Opening of M-1 Rail Penske Tech Center marks milestone for project

DETROIT (WJBK) - Detroit's new street car system still has a ways go before it's up and running, but the grand opening of the M-1 rail's new headquarters Tuesday marked a big milestone in the project.

The 19,000 square-foot Penske Center will be the nation's first vehicle storage and maintenance facility to operate completely off-wire. The first modern streetcar, or Qline car, is expected to be delivered to the Penske Tech Center in the fall of 2016 when testing and safety certification will begin.

The rail line will be 3.3 miles with 13 stops along Woodward Avenue, connecting downtown Midtown to the northend neighborhood. The Qline is expected to be up and running by spring 2017.