Brookville Equipment Corporation recently delivered the first of six off-wire capable Liberty Streetcars to Detroit’s M-1 Rail for service along the QLine – set to open in 2017 – nearly two months ahead of contractual delivery.
“The early delivery of this QLine streetcar vehicle is a product of the outstanding working relationship we have experienced in our partnership with M-1 RAIL,” said Brookville President Marion Van Fosson. “We look forward to delivering the next five vehicles and celebrating the QLine opening with M-1 Rail and the people of Detroit very soon.”
The streetcar’s early arrival marks the second early delivery by Brookville this year. Two option vehicles were delivered to Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART) six months ahead of contractual delivery this summer.
The QLine vehicles will traverse the 3.3-mile Woodward Avenue rail corridor without the aid of an overhead contact system (OCS) for 60 percent of the route, instead using the Liberty Streetcar’s battery onboard energy storage system (OESS).
The first of six QLine Liberty Streetcars rests on the track at Brookville’s manufacturing facility prior to shipment to Detroit’s M-1 RAIL this week.
Other key features of the 66.5 feet-long, 8 foot, 8 inch-wide vehicles include over 70 percent low-floor area, station-level passenger boarding, and the capability to comfortably transport up to 125 total passengers to key business, shopping, entertainment, and dining centers along the route.