Streetcars Return To Detroit And Are They Cool!

Anybody under the age of 50, maybe older, probably has no idea what a street car. It was one of the original people movers, a bus before buses. And this week, the first new one will be delivered to start serving downtown Detroit next spring..

“Receiving the first QLINE streetcar at this time will provide M-1 RAIL a greater opportunity to help Detroiters acclimate to the idea of sharing the road with a streetcar, and give us additional time for driver training,” said M-1 RAIL Chief of Operations, Paul Childs. “Over the next few weeks, we’ll complete the final assembly and mechanical checks needed before the streetcar makes its first appearance on Woodward Ave.”

The street cars are in three-pieces. Each streetcar is 66 feet long and will carry an average of 125 passengers. The QLINE will share the road, traveling with traffic on Woodward Ave. at speeds up to 35 mph. Some of the features of the streetcars are: they will feature wi-fi access for passengers, vertical bicycle racks and and climate control year round.