Detroit has the QLINE. Now, how about the T?

A new study presented to Toledo officials looked at a rail concept — dubbed the T because of its layout — that would connect Detroit, Toledo and Ann Arbor and cities in between.

If it were built, you could leave Detroit and get to Toledo in about an hour, about the same as if you drove straight down I-75, assuming you didn't run into any construction detours, rush-hour traffic, major accidents — or make any stops to top off your tank with gas.

Toledo City Councilman Chris Delaney, who has championed the study, said Wednesday that the T would not be just for "the luxury of being able to board a train." He viewed passenger rail service as a means to longer-term economic development and prosperity.

The study outlined an 86-mile rail system that would link Toledo with Monroe and Detroit Metro Airport, going north and south, and then Ann Arbor, Ypsilanti, Westland, Dearborn and Midtown Detroit going east and west.

The Toledo study is the latest in a series of rail plans that have been examined, including one last year to resurrect a line between Ann Arbor and Traverse City that could run through Howell, Owosso, Alma, Mount Pleasant and Cadillac.

It's unclear exactly how the T plan fits in with a long-stalled proposal to connect Detroit and Ann Arbor with a nearly 40-mile commuter rail line. That plan, the Regional Transit Authority has said, could give the area an economic development boost and would use Amtrak lines, which could reduce infrastructure costs.

How much will it cost?

Among other things, the Toledo study analyzed two different types of passenger trains: A conventional one, that could go almost 80 mph and a higher-speed one, that would zip along at 110 mph.

The cost of the slower train and infrastructure would be nearly $390 million, about $4.60 a mile, and the higher-speed trains, $524 million, about $6.10 a mile, according to the study, which was presented to Toledo's regional growth committee.

Coincidentally, on Wednesday, CN — Canadian National Railway — announced it plans to invest about $50 million in Michigan this year to maintain its freight rail network. Passenger trains could also make use of some of the same tracks.

At 79 mph, the T trains would take 1 hour 12 minutes to go from Toledo to Detroit. At 110 mph, that time could be cut to 1 hour 3 minutes.

A train ride could even be faster than by automobile, depending on the route and traffic.

But the biggest benefit of taking the train would likely be that you didn't have to drive. You could read a newspaper, watch a movie, text, email, catch up on work — or even sleep.

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In Detroit, the QLINE – an electric streetcar in Detroit that ferries passengers from Congress Street to Grand Boulevard via Woodward — was a step toward more public transportation.

The streetcar was named the QLINE after Quicken Loans bought naming rights. It replaced a proposed light rail plan that could be tied into a larger regional transit system.

In its first year, the QLINE was expected to deliver 3,000 to 5,000 rides a day, and it hit that goal for part of the year. But from November through March, average daily ridership dipped to 2,700, potentially because of colder weather.

Regional cooperation

The Toledo study also looked at how Ohioans and Michiganders travel across the state border to work and live.

Delaney gave this example: A Toledo resident who drives to Warren to work. A rail system would allow him or her to save on fuel, limit daily wear to his vehicle and reduce the safety risks of a collision.

It also could reduce the economic impact by reducing carbon emissions.

And what if the resident doesn't own a car?

A more detailed report on how a system might affect Toledo and the region is expected to be presented to the Ohio city within the next two weeks.

In the meantime, Delaney said two things, in particular, sparked the study: A report last year on "the alarming rate of poverty" in Lucas County, Ohio, where Toledo is located, and Detroit's failed bid for Amazon's second headquarters.

Delaney said Detroit "lacked enough people with the particular skill sets they would require and would have to draw from neighboring regions, including Ohio to fill their needs."

Moreover, Delaney pointed out, the region also lacked a mass transit system that Amazon set as a requirement for locating a new headquarters. Passenger rail could better connect residents in northwest Ohio to job opportunities in Michigan.

"We owe it to our kids and grand kids," Delaney said, "to engage in forward thinking about what actions our generation should take to set in motion the critical infrastructure assets they will need available in our region that will give them a fighting chance to, not just survive, but also prosper, in the next generation global economy."

Contact Frank Witsil: 313-222-5022 or fwitsil@freepress.com.