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 49 and is denoted with a gold color on most RTA publications.
Rampart–St. Claude
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
Status
Partially operating, closed east of Canal Street and interlined with Riverfront Streetcar
Before the line was rerouted to its current route, it was originally called the Loyola-UPT Streetcar line, which opened on January 28, 2013.[2] Construction started in August 2011, and the line was opened in time for New Orleans' hosting of Super Bowl XLVII.[3][4] It was reconfigured to become the Rampart–St. Claude line as part of the Rampart Streetcar construction project that began in April 2015.
The 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.[5]
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.[6][7]
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.
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.[8]
The route had been expected to reopen in March or April 2023,[9] but as of July 2023, it was still running in combination with the Riverfront line.[10] The line is now expected to reopen in 2024[11]
Operationedit
The Rampart–St. Claude line normally operates between approximately 6 a.m. and midnight, with a frequency of every 20 minutes throughout service times.
Stop listingedit
A typical light rail-style streetcar stop on the Rampart–St. Claude line.
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
Original 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.
^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.
^"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.
^"New Orleans RTA". New Orleans RTA. Retrieved July 15, 2023.
^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). . WWL-TV. Archived from the original on April 13, 2014. Retrieved April 10, 2014.
^Vanacore, Andrew (March 7, 2013). . 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.
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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 49 and is denoted with a gold color on most RTA publications Rampart St ClaudeMayor Mitch Landrieu with the St Augustine Purple Knights Marching Band at opening celebrations for the Loyola Avenue streetcar line on January 28 2013 OverviewStatusPartially operating closed east of Canal Street and interlined with Riverfront StreetcarOwnerNew Orleans Regional Transit AuthorityLine number49LocaleNew Orleans LouisianaTerminiNew Orleans Union Passenger Terminal UPT Elysian FieldsStations11ServiceTypeHeritage streetcarSystemStreetcars in New OrleansDepot s A Philip Randolph Operations FacilityRolling stock2000 Series Perley Thomas replica streetcarsHistoryOpenedJanuary 28 2013 11 years ago 2013 01 28 TechnicalLine length2 4 mi 3 9 km Number of tracks2CharacterRuns in traffic lanes next to the neutral groundTrack gauge5 ft 2 1 2 in 1 588 mm ElectrificationOverhead line 600 V DCRoute mapLegendFrench MarketUrsulines StreetDumaine StreetToulouse StreetBienville StreetCanal StreetRoute 3 to Convention Center closed Harrah s Casino 47 48Peters StreetMagazine DecaturCamp ChartresSt Charles RoyalCarondelet BourbonBaronne DauphineRoute 49 to Elysian Fields closed Rampart47 48 Canal Streetcar LinePoydras StreetHyatt RegencyJulia StreetUnion Passenger Terminal UPT Normal routing closed Elysian Fields AvenuePauger StreetEsplanade AvenueUrsulines StreetSt Ann StreetConti StreetCanal and Rampart 47 48Poydras StreetHyatt RegencyJulia StreetUnion Passenger Terminal UPT This diagram viewtalkeditBefore the line was rerouted to its current route it was originally called the Loyola UPT Streetcar line which opened on January 28 2013 2 Construction started in August 2011 and the line was opened in time for New Orleans hosting of Super Bowl XLVII 3 4 It was reconfigured to become the Rampart St Claude line as part of the Rampart Streetcar construction project that began in April 2015 Contents 1 Route description 2 Operation 3 Stop listing 4 Proposed expansion 5 References 6 External linksRoute 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 Treme 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 5 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 6 7 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 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 8 The route had been expected to reopen in March or April 2023 9 but as of July 2023 it was still running in combination with the Riverfront line 10 The line is now expected to reopen in 2024 11 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 nbsp A typical light rail style streetcar stop on the Rampart St Claude line From Marigny to UPT Stop Neighborhood s Other streetcar lines NotesBy way of St Claude AvenueElysian Fields Avenue Marigny Seventh Ward Serves Frenchmen Entertainment DistrictPauger Street Marigny Seventh WardBy way of McShane Place two blocks then North Rampart StreetEsplanade Avenue French Quarter Marigny Seventh Ward TremeUrsulines Street French Quarter TremeSt Ann Street French Quarter Treme 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 IbervilleCanal and Rampart Streets Downtown Central Business District French Quarter 47 48 Major transfer point to Canal Streetcar Line and many RTA busesServes Saenger TheatreBy way of Elk Place from Canal to Tulane then Loyola Avenue to UPTTulane Avenue Downtown Central Business District Biomedical District Serves LSU Health Sciences Center New Orleans New Orleans Public Library and Tulane HospitalLoyola Avenue transitions from Elk PlacePoydras Street Downtown Central Business District Serves Champions Square City Hall Civil District Court Duncan Plaza Mercedes Benz Superdome and Smoothie King CenterHyatt Regency New Orleans Hotel Downtown Central Business Street Serves Hyatt Regency New Orleans HotelStop located near Girod Street in the Bloch Cancer Survivors PlazaLinked by walkway leading from South Rampart and Lafayette StreetsJulia Street Downtown Central Business DistrictUnion Passenger Terminal UPT Downtown Central Business District Connects with Amtrak and Greyhound LinesProposed 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 12 13 14 15 16 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 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 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 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 New Orleans RTA New Orleans RTA Retrieved July 15 2023 https www norta com current projects rampartstreetcar 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 External links editRampart St Claude Streetcar line scheduleKML file edit help Template Attached KML Rampart St Claude Streetcar LineKML is not from Wikidata Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Rampart St Claude Streetcar Line amp oldid 1181659820, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
