Entergy New Orleans , formerly New Orleans Public Service Incorporated (NOPSI), is an electric and natural gas utility and former mass transit provider that was based in New Orleans, Louisiana .
73-664: The Canal Streetcar Line is a historic streetcar line in New Orleans , Louisiana. It is operated by the New Orleans Regional Transit Authority (RTA). It originally operated from 1861 to 1964. It was redesigned and rebuilt between 2000 and 2004, and operation was reinstated in 2004 after a 40-year hiatus. Primarily running along its namesake street, Canal Street , it consists of two branches named for their outer terminals, totaling about 5 + 1 ⁄ 2 miles (8.9 km) in length: "Canal–Cemeteries" (officially designated as Route 47 ) and "Canal–City Park/Museum" (officially designated as Route 48 ). As of 2024, each branch
146-602: A $ 46 million grant to help pay for the car restoration efforts. The first restored cars were to be placed in service early in 2009. Service on the Canal Street Line was restored in December 2005, with several historic St. Charles line green cars transferred to serve there while the flood-damaged red cars were being repaired. The eventual reopening of all lines was made a major priority for the city as it rebuilt. Brookville Equipment Corporation (BEC) of Pennsylvania
219-584: A few places around the city. The last four streetcar lines in New Orleans were the S. Claiborne and Napoleon lines, which were converted to motor bus in 1953; the Canal, which was converted in 1964; and the St. Charles, which has continued in operation, and now has historic landmark status. Racial segregation on streetcars and buses in New Orleans was finally ended peacefully in 1958. Until then, signs separating
292-439: A right to eject any other passenger, no matter what his color.” The streetcar system remained integrated until 1902. In the late 1800s, these were the streetcar companies and the lines they operated: A number of experiments were tried out over the next few decades in an attempt to find a better method than horses or mules for propulsion of streetcars. These included an overhead cable car system (an underground cable, such as
365-684: Is denoted with light yellow and red colors respectively on most RTA publications. Before the return of the line, the Canal Street corridor was served from 1964 to 2004 by several RTA bus lines utilizing the neutral ground in the Central Business District where the tracks now run. The trunk of the Canal Streetcar line travels a direct route along Canal Street from where it begins at Convention Center Boulevard (in front of Harrah's Casino ) to Carrollton Avenue where
438-655: Is found in Louis Hennick and Harper Charlton, The Streetcars of New Orleans, which is the source for this summary of New Orleans streetcar history. On April 23, 1831, the Pontchartrain Railroad Company (PRR) established the first rail service in New Orleans along a five-mile line running north on Elysian Fields Avenue from the Mississippi River toward Lake Pontchartrain. These first trains, however, were pulled by horses because
511-447: Is stored for future use. New Orleans Public Service Incorporated The various streetcar lines of New Orleans were consolidated under NOPSI's control in 1922. Throughout the 1950s and 1960s, NOPSI converted all the original streetcar lines in New Orleans, except for the St. Charles Streetcar Line , to bus service. It was headquartered in a building built in 1929, which later became
584-469: Is used for maintenance and special purposes. Unlike most North American cities with streetcar systems, New Orleans never adopted PCC cars in the 1930s or 1940s, and never traded in older streetcars for modern light rail vehicles in the later 20th century. New Orleanians also continue to prefer use of the term streetcar , rather than trolley , tram , or light rail . In the Carrollton neighborhood,
657-673: The Loyola-Riverfront Line , the Canal Street Line (which has two branches), and the Rampart-Loyola Line . The St. Charles Avenue Line is the only line that has operated continuously throughout New Orleans' streetcar history (though service was interrupted after Hurricane Katrina in August 2005 and resumed only in part in December 2006, as noted below). All other lines were replaced by bus service in
730-671: The NOPSI New Orleans hotel. In 1983, control of the system's mass transit was transferred to a public agency, the New Orleans Regional Transit Authority . NOPSI became Entergy New Orleans, a subsidiary of Entergy , in April 1996. This New Orleans , Louisiana –related article is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . This article about transportation in Louisiana
803-736: The San Francisco Municipal Railway , where it operates on that city's E-Embarcadero and F-Market & Warves lines as part of the Heritage Fleet. 913 : This car was sold to the Orange Empire Railway Museum in Riverside County, California in 1964 when the Canal line was discontinued. Later, it was sold to San Francisco Municipal Railway to augment service there by car 952. So far, it has not been refurbished for service, but
SECTION 10
#1732786574219876-506: The public transportation network of New Orleans since the first half of the 19th century. The longest of the city's streetcar lines, the St. Charles Avenue line , is the oldest continuously operating street railway system in the world. Today, the streetcars are operated by the New Orleans Regional Transit Authority (RTA). There are currently five operating streetcar lines in New Orleans: The St. Charles Avenue Line ,
949-554: The 1990s, interest in streetcars was rekindled, not only in New Orleans, but in many cities around the country. Plans for the restoration of the Canal Line were announced in 2000, and tracks were rebuilt from the foot of Canal Street out to the cemeteries. A branch line was created on North Carrollton Avenue, which had never before had streetcar service. Finally, the Canal streetcar line reopened April 18, 2004, almost 40 years after its close. It replaced multiple stop service on Canal in
1022-680: The 35 900-series cars running on the St. Charles line , were sold in 1964 when the Canal line was discontinued. They were bought back by RTA in 1985 and refurbished for service on the Riverfront line , beginning August 14, 1988. They were given Riverfront car numbers 451 and 450, respectively. They were again retired in 1997 when the Riverfront line was re-equipped with new cars 457-463. They are currently stored inoperative at Carrollton Station, but they could be restored for operation. 957 : When
1095-578: The Canal Cemeteries and City Park branches were originally designated as red and light green respectively, until May 2024, when the colors were changed to light yellow and red. The Canal Street Line traces its origins to the old New Orleans City RR Co., founded to provide horse-drawn streetcar service throughout the city. This system's first lines opened in June 1861, running on Esplanade, Magazine, Prytania, and Canal Streets. The original car barn for
1168-548: The Canal Line, which served it until the end in 1964, was established at White Street. The line ran on its namesake street from St. Charles Street to the car barn; it was extended in August all the way to the end of the street at the Cemeteries. The City RR came under the control of the New Orleans Traction Co. in 1892 as the system was prepared for electrification. A large order for new electric streetcars
1241-685: The Canal line was discontinued in 1964, this car was sold to the Trinity Valley Railroad Club in Weatherford, Texas, west of Fort Worth. Then it was sold to the Spaghetti Warehouse Company, then to McKinney Avenue Transit Authority in Dallas, Texas, and finally it was purchased by New Orleans RTA in 1986. It was stored until 1997, when it was rebuilt with a wheelchair lift and modern controls, becoming
1314-525: The Mid-City mostly except for a limited stop express line which ran all the way to the lake, which was eliminated suddenly due to Hurricane Katrina . In 2005, Hurricane Katrina damaged the red streetcars of the Canal and Riverfront lines which were stored at the car barn behind the RTA headquarters. As streetcar service was restored, it was forced to utilize the green cars borrowed from the St. Charles line while
1387-476: The New Orleans City RR in 1899, the second company to use that name. The Canal and Claiborne company was merged into the New Orleans and Carrollton in 1899. Then in 1902, New Orleans Railways Co. took over operation of all city streetcars, and in 1905 the operating company became New Orleans Railway and Light Co. Final consolidation of ownership as well as operation finally became reality in 1922 with
1460-418: The New Orleans and Carrollton Railroad, which in 1835 opened three lines. In the first week of January, the company opened its Poydras-Magazine horse-drawn line on its namesake streets ( Poydras Street and Magazine Street ), the first true street railway line in the city. New York City was the only place to precede New Orleans with street railway service. Then a horse-drawn line to the suburb of Lafayette, which
1533-475: The New Orleans and Carrollton. On February 4, 1850, branch lines were opened on Louisiana and Napoleon Avenues. Like the Jackson line, these were horse- or mule-drawn cars, operating from Nayades Avenue to the river along their namesake streets. The Louisiana line was lightly patronized, and was discontinued in 1878. The Napoleon line continued into the next century. Up until about 1860, omnibus lines provided
SECTION 20
#17327865742191606-502: The RTA has a streetcar barn, called Carrollton Station, where the streetcars of the city's lines are stored and maintained. The block wide complex consists of two buildings: an older car barn at Dante and Jeannette Streets and a newer barn at Willow and Dublin Streets. The shop there has become capable of duplicating any part needed for the vintage cars. With the addition of the new Riverfront and Canal lines, more vehicles were needed for
1679-548: The Rampart-St. Claude line past its present terminal at St. Claude and Elysian Fields to Press Street, and also down Elysian Fields to the river to connect with the Riverfront line. These plans are not funded, and are on hold as more urgent needs are considered for funding. There was a proposal, along with the general redevelopment of Claiborne Avenue, to build a streetcar line on N. Claiborne Avenue running from Poydras Street to Elysian Fields. However, it appears this proposal
1752-417: The St. Charles Streetcar line was spared, the Canal line was not. The last day was May 30, 1964, with the final run (NOPSI car 972, carrying banners which read "See Me On St. Charles") leaving Canal Line tracks at about 5:00 a.m. on May 31. All the streetcars, except for 35 reserved for the St. Charles Line, were scrapped or donated to museums across the country, and all track and overhead wire were removed. By
1825-418: The St. Charles line from Napoleon Avenue to the end of historic St. Charles Avenue (the "Riverbend"). On June 22, 2008, service was restored to the end of the line at South Carrollton Avenue & South Claiborne Avenue . The streetcars are often changed or decorated for holidays and major sports events. For example, they are usually decorated for Christmas. The definitive history of New Orleans streetcars
1898-511: The St. Charles line. The section running from Canal Street to Lee Circle via Carondelet Street and St. Charles Street in the Central Business District was restored December 19, 2006 at 10:30 a.m. Central time. Service from Lee Circle to Napoleon Avenue in uptown New Orleans was restored November 10, 2007 at 2:00 p.m. RTA restored streetcar service on the rest of St. Charles Ave. on December 23, 2007. Service along
1971-433: The St.Charles streetcar line. They were repainted in the same shade of green as the iconic 900 series cars. In the mid 19th to early 20th century, the city had dozens of lines, including: In addition to the 35 Perley Thomas -built 900-series streetcars that serve the St. Charles line, the following New Orleans streetcars have been preserved in various ways. 453 : The last of the 25 Brill semi-convertible cars. It
2044-738: The West End steam line; the few lines that remained animal powered, such as the Girod and Poydras, were discontinued. Also, operations of the six companies began to be consolidated at this time, beginning with formation of the New Orleans Traction Co., which took over operation of the New Orleans City and Lake RR (an 1883 renaming of the New Orleans City RR) and the Crescent City RR in 1892. New Orleans Traction became
2117-647: The beginnings of war, the company opened and continued service on its new lines. A few other efforts were attempted during the Civil War, but progress resumed soon after the war's end. In 1866, several additional street railway companies made their appearance in New Orleans. The first was the Magazine Street Railroad Co., which soon merged with the second, the Crescent City Railroad Co. The St. Charles Street Railroad Co.
2190-570: The cars were remanufactured by BEC with upgraded drives from Saminco and new control systems from TMV Control Systems. Painting, body work, and final assembly of the restored streetcars was carried out by RTA craftsmen at Carrollton Station Shops. As of March 2009, sufficient red cars had been repaired to take over all service on the Canal Street and Riverfront lines. As of June 2009, the last three Canal Street cars were scheduled for repair. The seven Riverfront cars were worked on next; they began to return to service in early 2010. RTA has plans to extend
2263-512: The city by Hurricane Katrina and subsequent floods from the levee breaches in August 2005 knocked all the streetcar lines out of operation and damaged many of the streetcars. Service on a portion of the Canal Street line was restored in December of that year, with the remainder of the line and the Riverfront line returning to service in early 2006. On December 23, 2007, the Regional Transit Authority (RTA) extended service on
Canal Streetcar Line - Misplaced Pages Continue
2336-508: The engines had not yet arrived from England. The PRR received its first working steam engine the next year, and first put it into service on September 27, 1832. Service continued in a mixed fashion, running sometimes with locomotives, and at other times with horse traction. A round trip fare at that time was seventy-five cents. Those first operations included inter-city and suburban railroad lines, and horse-drawn (or mule-drawn) omnibus lines. The first lines of city rail service were created by
2409-640: The entire company. They also demanded an increase in pay and recognition of their union, Division 194 of the Amalgamated Association of Street and Electric Railway Employees of America. The union struck on September 27, 1902. After about two weeks of strife, a settlement was reached, and in early 1903, the company signed a contract and recognized the union. In 1902, there were protests when the Louisiana legislature mandated that public transportation must enforce racial segregation. At first this
2482-442: The entire line. Electrical propulsion of streetcars finally won out over all the other experimental methods. Electric powered streetcars made their first appearance in New Orleans on the Carrollton line on February 1, 1893. The line was also extended out Carrollton Avenue and renamed St. Charles. Other companies followed suit. Over the next few years, almost all the streetcar lines of all six companies were electrified, including
2555-711: The entrance of the New Orleans Museum of Art in City Park . It is within easy walking distance of the New Orleans Fairgrounds, site of the yearly Jazz and Heritage Festival. On October 12, 2019, a building under construction at the corner of Canal Street and N. Rampart Street collapsed (see Hard Rock Hotel Collapse ). For a time, in order to provide service along Loyola Avenue, Canal-Cemeteries streetcars operated along that avenue instead of going down Canal Street from Loyola Avenue (Elk Place) to
2628-460: The first of the new 457-463 series cars for the re-equipment of the Riverfront line. 952 : This Perley Thomas car was sold in 1964 when the Canal line was discontinued, and was bought back by RTA in 1990 and refurbished for service on the Riverfront line. As number 456, it served Riverfront until 1997. After its second retirement, it was rebuilt in the same manner as the 35 St. Charles line cars, given its original number, and sent on long-term loan to
2701-427: The formation of New Orleans Public Service Incorporated (commonly abbreviated NOPSI, never NOPS). Labor problems began to occupy the attention of street railway officials as consolidation progressed. At first, each of the street railway companies had its own agreement with its operating personnel. New Orleans Railways tried to maintain those separate agreements, but labor representatives insisted on one agreement for
2774-447: The new loop went into service January 7, 2017. The "City Park/Museum" branch (or sometimes just "City Park") turns northward from Canal onto North Carrollton Avenue, where it runs in the inside lanes of the street rather than in the neutral ground. It is reduced to a single track at the intersection of City Park/Moss Avenues and returns to the neutral ground before it ends at Beauregard Circle, at Esplanade Avenue and Bayou St. John , near
2847-533: The nickname Snake Line, because it wandered all over uptown New Orleans. Its early name Canal and Coliseum and Upper Magazine gives an idea of the route. Under consolidation, Coliseum was pretty much limited to service on its namesake street, with trackage on upper Magazine Street turned over to the Magazine line, as one might expect. Other efficiencies were instituted, such as reducing the number of streetcar lines operating over long stretches of Canal Street. There
2920-409: The northern (lakeside) boundary of the city, which explains the density of cemeteries, Catholic, Protestant, and Jewish, in this area. Beginning July 31, 2017, and completed on December 4, a new loop terminal was built north of City Park Avenue on Canal Boulevard, providing passengers with better access to transfer between the streetcars and connecting bus lines. Following a month of testing and training,
2993-464: The objections of residents along the line to the smoke, soot, and noise. The area between the town of Carrollton and the City of New Orleans was sparsely populated with large swaths of agricultural land when the line was laid out in the 1830s; by the latter 19th century it was almost completely urbanized. Carrollton was annexed to New Orleans in 1874. Due to this increased urbanization, horsecars were used on
Canal Streetcar Line - Misplaced Pages Continue
3066-497: The older cars were run on Canal Street and Riverfront until the new cars could be repaired. Using whatever worked wherever it could be run continued for several years. By 2010 enough restored streetcars were back in service to again confine the historic Perley Thomas cars to the St. Charles line. In late 2020, RTA reworked three, and later a fourth, of the ADA compliant Riverfront streetcars, numbers 460-463, to provide wheelchair service on
3139-411: The older vehicles by their bright red color; unlike the older cars, they are ADA -compliant, and the Canal Street cars are air conditioned . Before Hurricane Katrina, the historic cars ran exclusively on the St. Charles Avenue Line, and the newer cars on the other two lines. However, in the wake of hurricane damage to the St. Charles line tracks and overhead wires, and to almost all of the new red cars,
3212-497: The only public transit outside the area serviced by the New Orleans and Carrollton RR. The need was felt for a true citywide street railway service. Toward this end, the New Orleans City RR was chartered on June 15, 1860. The first line, Rampart and Esplanade (later called simply Esplanade), opened June 1, 1861, followed in quick succession by the Magazine, Camp and Prytania (later called Prytania), Canal, Rampart and Dauphine (later Dauphine), and finally Bayou Bridge and City Park. Despite
3285-483: The period from the late 1940s to the early 1960s. Preservationists were unable to save the streetcars on Canal Street, but were able to convince the city government to protect the St. Charles Avenue Line by granting it historic landmark status. In the later 20th century, trends began to favor rail transit again. A short Riverfront Line started service in 1988, and service returned to Canal Street in 2004, 40 years after it had been shut down. The wide destruction wrought on
3358-623: The public. Sandwiches on baguettes were given to the "poor boys" on strike, said to be the origin of the local name of " po' boy " sandwiches. There was much rioting and animosity. Several streetcars were burned, and several people were killed. Service was gradually restored, with the strike ending in October. The same year, the last of the 4 ft 8 + 1 ⁄ 2 in ( 1,435 mm ) standard gauge tracks were converted to 5 ft 2 + 1 ⁄ 2 in ( 1,588 mm ) ( Pennsylvania trolley gauge ) to match
3431-478: The races were carried on the backs of the seats in streetcars and buses. These signs could be moved forward or back in the vehicle as passenger loads changed during the operating day. Under court order, the signs were simply removed, and passengers were allowed to sit wherever they pleased. In 1974, the Amalgamated won a representation election and formed Local Division 1560 in New Orleans. Negotiations between
3504-559: The red cars were rebuilt. The Canal Streetcar trunk operates frequent service 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, from about every eight minutes during the day to about every sixteen minutes late at night. Each branch, Canal-Cemeteries and Canal-City Park/Museum, operates every sixteen minutes during the day to past midnight, then every 32 minutes until about 5 a.m. From Harrah's Casino to Mid-City Streetcars in New Orleans Streetcars have been an integral part of
3577-412: The remainder of the line on Carrollton Ave. to Claiborne Avenue resumed June 22, 2008. The time was needed to repair the damage caused by Hurricane Katrina and to perform other maintenance and upgrades to the lines that had been scheduled before the hurricane. Leaving the line shut down and the electrical system unpowered allowed the upgrades to be performed more safely and easily. Perhaps more serious
3650-672: The rest of the streetcar lines. Buses began to be used in New Orleans transit in 1924. Several streetcar lines were converted to bus or were abandoned outright over the next 15 years. Beginning after World War II, as in much of the United States, almost all streetcar lines were replaced with buses, either internal combustion (gasoline/diesel) or electric ( trolley bus ). See the Historic Lines section below. Track and overhead wire of abandoned or converted lines were generally removed, although remnants of abandoned track remain in
3723-406: The river. Also, Canal-City Park/Museum cars turned back at LaSalle Street, because they could not proceed past the blockage at Rampart Street. Service between Elk Place and the river was provided by diesel buses. The Canal Cemeteries and City Park branches were originally designated as Routes 42 and 45, respectively, until January 2009, when the route numbers were changed to 47 and 48. The colors for
SECTION 50
#17327865742193796-463: The same route, but turned back at the cemeteries immediately after turning off of Metairie Road. West End made only limited stops along Canal Street from Claiborne Ave. to City Park Ave. The West End line was converted to buses in 1950, after which the surviving Cemeteries cars were once again signed Canal. In 1951, the outer terminus of the Canal Line was moved to the end of Canal Street, and tracks on City Park Ave. (Metairie Road) were removed. In 1964,
3869-446: The so-called "star car" system. In April 1867, William Nichols got onto a white-only car and was forced out. In the following weeks, thousands of African Americans engaged in protests and some riots broke out. Fearing the repetition of violence seen in previous years, the city, by May 8, desegregated the streetcar system. The chief of police told his officers: “Have no interference with negroes riding in cars of any kind. No passenger, has
3942-428: The streetcar company (known since 1922 as New Orleans Public Service Incorporated , or NOPSI) proposed to convert the Canal line to buses. The line was to be combined with the West End and Canal Boulevard bus lines, so that patrons could have a one-seat ride all the way from the central business district to Lake Pontchartrain . There was tremendous controversy over the proposal from the protests of preservationists. While
4015-623: The streetcar company slightly extended the Canal and Esplanade Lines so that their outer ends met at City Park Ave., and connected them together in a Belt Line. Canal cars left the central business district on Canal Street, operated to City Park Ave., turned down that street to Esplanade Ave., and returned on Esplanade to Rampart and thus back to Canal Street. Cars marked Esplanade left the central business district via Rampart Street down to Esplanade, then operated out Esplanade to City Park Ave. to Canal, and returned on Canal Street. This Belt Line arrangement lasted until December 27, 1934, when Esplanade Ave.
4088-410: The system. The RTA's shops built two groups of modern cars as near duplicates of the older cars in appearance. One group of seven cars was built for the Riverfront line in 1997, and another group for the restored Canal Street line in 1999 (one car) and 2002–2003 (23 cars). The trucks for the 2002–2003 cars were manufactured by Brookville Equipment Corporation . These new cars can be distinguished from
4161-529: The time that a new La Course Street line was opened along that street (now named Race Street). That line ended in the 1840s, but the Lafayette and Carrollton lines continued, eventually becoming the Jackson and St. Charles streetcar lines. As the area upriver (uptown) from the city began to be built up—much of the new development along the Nayades (St. Charles Avenue) corridor—additional lines were created by
4234-599: The two branches split. Tracks continue toward the River to the tracks utilized by the Riverfront line . Leaving the downtown area, the line mostly traverses several neighborhoods in the Mid-City portion of the city and consists of 3 miles (4.8 km) inland. The "Cemeteries" branch continues on Canal Street past Carrollton Avenue to its terminus at Metairie Road (which continues as City Park Avenue), surrounded by several cemeteries. For much of its history, this area constituted
4307-401: The two ends of the line at Claiborne Avenue and at Canal Street. However, wind damage and falling trees took out many sections of trolley wire along St. Charles Avenue, and vehicles parked on the neutral ground ( traffic medians ) over the inactive tracks degraded parts of the right-of-way. At the start of October 2005, as this part of town started being repopulated, bus service began running on
4380-421: The union and NOPSI were unsuccessful, and a strike followed. In December 1974, a contract was signed between NOPSI and Local 1560, but the strike was not completely settled until the following March. In the late 1970s and early 1980s, it became apparent that private operation of the New Orleans transit system could not continue. Creation of a public body that could receive tax money and qualify for federal funding
4453-530: Was another strike beginning July 1, 1920. This one was settled around the end of July with a new contract. In the early 1920s, several extensions and rearrangements of service resulted in the inauguration of the famous Desire line, the Freret line, the Gentilly line, and the St. Claude line. In 1929 , there was a widespread strike by transit workers demanding better pay, which was widely supported by much of
SECTION 60
#17327865742194526-489: Was awarded the contract to provide the components to rebuild 31 New Orleans' streetcars to help the city bring its transportation infrastructure closer to full capacity. The streetcars were submerged in over five feet of water while parked in their car barn, and all electrical components affected by the flooding had to be replaced. BEC's engineering and drafting departments immediately began work on this three-year project to return these New Orleans icons to service. The trucks for
4599-483: Was centered on Jackson Avenue, opened on January 13. In September, the New Orleans and Carrollton started operating its third line, a steam-powered line along present-day St. Charles Avenue, then called Nayades, connecting the city with the suburb of Carrollton, and terminating near the present-day intersection of St. Charles Avenue and Carrollton Avenue. The Poydras-Magazine line ceased operation in March or April 1836, about
4672-524: Was converted to buses, and Canal resumed running only on Canal Street, end-to-end. From 1934 to 1950, there were two lines running on Canal Street. Cars marked West End operated from the foot of Canal to the outer end of the street at the cemeteries, then turned left onto City Park Avenue (Metairie Road) to the New Basin Canal, and then out the east bank of that canal to the West End amusement area at Lake Pontchartrain. Cars marked Cemeteries followed
4745-586: Was eventually developed in San Francisco, was impossible because of the high water table under New Orleans); a walking beam system; pneumatic propulsion; an ammonia locomotive; a "Thermo-specific" system using super-heated water; and the Lamm Fireless engine . Lamm engines were actually adopted and used for a time on the New Orleans and Carrollton line, which had previously used steam locomotives. That line gradually gave up steam locomotives because of
4818-455: Was necessary. The Louisiana legislature created the New Orleans Regional Transit Authority (RTA) in 1979, and in 1983, RTA took over ownership and operation of the system. In 1988, a new Riverfront line was created, using private right of way along the river levee. This was the first new streetcar line in New Orleans since 1926. Then in 2004, the Canal line was reconstructed and restored to rail operation. An all-new line on Loyola Avenue
4891-403: Was never seriously considered and is unlikely to be fulfilled. The St. Charles Avenue Line has traditionally used streetcars of the type that were common all over the United States in the early parts of the 20th century. Most of the streetcars running on this line are Perley Thomas cars dating from the 1920s. The one exception is an 1890s vintage streetcar that is still in running condition; it
4964-582: Was next, followed in 1867 by the Canal and Claiborne Streets Railroad Co. and in 1868 by the Orleans Railroad Co. The horsecar lines of these companies covered different parts of the city, overlapping in some areas. The City RR even operated a steam railroad to Lake Pontchartrain, the West End line, which eventually became part of the city streetcar system. Streetcars in New Orleans had been segregated since they were introduced. A few separate cars marked with stars were designated for black people -
5037-456: Was objected to by both white and black riders as an inconvenience, and by the streetcar companies on grounds of both added expense and the difficulties of determining the racial background of some New Orleanians. Consolidation of operations under a single company had the advantage of untangling and rationalizing some streetcar lines. As an extreme example, consider the Coliseum line, which had
5110-669: Was on display at the French Market and later at the Mint , but exposure to the weather caused its deterioration. It is known in posed pictures as the Streetcar Named Desire, although there is no evidence that this class of streetcar ever ran on the Desire line. It is currently stored inoperative at Carrollton Station, but it could be restored for operation. 919 and 924 : These two Perley Thomas cars, originally twins to
5183-564: Was opened in 2013. It was extended across Canal Street on Rampart Street and St. Claude Avenue in 2016 in a short form of the historic St. Claude streetcar line. See the Current Lines and Future Network Expansion sections below. The area through which the St. Charles Avenue Line traveled fared comparatively well in Hurricane Katrina 's devastating impact on New Orleans at the end of August 2005, with moderate flooding only of
5256-463: Was placed with the Brill Co. of Philadelphia. The Canal Line was the first New Orleans Traction line to be electrified, beginning electric service on July 28, 1894. It was followed very quickly by Esplanade and the rest of the company's horsecar lines. The line was extended slightly in the central business district to terminate at the foot of Canal Street, not far from the Mississippi River. In 1901,
5329-511: Was the effect on the system's rolling stock. The vintage green streetcars rode out the storm in the sealed barn in a portion of Old Carrollton that did not flood, and were undamaged. However, the newer red cars (with the exception of one which was in Carrollton for repair work at the time) were in a different barn that unfortunately did flood, and all of them were rendered inoperable; early estimates were that each car would cost between $ 800,000 and $ 1,000,000 to restore. In December 2006, RTA received
#218781