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Detroit Downtown Trolley
Trolley #247 stopped at the Jefferson Avenue passing siding, Detroit People Mover track overhead in the background
Overview
Owner	Detroit Department of Transportation
Area served	Downtown Detroit
Locale	Detroit, Michigan United States
Transit type	Heritage Streetcar
Operation
Began operation	September 20, 1976 (1976-09-20)
Ended operation	June 21, 2003 (2003-06-21)
Operator(s)	Detroit Department of Transportation
Character	Pedestrian mall, sidewalk right-of-way
Number of vehicles	9
Technical
System length	1 mi (1.6 km)
Track gauge	900 mm (2 ft 11+7⁄16 in)
Electrification	Overhead trolley wire

The Detroit Downtown Trolley, also known as the Washington Boulevard Trolley and Detroit Citizens Railway, was a heritage trolley line in Downtown Detroit, Michigan, United States. The narrow-gauge system opened September 20, 1976, as a United States Bicentennial project, and was closed on June 21, 2003. The line was operated and maintained by the Detroit Department of Transportation (DDOT).

History and route

Built as part of a project to revitalize Washington Boulevard, the 0.75-mile (1.21 km) line initially connected Grand Circus Park at the north and Cobo Center near the Detroit Riverfront. Five blocks of Washington Boulevard were reconstructed as a pedestrian mall hosting the streetcar, with a passing track located at State Street. Near Congress Street, the line swapped to the west side of Washington Boulevard until terminating at Jefferson Avenue outside the Cobo Center. Opening celebrations hosted by city leaders and auto executives were held at the north end of the line during the afternoon of September 20, 1976. The streetcar was free the inaugural week, after which a fare of $0.25 (equivalent to $1.34 in 2023) was charged, covering the entire nine-block trip. Frequency was every 10 minutes along the line.

By 1979 the line was carrying 75,000 riders annually. In 1980 the line was extended 0.25 miles (0.40 km) east along Jefferson Avenue paralleling Hart Plaza to the Renaissance Center at Randolph street, adjacent to Mariners' Church and the Detroit–Windsor Tunnel. The entire system had cost $2.72 million (equivalent to $9.21 million in 2023); the original segment costing $1.5 million (equivalent to $5.08 million in 2023), including the $422,000 carhouse (equivalent to $1.43 million in 2023). Investment came from federal, state, and city sources.

Final years and closure

The system saw a fare increase to $0.50. In 1997 the line only carried 3,350 riders, attributed to the popularity of the Detroit People Mover's siphoning ridership after its opening in 1987. Despite the decline, local attitudes towards the system were generally positive, with a rehabilitation effort underway since 1996. By February 2001 only one car was in operation, operating every hour and resulting in intermittent suspensions. Track quality had deteriorated and the service was costing DDOT $300,000 a year to operate (equivalent to $493,090 in 2023). On January 15, 2003, two cars were shipped to Seattle for rehabilitation, with a third shipped later. However, in late June the line would indefinitely shut down. DDOT had decided to use a $20 million dollar grant (equivalent to $31.8 million in 2023) to rebuild Washington Boulevard for car traffic ahead of the 2006 Super Bowl.

Stops

Stops were located approximately every block, with multiple stops serving Cobo Center and Hart Plaza. The trolley connected with the People Mover at Grand Circus Park station and Renaissance Center station.

In September 2001 the southern terminal was shortened to Woodward Avenue to accommodate a dedicated right-turn lane for the tunnel to Canada. In March 2002 one station became accessible with the construction of a ramp at Griswold Street and Hart Plaza. One of the vehicles sent for rehabilitation, car #247, was to have rebuilt bench seating that folded out of the way of wheelchairs.

Rolling stock

The system originally intended to use standard gauge, but built to 900 mm (2 ft 11+7⁄16 in) gauge to take advantage of seven available Lisbon trams. Two more trolleys were later acquired, one from Vevey, Switzerland and a double-decker tram from Burton upon Trent, England. Trolleys were operated by DDOT employees, typically with a motorman and conductor.

See also

• QLine, a modern streetcar operating in Detroit
• Waterfront Streetcar, a similar discontinued system in Seattle

References

1. 1634–1699: McCusker, J. J. (1997). How Much Is That in Real Money? A Historical Price Index for Use as a Deflator of Money Values in the Economy of the United States: Addenda et Corrigenda (PDF). American Antiquarian Society. 1700–1799: McCusker, J. J. (1992). How Much Is That in Real Money? A Historical Price Index for Use as a Deflator of Money Values in the Economy of the United States (PDF). American Antiquarian Society. 1800–present: Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis. "Consumer Price Index (estimate) 1800–". Retrieved February 29, 2024.
2. Stuart, Reginald (September 21, 1976). "Trolley Returns to the Motor City, and Mayor Foresee Revitalization". The New York Times. Archived from the original on August 16, 2022. Retrieved August 16, 2022.
3. ^ Vandevort, Robert. "Detroit Overview". APTA Streetcar and Heritage Trolley Site. APTA. Archived from the original on September 7, 2023. Retrieved January 3, 2024.
4. ^ Johnston, Louis; Williamson, Samuel H. (2023). "What Was the U.S. GDP Then?". MeasuringWorth. Retrieved November 30, 2023. United States Gross Domestic Product deflator figures follow the MeasuringWorth series.
5. ^ "U.S. Streetcar Systems: Michigan". RailwayPreservation.com. Railway Preservation. July 2, 2018. Archived from the original on November 21, 2023. Retrieved January 3, 2024.
6. Gallagher, John (October 31, 2003). "Near the end of the riderless line: Detroit plans to sell its 9 trolleys". Detroit Free Press. Archived from the original on January 3, 2024.
7. King, R.J. (October 24, 2003). "Historic trolleys are history". The Detroit News. Archived from the original on January 3, 2024.
8. 1982 pamphlet with former Lisbon car 247/397 on the cover Archived November 2, 2023, at the Wayback Machine and downtown map showing route and stops Archived November 2, 2023, at the Wayback Machine
9. "Detroit's Downtown Trolleys". City of Detroit. Archived from the original on June 22, 2002.

External links

• Media related to Detroit Citizens’ Railway at Wikimedia Commons

• Heritage streetcar systems
• Railway lines opened in 1976
• Railway lines closed in 2003
• Streetcars in Michigan
• Transportation in Detroit