latest contract extension with Metrolinx consolidates the company’s position as the leading private provider of Operations and maintenance services in North America.

Read More →
A New York MTA subway car with an open gangway
Railby StaffMarch 20, 2026

New York MTA Seeks Bids for 2,390 Subway Cars in Record-Breaking Order

The new cars, model R262, will be funded by the MTA’s 2025-29 Capital Plan, which received a historic $68 billion in funding from Governor Hochul and the State Legislature in the FY26 Enacted State Budget.

Read More →
Graphic from Amtrak promoting the B&P Tunnel Replacement and Frederick Douglass Tunnel project, featuring the Amtrak logo, project title and an illustration of a high-speed train near the West Baltimore MARC Station.
Railby News/Media ReleaseMarch 17, 2026

Amtrak Announces Community Grants for Projects Near Baltimore’s New Frederick Douglass Tunnel

Amtrak will open grant applications March 23 for community projects near the Frederick Douglass Tunnel alignment in Baltimore as part of a $50 million investment tied to the B&P Tunnel Replacement Program.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
Amtrak train with logo
Railby StaffMarch 16, 2026

Amtrak Marks Restoration of Two South Carolina Stations

The Denmark Station $2.3 million construction investment project includes a new 280-foot concrete boarding platform, built eight inches above the top of rail, for improved accessibility for passengers with disabilities and families with small children and much more.

Read More →
A view looking down the rail across the new Portal North Bridge.
Railby Staff and News ReportsMarch 13, 2026

NJ Transit, Amtrak Prepare to Open First Track on New Portal North Bridge

The new bridge will begin carrying passenger trains on March 16, replacing a 116-year-old swing bridge that has long caused delays.

Read More →
Caltrain trains on tracks
Railby StaffMarch 6, 2026

Caltrain Adopts Corridor-Wide Right-of-Way Safety Strategy

Caltrain and its partners have implemented safety improvements at specific locations in response to known risk conditions, operational needs, and available funding since the agency’s founding.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
A photo of rail tracks in Ottawa, Canada

Building a National Framework for Transit Safety and Consistency

On a recent episode of METROspectives, METRO Magazine’s Executive Editor Alex Roman sat down with Ana-Maria Tomlinson, Director of Strategic & Cross-Sector Programs at the CSA Group, to explore a bold initiative aimed at addressing those challenges: the development of a National Code for Transit and Passenger Rail Systems in Canada.

Read More →
Stairs in a New York rail station with text reading "USDOT Invests $686 Million to Modernize Aging Rail Stations."
Railby StaffMarch 2, 2026

FTA Invests $686M to Modernize Aging Rail Stations

Competitive FTA grants will support accessibility upgrades, family-friendly improvements, and cost-efficient capital projects at some of the nation’s oldest and busiest transit hubs.

Read More →
A purple MBTA train at a Mansfield Station platform.
Railby StaffFebruary 27, 2026

MBTA Updates Rail Modernization Plan to Expand Reliability and Accessibility

The strategy outlines near- and long-term upgrades to ease congestion, support housing growth, and advance statewide climate goals.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
LA Metro underground station with vehicle
Railby StaffFebruary 27, 2026

LA Metro Sets D Line Subway Extension Launch Date

The 3.92-mile addition will soon take riders west beyond its current Wilshire and Western station in Koreatown, continuing under Wilshire Boulevard through neighborhoods and communities including Hancock Park, Windsor Square, the Fairfax District, and Carthay Circle into Beverly Hills.

Read More →