The Rampart–St. Claude Streetcar Line is a historic streetcar line in New Orleans, Louisiana. It is operated by the New Orleans Regional Transit Authority (RTA). It is the newest streetcar line in the system, as it opened on October 2, 2016, with the total length of the line being 2.4 mi (3.9 km).[1] The line is officially designated Route 46 and is denoted with a purple color on most RTA publications.[2]
| Rampart–St. Claude | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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 Mayor Mitch Landrieu with the St. Augustine Purple Knights Marching Band at opening celebrations for the Loyola Avenue streetcar line on January 28, 2013. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Overview | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Owner | New Orleans Regional Transit Authority | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Line number | 46 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Locale | New Orleans, Louisiana | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Termini |
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| Stations | 11 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Service | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Type | Heritage streetcar | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| System | Streetcars in New Orleans | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Depot(s) | A. Philip Randolph Operations Facility | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Rolling stock | 2000 Series Perley Thomas replica streetcars | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| History | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Opened | January 28, 2013 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Technical | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Line length | 2.4 mi (3.9 km) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Number of tracks | 2 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Character | Runs in traffic lanes next to the neutral ground | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Track gauge | 5 ft 2+1⁄2 in (1,588 mm) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Electrification | Overhead line, 600 V DC | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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History
editBefore the line was rerouted to its current route, it was originally called the Loyola-UPT Streetcar line, which opened on January 28, 2013.[3] Construction started in August 2011, and the line was opened in time for New Orleans' hosting of Super Bowl XLVII.[4][5] It was reconfigured to become the Rampart–St. Claude line as part of the Rampart Streetcar construction project that began in April 2015.
On October 12, 2019, a building under construction at the corner of Canal Street and N. Rampart Street collapsed, blocking the line. As of 2022, the portion of the line between Canal and Elysian Fields could not be served by rail. For a time, the Loyola-UPT portion of the line, along Loyola Avenue, was served by Canal-Cemeteries streetcars 24 hours a day. Later, it was combined with the Riverfront line as the 49 UPT-Riverfront line, operating from UPT via Loyola to Canal, then in on Canal to Riverfront, then along the Riverfront line to its French Quarter terminal.[6]
Reconstruction
edit
Several dates for reconstruction were posted but barely any work was seriously done until after the 2024 Mardi Gras season.[7][8] NORTA announced construction would end March 31, 2024 and, following 6 weeks of training and testing, it would reopen on May 31, 2024.[9] Due to the construction, the Canal line had to terminate ahead of Rampart but Canal line service to Harrah's Casino had been restored by April 13, 2024 as construction had concluded by then.[10] NORTA then conducted a pull test of the new line.[11] On May 1, NORTA begin testing streetcars and testing operators on the line.
Reopening
editMuch to the surprise and delight of many, the line opened on May 19, 2024.[12] This coincided with a rename to the 46 Rampart-Loyola Streetcar line and a recoloring to purple. The combined 49 UPT-Riverfront line, now recolored to a light blue and renamed to the Loyola-Riverfront Streetcar Line, will continue operating in tandem with it.[13]
Route description
editThe Rampart–St. Claude Streetcar line begins at the New Orleans Union Passenger Terminal (UPT) where it connects with RTA bus routes, Amtrak, and Greyhound Lines. From there, it runs for 0.8 mi (1.3 km) on Loyola Avenue in the New Orleans Central Business District to Canal Street. With the exception of only two blocks, this portion of the line does not operate on neutral ground, but rather on the inside traffic lanes. It is also unique in New Orleans in that the streetcar stops are built to light rail system standards as opposed to typical streetcar stops that utilize a simple concrete platform sometimes with a bench and/or a canopy. The route continues on Canal Street for one block before turning onto North Rampart Street, primarily with trackage operating in mixed street traffic. It continues through the French Quarter and Tremé neighborhoods, then continues onto St. Claude Avenue to its terminus at Elysian Fields Avenue. The line operates the same type of Von Dullen cars as the Canal Street line. It features solar powered passenger shelters along Loyola Avenue.[14]
The former Loyola-UPT line went down Canal to Harrah's at the Mississippi River, and on weekends, it continued further down the Riverfront tracks to the French Market terminal at Esplanade Avenue.[15][16]
Although RTA literature consistently refers to this line as Rampart–St. Claude, the route signs displayed on the streetcars often show the name Loyola-UPT.
Operation
editThe Rampart–St. Claude line normally operates between approximately 6 a.m. and midnight, with a frequency of every 20 minutes throughout service times.
Stop listing
edit
From Marigny to UPT
| Stop | Neighborhood(s) | Other streetcar lines | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| By way of St. Claude Avenue | |||
| Elysian Fields Avenue | Marigny, Seventh Ward | Serves Frenchmen Entertainment District | |
| Pauger Street | Marigny, Seventh Ward | ||
| By way of McShane Place (two blocks), then North Rampart Street | |||
| Esplanade Avenue | French Quarter, Marigny, Seventh Ward, Tremé | ||
| Ursulines Street | French Quarter, Tremé | ||
| St. Ann Street | French Quarter, Tremé | Serves Louis Armstrong Park (including Congo Square, Mahalia Jackson Theater for the Performing Arts, Municipal Auditorium and New Orleans Jazz National Historical Park) | |
| Conti Street | French Quarter, Iberville | ||
| Canal and Rampart Streets | Downtown, Central Business District, French Quarter | 47 48 49 | Major transfer point to Canal Streetcar Line and many RTA buses Serves Saenger Theatre |
| By way of Elk Place from Canal to Tulane, then Loyola Avenue to UPT | |||
| Tulane Avenue | Downtown, Central Business District, Biomedical District | 49 | Serves LSU Health Sciences Center New Orleans, New Orleans Public Library, and Tulane Hospital Loyola Avenue transitions from Elk Place |
| Poydras Street | Downtown, Central Business District | 49 | Serves Champions Square, City Hall, Civil District Court, Duncan Plaza, Mercedes-Benz Superdome, and Smoothie King Center |
| Hyatt Regency New Orleans Hotel | Downtown, Central Business Street | 49 | Serves Hyatt Regency New Orleans Hotel Stop located near Girod Street in the Bloch Cancer Survivors Plaza Linked by walkway leading from South Rampart and Lafayette Streets |
| Julia Street | Downtown, Central Business District | 49 | |
| Union Passenger Terminal (UPT) | Downtown, Central Business District | 49 | Connects with Amtrak and Greyhound Lines |
Proposed expansion
editOriginal plans for the French Quarter Rail Expansion called for the line to extend to Press Street, and to have a branch extending from St. Claude via Elysian Fields Avenue to connect with the Riverfront line at the foot of Elysian Fields and Esplanade Avenues, but those extensions have not been funded.
Another proposed extension would take streetcars down St. Claude Avenue past Press Street to Poland Avenue, next to the Industrial Canal. This would require crossing the Norfolk Southern Railroad at Press Street, which the railroad opposes on safety grounds.
These plans are considered unlikely to be fulfilled.[17][18][19][20][21]
References
edit- ^ Rainey, Richard (September 28, 2016). "All aboard: North Rampart St. Claude streetcar line opens Oct. 2". The Times-Picayune. Archived from the original on March 8, 2018. Retrieved December 30, 2020.
- ^ https://www.norta.com/getmedia/5af0729a-d537-4ea3-8280-48dd7a72c05b/Streetcars_12,-46,-47,-48,-49.pdf [bare URL PDF]
- ^ "Streetcars in New Orleans". NewOrleansOnline.com. The Official Tourism Site of the City of New Orleans. 2013. Retrieved July 16, 2013.
- ^ "Loyola Avenue streetcar line construction ramps up". NOLA.com. NOLA Media Group. August 16, 2011. Retrieved April 10, 2014.
- ^ Strassmann, Mark (February 1, 2013). "The streetcar makes a comeback in New Orleans". New Orleans: CBS News. Retrieved April 10, 2014.
- ^ "New Orleans Regional Transit Authority". New Orleans Regional Transit Authority. Retrieved August 3, 2022.
- ^ Sledge, Matt (December 25, 2022). "Rampart streetcar, Canal Street ferry terminal poised to reopen early 2023, RTA says". NOLA.com. Retrieved January 23, 2023.
- ^ "Rampart streetcar return still in the works". wwltv.com. February 19, 2024. Retrieved February 21, 2024.
- ^ https://www.norta.com/current-projects/rampartstreetcar [bare URL]
- ^ "Facebook". www.facebook.com. Retrieved April 15, 2024.
- ^ "Rampart streetcar test delayed until next week". wwltv.com. March 20, 2024. Retrieved May 2, 2024.
- ^ "New Orleans Regional Transit Authority - Return of Rampart Streetcar". www.norta.com. Retrieved May 16, 2024.
- ^ "New Orleans Regional Transit Authority - Service Schedules". www.norta.com. Retrieved May 16, 2024.
- ^ "Loyola Streetcar a winner for New Orleans". Fast Lane (blog). United States Department of Transportation. January 28, 2013. Retrieved April 10, 2014.
- ^ Buchanan, Susan (January 22, 2013). "Loyola streetcar starts to roll". The Louisiana Weekly. Retrieved April 10, 2014.
- ^ Maldonado, Charles (January 28, 2013). "Photos: Loyola Streetcar grand opening ceremony and inaugural ride". BestofNewOrleans.com. Gambit. Retrieved April 10, 2014.
- ^ "Mayor Landrieu and Regional Transit Authority Announce French Quarter Streetcar Expansion". New Orleans Regional Transit Authority. January 25, 2011. Archived from the original on April 13, 2014. Retrieved April 10, 2014.
- ^ Donze, Frank (January 25, 2011). "Streetcar service along Rampart, St. Claude is getting a green light". NOLA.com. NOLA Media Group. Retrieved April 10, 2014.
- ^ Dall, Tania (March 6, 2013). "N. Rampart-St. Claude streetcar project moves forward". WWL-TV. Archived from the original on April 13, 2014. Retrieved April 10, 2014.
- ^ Vanacore, Andrew (March 7, 2013). "As New Orleans plans another streetcar line, tug of war emerges over priorities". NOLA.com. NOLA Media Group. Archived from the original on April 13, 2014. Retrieved April 10, 2014.
- ^ "Construction to Begin Soon on Streetcar Line Through the Marigny". WGNO.com. Tribune Broadcasting Company. June 24, 2014. Retrieved June 25, 2014.