After more than a year away from the tracks, Sun Link Streetcar 105 is back in service.

On August 18, 2026 Sun Link welcomed Streetcar 105 back to the rails during a celebration attend by staff, community partners and media. The event marked the completion of an extensive repair, inspection and testing process following a collision involving Streetcars 105 on August 16, 2025.

Known as the “Comeback Car”, Streetcar 105’s return represents more than the restoration of a vehicle. It reflects the persistence of the people who worked to bring it back, the lessons learned from the collision and Sun Link’s continued commitment to safe, reliable service for the Tucson community.

Following the August 2025 collision, a comprehensive investigation was conducted oversight from regulatory partners, including the Arizona Department of Transportation (ADOT) and the Federal Transit Administration (FTA).

The investigation examined a range of potential contributing factors, including equipment reliability, operating conditions, procedures and human performance. Ultimately, the investigation determined that operator error was the primary cause of the collision.

For Sun Link however, the response went beyond identifying an individual error. They also examined how additional tools could be put in place to prevent another incident.

As a result, Sun Link strengthened communication between operators and operations control, enhanced procedures governing switch position changes, added trackside supervisory verification, revamped operator changeover procedures and strengthened daily safety assurance testing and operational oversight.

Returning the Streetcar 105 to service was a complex process that required extensive repairs, inspections, engineering coordination and testing. Following the collision, Sun Link assessed the damage, removed damaged components and conducted brake and propulsion testing. Repairs included work on the Automatic Passenger Stop (APS) system and damaged B-cab, while ADOT inspections and coordination helped guide the next phases of restoration. By spring 2026, crews have moved into reassembly, restoring the streetcar’s interior, handrails, mirrors, paneling and body structure.

Work continued into the summer with extensive repairs to the B-cab, including bodywork, glazing, windows, the bumper and hydraulic lines. At ADOT’s request, a 10,000-mile inspection was also performed as investigation and corrective testing continued. By August, all repairs and adjustments had been completed. Streetcar 105 successfully completed the ADOT-prescribed burn-in run with no faults or issues noted, clearing the vehicle to return to revenue service.

The restoration required coordination among Sun Link’s maintenance, operations and safety personnel, as well as engineering and technical partners. WSP provided engineering assessment and technical guidance throughout the repair process, while CarStar performed specialized bodywork. Premier Metal and other partners also contributed to the restoration.

“This was not a simple matter of taking a damaged streetcar into the shop and fixing it,” said Ruben Montenegro, Sun Link Assistant General Manager. “It required technical expertise, engineering, coordination and persistence.”

Most importantly, he said the work was a team effort.

“Our maintenance team, operations, safety and administrative personnel worked tirelessly to address every issue necessary to return Streetcar 105 to revenue service,” Ruben said. “They never lost sight of the responsibility to our passengers, employees and community.”

Before the incident, Sun Link operated six streetcars. With both streetcars out of service, maintain the same service frequency became difficult but not impossible. The team kept providing service every 15-20 minutes.

The return of 105 will strengthen the fleet’s availability and allow Sun Link to restore its 10 – 12 minute service.

Streetcar 103 remains out of service and is still being evaluated due to the extent of damage it sustained. There is currently no established timeframe for its eventual return to service.

For riders, the return of 105 means an important piece of the Sun Link fleet is once again doing what it was built to do: connecting people throughout Tucson.

“It belongs to the student heading to class, the employee going to work, the family heading downtown, the visitor discovering Tucson for the first time and the longtime resident who remember what Fourth Avenue looked like long before the streetcar traveled down it,” said Mikel Oglesby, Sun Tran, Sun Van and Sun Link General Manager. “More importantly, it connects people to Tucson.”

During the celebration, Mikel reflected on what Streetcar 105’s return represents. According to Mikel, Tucson is a city that understands resilience and the return of 105 is another example of that spirit.

The streetcar was inspected, repaired, tested and rechecked throughout the restoration process. Getting it back on the tracks required the commitment of employees, engineers, maintenance professionals, operations staff, safety personnel, city staff and technical partners who continued working through each challenge.

“105 isn’t back because we got lucky,” Mikel said. “105 is back because people refused to give up on it.”

The celebration concluded with attendees taking the first ride aboard the restored “Comeback Car.”

It took a collision to stop it. It took a team to rebuild it. And now, the “Comeback Car” is ready to keep moving forward.

Check out the hard work that went into repairing Streetcar 105 in the timeline below!

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Take a ride with Sun Link!

Tucson’s Sun Link Streetcar connects five unique districts– Mercado San Agustín, Downtown, Fourth Avenue, Main Gate Square, and the University of Arizona. The 3.9-mile route has 23 stops adorned with public art, has 350 days of sunshine, and takes about an hour to ride round trip. Visit our Sun Link page to find the latest schedules, maps and information.