Detroit's QLine Streetcar Now OnLine

[Sonic101]

Detroit's streetcar the QLine (formally known as M-1 Rail) opened this past Friday. They extended the free rides for the rest of the week. The trains use a sort of hybrid system where the pantograph is only on part of the 3 mile route and lithium-ion batteries take over for the spaces in between. I drove down there this weekend so see it and I was surprised at how quiet the train was when it went by. It was whisper quiet, quieter than every other car on the road. I didn't ride it as there were huge lines, but it does look nice.

The future of the system seems clouded since the 3 county metro area voted down a tax to be used on transit spending last year. I have my doubts about streetcars (especially when they share ROW with road traffic as this one does), but I really do hope the system and Detroit the best. Detroit is really lacking in transit and the last thing they need is another system that soldiers on unloved like the People Mover.

Here is a link to a Detroit Free Press article that has pictures from the opening:
http://www.freep.com/story/news/local/michigan/detroit/2017/05/15/qline-detroit-free-rides/322210001/

[thelakelander]

I wish they would have put them in their own lane since streetcars aren't significantly different from LRT. However, TOD and infill development is already sprouting up along Woodward. So it's already accomplished something economically that the people mover never did.