New Orleans — Canal Streetcar Extended

Rail Transit Online, March 2006 

Streetcar service on the entire Canal Street line will resume Apr. 2, although the spur to City Park along Carrollton Street will remain closed.  Last December, the Regional Transportation Authority resumed rail operations on the Riverfront line and along Canal from the river to Crozat Street using Perley Thomas streetcars undamaged by Hurricane Katrina.  Then in February, the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority donated a portable electric substation that would provide enough power for the entire Canal route until the city’s storm-damaged infrastructure could be repaired.  However, an inspection found the complex traffic signal controller at the intersection of Canal and Carrollton needed to be repaired.  RTA officials believe it would be too dangerous to switch streetcars onto the spur without signals.  Replacement parts must be ordered from Germany but the order first has to be approved by the Federal Emergency Management Agency. 

Note: Subsequent to this above being published service did resume on April 2 on he Canal line both to the Cemeteries at the outer end of Canal and on the City Park branch along North Carrollton. The RTA decided to place supervisory personnel at the Canal/North Carrollton intersection to allow cars to make the turn and enable service to City Park even before the special equipment is obtained from Germany.