Old Detroit train tracks to be part of new Ford mobility platform

A set of elevated railroad tracks adjacent to the abandoned Detroit train station that Ford Motor Co. is bringing back to life will become a "first-of-its-kind mobility platform" for testing and showcasing emerging technologies, the automaker said.

Ford released more details last week about its plans for Michigan Central Station, which is under renovation to become the heart of a 30-acre campus dedicated to autonomous and electric vehicles. Work on the project, which started about two years ago after Ford bought the dilapidated 13-story station for $90 million, remains on schedule despite the coronavirus pandemic, officials said. The revived station is expected to be finished by the end of 2022.

The elevated tracks, which saw their last passenger train depart in 1988, will be turned into "an open, versatile landscape" for Ford and its partners to work on self-driving vehicles and micromobility initiatives such as e-bikes or e-scooters, the company said.

Ford plans to turn a long-vacant book depository across the street into a mixed-use space with labs and studios. It also envisions a "range of housing options" in the surrounding blocks as well as amenities such as a grocery store and day care.

The automaker says it spent 18 months researching and planning the revival project, including holding more than 100 hours of discussions with key stakeholders from the city and the neighborhoods around the station.