TransLink solicits proposals to repurpose old SkyTrain cars

TransLink is seeking proposals from organizations to relocate and repurpose the roughly 150 Mark I SkyTrain cars that will be retired and replaced by Mark V cars throughout 2026 in metro Vancouver, British Columbia.

Interested community organizations, municipalities, developers and individuals may submit their proposals for repurposing and restoring the retiring Mark I trains through a request for information.

Proposals for the first set of cars are due Dec. 6, according to a TransLink press release.

Bidders will be responsible for funding the transport of the retired SkyTrain cars from the BC Rapid Transit Co. storage facility and for the costs of repurposing the cars. Applications will reopen as more vehicles are retired from service.

First introduced during the 1986 World Exposition on Transportation and Communication, the Mark I SkyTrain cars have served millions of transit riders for nearly 40 years, and the SkyTrain has become an iconic symbol of metro Vancouver, TransLink officials said.