New Orleans' streetcars are looking better than they have in a long
time. The recent thorough rebuilding of the historic cars has restored
them nearly to their original appearance. Brand new wheelchair accessible
cars built for the Riverfront line look very much like their older siblings.
(However, they're missing the gear noise and the "pucka-pucka-pucka" of
the air compressor.)
| St. Charles Line Streetcars |
| 900 series |
Built in 1923-1924 by Perley A. Thomas, High Point, North Carolina |
| Riverfront Line Streetcars |
| 457 |
Built as a prototype replica streetcar at Carrollton Shops in 1996,
using the shell of original Perley Thomas car 957. Trucks and other components
are from retired Philadelphia PCC cars. |
| 458 |
Replica streetcar built from scratch at Carrollton Shops, with trucks
and other components from retired Philadelphia PCC cars. |
| 459-463 |
Replica streetcars built from scratch at Carrollton Shops. Running
gear is new PCC-type from Tatra in the Czech Republic. |
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Cars 932 and 906 are seen street-running on St. Charles
Avenue at Poydras Street. |
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A few blocks further along, 968 is seen crossing Julia
Street. |
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Car 923 turns from Canal Street onto St. Charles Avenue
in the morning sunshine. |
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At the turnaround loop at the east end of the St. Charles
line, Car 920 makes its one-block run on Canal Street. Tracks for the new
Canal Street line are also seen on the neutral ground; this route is currently
served by buses. |
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Car 905 and RTA bus 97343, a 1997 Orion V, meet on Canal
Street. |
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An interior view of car 953 on Canal Street. Original
seats are made of cherry, recent replacements are mahogany. Both types
can be seen in this photo. |
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Car 968 waits to enter the Carrollton Avenue terminus
at South Claiborne. |
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Cars 923 and 953 occupy the two tail tracks at the Carrollton
Avenue terminus as 968 waits for its turn. |
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Another view of 923 and 953 side by side. |
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This view of Riverfront car 457 shows the replica streetcar's
door for the wheelchair lift. There is a lift on both sides of the new
cars. |
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Car 457 departs the Riverfront line's Julia Street station. |
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An overhead view of car 457 pulling into the station
at Canal Street. |
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Work car 29 and Riverfront car 462 sit together in the
Carrollton car barn. |
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Car 920 travels down the neutral ground on Carrollton
Avenue. |
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Passengers board car 934 at a typical car stop on Carrollton
Avenue The track cutting off to the left leads to the car barn. |
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A full car 921 departs the Carrollton Avenue terminus. |
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Now running outbound, car 921 is seen entering Lee Circle. |
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Riverfront car 463 is stopped at the Bienville Avenue
station in the evening sun. |
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A nighttime interior view of car 965. |