Riding the Streetcar

At more than 150 years old, he New Orleans Streetcars is the oldest continuously operating street railway system in existence. These thrifty passenger cars and its pathway – the medium of St. Charles Avenue -- are official Historic Landmarks, as well as a primary mode of transportation in town. St. Charles Avenue is a delightfully scenic route, as it is home to several mansions in the Garden District, the campuses of Loyola and Tulane University and the beautiful grounds of Audubon Park and Audubon Zoo.

The original streetcar line was the New Orleans and Carrollton Railroad, which was founded in 1835 to connect New Orleans with the city of Carrollton (long ago incorporated into New Orleans). The 35 olive-green cars operating today are Perley Thomas Arch Roof-900 Series models, built in 1923-4 by the Perley A. Thomas Car Co. in High Point, North Carolina. Each car has a 52-passenger capacity.

Once the city's only form of public transportation, the streetcar today is still serious transportation for many New Orleanians. The rumbling cars are a true bargain at $1.25 one-way, and provide a sightseeing excursion from Canal Street to Carrollton and back, which is 13.13 miles or about 90 minutes. A ride on the St. Charles Streetcar is a charming introduction to the City of New Orleans. Additionally, they have been portrayed in many works of art, including the Streetcar’s most renowned reference  -- Tennessee Williams' famous play, "A Streetcar Named Desire". It is the opening scene in the play where Blanche Dubois descends from one of these cars that ran along Desire Street.

 

One can ride along the riverfront as well via the "Ladies in Red" streetcars. The seven vintage streetcars painted red with gold trim are an historical reference to the old French Market line which followed part of the same route. Some cars are Perley Thomas and some are Melbourne W2, accessible to the disabled. The fare is $1.25 one way. This 1.9 mile line, the first to open in the city since 1926, became operational in August of 1988. It conveniently connects the cultural and commercial developments along the revitalized riverfront. An ambitious $14 million expansion project is now underway involving two-directional tracks, additional shelters, a half-mile extension of the line, and a streetcar museum. Also the “Ladies” will drop you off directly in front of the modern Aquarium of the Americas, across the street from which is the newly opened Harrah’s Casino.

 

Note: the streetcars, especially the Charles Street cars, can get very crowded at peak hours. However, they arrive at their particular (and plentiful) stops about every five minutes or so and a ride is worth waiting for if you want to experience true New Orleans culture.