Eric D. Lawrence

Detroit Free Press

No more M-1 Rail.

Welcome, QLINE.

Detroit's 3.3-mile streetcar line from downtown to New Center will be known as the QLINE, according to an announcement by Dan Gilbert's Quicken Loans today.

“The launch of QLINE marks a significant moment in the development of Detroit. Quicken Loans is proud to play our part in the beginning stages of modernizing the transit system in our burgeoning urban core,” Jay Farner, president and chief marketing officer of Quicken Loans, said in a news release.

Speculation about the name has been intense at times, especially after news reports that Quicken Loans, the company that purchased the naming rights for $5 million, had registered several names with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, including Qlink, Qline, Quickline, Rocketrail and Qride. An announcement of the name had been planned for November, but it was postponed.

A Free Press story in November noted that readers had offered numerous suggestions of their own, including D-Line, Peace Train and Folly Trolley.

What would you name the M-1 Rail in Detroit?

The approximately $140-million project is expected to be operational in 2017. Officials have previously said that the streetcars would seat up to 32 passengers or hold 125 total, including those standing. The streetcars would travel at speeds up to 35 m.p.h., and walk-up fares would be $1.50, although passes would also be available for purchase. About 3,000 to 5,000 people are projected to ride the streetcar line each day once it opens.

In addition to the name, the QLINE logo was also released. It "features a stylized 'Q' in a design that symbolizes the connectivity accomplished through the rail line," according to a news release.

The project's supporters tout it as an economic development engine. Tweets from Quicken Loans and M-1 Rail touted prior projections that "Detroit’s modern streetcar is expected to ignite over $3 billion in economic development."

Sommer Woods, vice president of external affairs for M-1 Rail, the organization developing the project, predicted in a news release that “the QLINE will activate the sidewalks throughout the community, encouraging residents and visitors to experience all the neighborhood has to offer, from our cultural institutions, restaurants and small businesses, to Detroit’s entertainment district. The streetcar will create connectivity and serve all who live, work and play in Detroit.”

Despite the name change for the streetcar line, M-1 Rail will continue to exist as the operating organization.

Modern streetcar systems in other cities have not been without their detractors, however.

National Public Radio reported last month on the potential for disappointment with such systems, such as with ridership on Atlanta's streetcar since its 2014 launch.

Contact Eric D. Lawrence: elawrence@freepress.com or on Twitter @_ericdlawrence