QLine
The QLine (stylized as QLINE), originally known as M-1 Rail by its developers, is a 3.3-mile-long (5.3 km) streetcar system in Detroit, Michigan, United States. Opened on May 12, 2017, it connects Downtown Detroit with Midtown and New Center, running along Woodward Avenue (M-1) for its entire route. The system is operated by M-1 Rail, a nonprofit organization.
| QLine | |
|---|---|
QLine in Campus Martius | |
| Overview | |
| Owner | M-1 Rail |
| Locale | Detroit, Michigan |
| Termini | |
| Stations | 20 stops (12 locations) |
| Website | qlinedetroit |
| Service | |
| Type | Streetcar |
| Operator(s) | Directly operated |
| Rolling stock | 6 Brookville Liberty Modern Streetcars |
| Daily ridership | 2,629 (2023, Jan. - Aug.) |
| History | |
| Opened | May 12, 2017 |
| Technical | |
| Line length | 3.3 mi (5.3 km) |
| Track gauge | 4 ft 8+1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) standard gauge |
| Electrification | Overhead line or onboard lithium-ion batteries, 750 V DC |
| Operating speed | 30 mph (48 km/h) |
In December 2011, city and state leaders announced a plan to offer bus rapid transit service for the city and metropolitan area instead of light rail as had previously been proposed. Soon afterwards, M-1 Rail, a consortium of private and public businesses and institutions in the region, announced the plan for a streetcar line along part of the same route as the cancelled light rail plan, connecting the downtown Detroit People Mover to the Amtrak railway station in New Center and the proposed Ann Arbor–Detroit Regional Rail system. Rocket Mortgage (then known as Quicken Loans) bought the naming rights to the line, and announced the name in March 2016.