New rail project 'QLine' has first test in downtown Detroit

DETROIT, Mich. (WJBK) - Construction of Detroit's Q-Line rail system is moving right along which included a big test on the new tracks.

The mini speeder car is the first to test the tracks out of 1,000 more tests to come, it's testing out the rails and seeing what other obstructions are in the road.

The M-1 project will be named "QLine" after Quicken Loans, will start running sometime in the spring.

New businesses on Woodward, like Cornerstone Barrel House, can't wait.

"We're really looking forward to the QLine getting going and really connecting this part of Detroit together," said Michael Bowen, co-owner, Cornerstone Barrel House.

CEO of the rail Paul Childs says these tests are very important for planning.

"We have to make sure that as we navigate around our corners, that we understand exactly where the outside of that car is going to be," said Childs, M-1 Rails CEO.

The actual street cars will travel at about 35 miles per hour. They're almost 67 feet long, and weigh about 80,000 pounds.

The cars are $3.5 million," Childs said. "I don't want to take a car and pull it up there and find out I made a mistake. We don't believe we made a mistake, but this is just the first of many tests we're going to run to make sure that everything works exactly the way it's supposed to work."

But the obstruction rail workers are facing, is people who don't know not to park on the rails. Starting now, you can be ticketed.

"We haven't had street cars here since 1956," Childs said "So most of the people who are here today have no idea, so we have a big public education program we've got to put together."

A few growing pains, but it's more than worth it to Michael Bowen.

"Where we're positioned right here, we're not too far from Comerica Park and Ford Field," Bowen said. "But now with the QLine, the new Red Wings Little Caesars Arena will be in play for us as well."