Rampart–St. Claude Streetcar Line

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 1.6 mi (2.6 km).[1] The line is officially designated Route 49 and is denoted with a gold color on most RTA publications.

Rampart–St. Claude Streetcar line
Mayor Mitch Landrieu with the St. Augustine Purple Knights Marching Band at opening celebrations for the new Loyola Avenue streetcar line on January 28, 2013.
Overview
Status	Operational
Owner	New Orleans Regional Transit Authority
Locale	New Orleans, Louisiana
Termini	UPT Elysian Fields
Service
Type	Heritage streetcar
System	New Orleans Regional Transit Authority
Services	Route 49
Operator(s)	New Orleans Regional Transit Authority
History
Opened	January 28, 2013 (as Loyola-UPT line) October 2, 2016 (current line configuration)
Technical
Line length	1.6 mi (2.6 km) (total)
Character	Runs in traffic lanes next to the neutral ground
Track gauge	5 ft 2 ^1⁄2 in (1,588 mm)
Electrification	600 V DC trolley wire
Route map Elysian Fields Avenue Pauger Street Esplanade Avenue Ursulines Street St. Ann Street Conti Street Canal and Rampart     Poydras Street Hyatt Regency Julia Street Union Terminal

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 the current Rampart–St. Claude line as part of the Rampart Streetcar construction project that began in April 2015.

Route description

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.

Operation

The Rampart–St. Claude line normally operates between approximately 6 a.m. and midnight, with a frequency of every 20 minutes throughout service times.

However, on October 12, 2019, a building under construction at the corner of Canal Street and N. Rampart Street collapsed, blocking the line (see Hard Rock hotel collapse). Currently, the portion of the line between Canal and Elysian Fields cannot be served by rail. The Loyola-UPT portion of the line, along Loyola Avenue, is served by Canal-Cemeteries streetcars 24 hours a day.

Stop listing

A typical light rail-style streetcar stop on the Rampart–St. Claude line.

From Marigny to UPT

Stop	Neighborhood(s)	Other streetcar lines	Notes
By way of St. Claude Avenue
Elysian Fields Avenue	Marigny, Seventh Ward		Northern terminus of line. 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		Major transfer point to Canal Streetcar Line and many RTA buses serving downtown 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		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		Serves Champions Square, City Hall, Civil District Court, Duncan Plaza, Mercedes-Benz Superdome, and Smoothie King Center.
Hyatt Regency New Orleans Hotel (inbound only)	Downtown, Central Business Street		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
Union Passenger Terminal (UPT)	Downtown, Central Business District		Connects with RTA buses (no direct connection at UPT), Amtrak, and Greyhound Lines.

Proposed expansion

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.

These plans are considered unlikely to be fulfilled.[8][9][10][11][12]

References

1. 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.
2. "Streetcars in New Orleans". NewOrleansOnline.com. The Official Tourism Site of the City of New Orleans. 2013. Retrieved July 16, 2013.
3. "Loyola Avenue streetcar line construction ramps up". NOLA.com. NOLA Media Group. August 16, 2011. Retrieved April 10, 2014.
4. Strassmann, Mark (February 1, 2013). "The streetcar makes a comeback in New Orleans". New Orleans: CBS News. Retrieved April 10, 2014.
5. "Loyola Streetcar a winner for New Orleans". Fast Lane (blog). United States Department of Transportation. January 28, 2013. Retrieved April 10, 2014.
6. Buchanan, Susan (January 22, 2013). "Loyola streetcar starts to roll". The Louisiana Weekly. Retrieved April 10, 2014.
7. Maldonado, Charles (January 28, 2013). "Photos: Loyola Streetcar grand opening ceremony and inaugural ride". BestofNewOrleans.com. Gambit. Retrieved April 10, 2014.
8. "Mayor Landrieu and Regional Transit Authority Announce French Quarter Streetcar Expansion". New Orleans Regional Transit Authority. January 25, 2011. Retrieved April 10, 2014.
9. 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.
10. Dall, Tania (March 6, 2013). "N. Rampart-St. Claude streetcar project moves forward". WWL-TV. Retrieved April 10, 2014.
11. Vanacore, Andrew (March 7, 2013). "As New Orleans plans another streetcar line, tug of war emerges over priorities". NOLA.com. NOLA Media Group. Retrieved April 10, 2014.
12. "Construction to Begin Soon on Streetcar Line Through the Marigny". WGNO.com. Tribune Broadcasting Company. June 24, 2014. Retrieved June 25, 2014.

External links

• Rampart–St. Claude Streetcar line schedule