Type Heritage streetcar Locale New Orleans, Louisiana Services Route 49 | Status Operational Termini UPT
Elysian Fields | |
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System New Orleans Regional Transit Authority | ||
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). The line is officially designated Route 49 and is denoted with a gold color on most RTA publications.
Contents
Before the line was rerouted to its current route, it was originally called the Loyola-UPT Streetcar line, which opened on January 28, 2013. Construction started in August 2011, and the line was opened in time for New Orleans' hosting of Super Bowl XLVII. 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.
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.
Operation
The Rampart-St. Claude line operates between approximately 6 a.m. and midnight, with frequencies ranging from 15 minutes on weekday rush hour to 20 minutes on middays, the weekends and every night.
Stop listing
From Marigny to UPT