Passenger Trains > Detroit Q Line Streetcar

I ventured to downtown Detroit today to check out parking for our new hockey arena as the first game is Saturday night. The downtown is undergoing quite a re-birth under the Illitch family who own the 11 time Stanley Cup Champion Red Wings and numerous other properties in the area. Unlike many other new stadiums, this one was mostly privately funded. No greedy sports owners with their hands out threatening to move to another city if they don't get their way. While photographing the building's unique facade (or make that facades given the urban architecture) one of the new Q Line cars went by. Ridership has exceeded expecations but the real test will come now that it is no longer fare free.

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andersonb109 Wrote:
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> I ventured to downtown Detroit today.

Hope you took a gun.

Did you find a parking lot for a reasonable fee???

1. No I didn't take a gun. That is such a stereotypical comment and totally uncalled for. Detroit is no worse than many other big cities and probably not as bad as places like Chicago, Baltimore, Atlanta and St. Louis. I worked downtown for many years and never had a problem. That also includes going to countless Wings games at Joe Louis Arena. Now going into the neighborhoods...that's an entirely different issue. That's what happens when you have a city run by Democrats including the racist mayor Coleman Young, for so many years. However the current mayor, who is also a Democrat, seems to have things on the right track (no pun intended).

2. I parked for $5 at the Fox Theater Garage. However on event nights, that rate is much higher. Olympia development is selling parking at the numerous garages they have built and surface lots they have purchased at between $20 and $30. Almost as much as the cheapest tickets.

3. An article in today's Detroit News indicates that only 40% of Q Line riders are paying fares. It's all on the honor system. Not sure how they came up with that number but there must be a way they know who many are riding and match that figure with tickets purchased. Not sure why so many people think they are entitled to this. It's basically stealing. I guess they figure if they can't afford it, it should be free. Time for some enforcement!

The Streetcars are made in the USA by Brookville.

I see a pantograph in the down position, does the streetcar have battery power as well? How long do the batteries last?

Nice to see the updates on Detroit, it's been at least 10 years since I was there last.

Nathan