Detroit

November 2014

Technical Center Team Named

According to an article published on the ProgressiveRailroading.com site, M-1 Rail has chosen a design-build team for the planned Penske Technical Center near the northern terminus of the city's future streetcar line at Woodward Avenue and West Grand Boulevard in Detroit.

The team — which will include Turner Construction Co., 3.L.K Construction, ABE Associates Inc. and RNL — will construct the center in Detroit's New Center neighborhood. The facility will be named after Roger Penske for his leadership of M-1 Rail and Penske Corp., one of the major donors to M-1 Rail's streetcar line.

"This facility will be one of the first new construction projects in the neighborhood, and is a key part of the entire project," said Paul Childs, chief operating officer of M-1 Rail, in a press release. "Members of the community have had a voice in the eventual design of the building, which will serve as the maintenance and storage and technical center for the streetcars.”

M-1 Rail is the nonprofit organization leading the design, construction and future operation of the 3.3-mile streetcar line that will operate along Woodward Avenue between Larned Street and West Grand Boulevard.

Inekon Selected to Provide Rolling Stock

Crain's Detroit Business reports that the M-1 project team has selected the Czech manufacturer Inekon to build the six modern streetcars to be used on the Woodward Avenue line. They will now negotiate final terms for the estimated $30 million deal to provide six streetcars.

The firm has supplied modern streetcars to Washington D.C., Portland, and Seattle. Detroit's cars will be assembled in the U.S. near Detroit to comply with Federal "Buy America" rules. Cars for Seattle are currently being assembled in Washington State.

The car built for Detroit will be customized to the city's requirements.

Each of the double-ended cars will have doors on both sides, and will be 73 feet long, 8.5 feet wide and 13 feet high, weighing about 38 tons.

Amenities will include interior bike racks and WiFi, and low floor level access to comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act.

On board lithium-ion batteries will enable the route to be without overhead wire for about 60% of its run. Regenerative braking will help recharge the batteries.

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Note that the Inekon award was rescinded after the company was unable to meet specified financial guarantees and the second place bidder, Brookville Equipment, was awarded the contract.