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Table of Contents Work Begins on Second Electrified Mainline Rock Island Festival Three Update St.
Charles Avenue Line, New Orleans, Louisiana Editor’s Note: This is the third installment of the New Orleans historic electric streetcar line. New Orleans streetcars were not called trolleys. The term “trolley” is unique to electric streetcars because a trolley is actually the device used to transmit electricity from the overhead wire to the motor. Supposedly, because some form of streetcar operated in New Orleans almost 60 years before the introduction of the electric streetcar, local residents were determined that their streetcars would not be referred to as trolleys.
The Louisiana State Legislature created the Regional Transit Authority (RTA) in 1979. It was controlled by a board of commissioners who were appointed as representatives from participating local parishes (counties). The formation of RTA was to begin the transfer of bus and streetcar operation from the privately owned and operated New Orleans Public Service, Inc. (NOPSI). As a private investor-based company, NOPSI was not eligible to request federal grant money to maintain its bus and rail transit systems. Declines in ridership and revenue plagued the transit company since after World War II. Only through the city’s Office of Transit Administration could a publicly-held mass transit agency apply for federal grants or loans. Without investment from the federal government, the long-term development of New Orleans city transit was not viewed as possible. In July 1983, the RTA, NOPSI and the mayor’s Office of Transit Administration came together to form the Transit Management of Southeast Louisiana, in service to RTA. One of the last private urban mass transit companies in the United States came under the control of a public agency. Increasing its status as a valuable asset to the city, the St. Charles Avenue Electric Streetcar Line was honored again when it was declared in 1984, a National Historic Mechanical Engineering Landmark.
The Carrollton carbarn, built in 1893, was renovated with historical accuracy, as were the 35 remaining Perley Thomas streetcars. Both cosmetically and operationally restored, the refurbished cars continued to use a compressed air braking system instead of being converted to all-electric. Mechanical restoration was nonetheless conducted under the guidelines of the FTA for operating efficiency and safety. Each Perley Thomas vintage streetcar was powered by a 65-horsepower motor, which collected electricity from a 600-volt power supply. They could operate up to 28 miles per hour. The City of New Orleans maintained its status as the second largest shipping port in the United States. It also maintained its attractiveness as a destination for tourists. Known for being the birthplace of Jazz and for its other cultural amenities, notably the annual Marti Gras celebration, New Orleans capitalized on its ability to draw people to it. Some 20,000 daily commuters and visitors were riding the St. Charles Avenue Electric Streetcar Line. It was an integral part of not only the Crescent City’s public mass transit network but its culture and heritage as well. Riverfront Streetcar Line The success of the St. Charles Avenue Electric Streetcar Line as a commuter route and tourist attraction inspired RTA and the local business community to consider building a new streetcar line in a very obvious place. If streetcars could attract visitors to St. Charles Avenue, how much more would people ride the cars up and down the river bank of the great Mississippi? As a commuter route also, the idea was to offer residents and tourists easier access to riverfront businesses and attractions. The idea to build the Riverfront Streetcar Line was developed following the World’s Fair in 1984. A way to move large numbers of people quickly and easily during events such as the World’s Fair gave credence to the concept of connecting businesses on the riverfront by rail. Riverfront developments and businesses in the French Quarter were to be connected to new commercial developments in the Warehouse District. The initial 1.5-mile single track riverfront line was to be constructed within an already existing rail corridor. Freight trains served the Crescent City on the New Orleans Public Belt Railroad, a single track regional carrier with an expandable right-of-way. Finally, there was the question of what kind of rolling stock would operate. Many of the people involved wanted something appropriate to complement the Perley Thomas streetcars on St. Charles Avenue. The “Bring Our Streetcars Home” (BOSH) Committee was formed in 1984 to reclaim the Canal Street cars sold in 1964. All eleven Perley Thomas streetcars were located, but only two returned to New Orleans late the following year. Undaunted, money was being raised to build the city’s first new electric streetcar line since 1926. In 1986, the City of New Orleans, the Regional Transit Authority and the Riverfront Transit Coalition Group, Inc., created a public-private partnership to undertake such a project. Federal funding was sought through a joint application to the Federal Transit Administration. The French Market Corporation and the Downtown Development District also contributed. On August 14, 1988, the Riverfront Streetcar Line was inaugurated. In contrast to the dark green streetcars on St. Charles, the two reacquired Perley Thomas cars were painted red for use on the riverfront line. They were joined by two Australian cars, purchased by RTA in 1988. Also painted red and converted by RTA for handicap access, the W-2 double-trucked streetcars from Melbourne, Victoria, were built in 1924 and 1925. An additional Melbourne W-2 was purchased in 1989, as was another original Canal Street Perley Thomas car. Ridership on the riverfront line’s six historic streetcars exceeded estimates, which revealed a need to expand service. The federal government’s Urban Mass Transportation Administration granted $14 million to be spent on two additional construction phases to extend the line both up the river and down. The second phase included extending the line another half mile, but more significantly a much needed second track was added. More transit shelters were built and two additional wheelchair accessible Perley Thomas cars were assigned to operate the line. A new multi-level transit shelter was constructed at the Aquarium Plaza. Closed for two months during construction, the Riverfront Streetcar Line reopened in August 1990. After almost a decade of use, the Melbourne W-2 cars were retired. They were replaced by five new cars, built by RTA craftsmen at the Carrollton Barn Maintenance Facility, in 1997. The same people who restored the original Perley Thomas cars built five similar-looking modern cars. The new electric streetcars featured state-of-the-industry technology and were wheelchair accessible in compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990. The third and final phase of the Riverfront Streetcar Line project included rail extensions upriver to the Audubon Park area and down river toward the Industrial Canal. Streetcar system expansion, according to RTA, was meant to alleviate city traffic congestion, provide greater transit access for the disabled, and to comply with the Clean Air Act of 1991. The Clean Air Act was intended by the federal government to encourage communities, such as the City of New Orleans, to reduce air pollution levels caused by combustion-engine vehicle emissions. New Orleans used historic electric streetcars as a means to provide a cleaner and quieter mode of urban mass transit, while also to stimulate tourism. v
Work
Begins on Second Electrified Mainline
To meet these needs early this past year the Roswell roundhouse volunteers turned some of their efforts toward building a track from the second tracked stall of the roundhouse. That work started with the laborious task of cold bending 90 pound rail to approximately a 60 degree curve to connect the roundhouse stall track to what would become the new track. With various other restoration projects, Rock Island Days, and other events the track work proceeded intermittently throughout the summer of 2002. In December the new track reached the road east of the roundhouse crossing. Now we are ready to install the switch connecting the new track with the existing track. Next will come new doors on the second roundhouse stall followed by dual overhead wires. Just think, later this year we may see two operable cars out on track at the same time. Update on Rock Island Festival Three Kudos for a Job Well Done First off, we want to thank all the members and additional helpers who worked the weekend of August 17 and 18, 2002, to make the Rock Island Festival Three a great success. Once again, close to three hundred paying visitors came through the gates. To everyone, “a job well done.” We want to express special thanks the following:
Preparing for Rock Island Festival Four And now it’s that time again! We’re working on Rock Island Festival Four, for Saturday and Sunday, August 16 and 17, 2003. This will be the same type show, only bigger and better. We need help again, so let Steve or Jim or Howard Noble know if you would be available to help get the area ready. We hope to have N-scale, HO-scale, O-gauge, and G-scale displays, and many vendors this time. So start passing the word around and plan for another big weekend with a few surprises! New Grant Work Begins on CS&I Car No. 59 By Greg Roberts Grant work to rebuild one of the 1924 Taylor trucks for car no. 59 started Monday, December 16 with shipment of both trucks to Uhrich Locomotive in Strasburg, Colorado. Although this grant pays for rebuilding only one truck, both were shipped to Uhrich. At Strasburg the trucks will be indoors out of the weather. Although there will be documentation, having the second truck intact serves as the ultimate guide for a complete assembly. Having both trucks available at the same location facilitates determining if any differences exist between them. There is also the option of using parts from the second truck to provide greater time to repair or fabricate replacement parts.
When the CS&I (Colorado Springs and Interurban) ceased operations Car No. 59’s trucks almost certainly went to a scrap dealer. Built by Laclede Car Company in 1901, Car No. 59 is one of only five intact Laclede cars known to exist in the world today. Laclede built cars for 16 major U.S. cities and 14 countries between the early 1880s and 1904 when the St. Louis Car Company bought them. Almost all were burned for their scrap metal. Acquiring a pair of original Laclede trucks is a virtual impossibility. Building a set of replicas would be extremely expensive. Even rebuilding any trolley truck can be expensive because the extent of repairs required is not known until the truck is taken apart. The Pikes Peak Historical Street Railway Foundation and the Colorado State Historical Fund, which funded this grant, developed a strategy to prevent running out of money for the truck rebuild. Estimates were based on assumptions that the motors would not require rewinding and that no major structural damage to any mechanical components existed. We assumed that replacement of wheel bearings and brake shoes would be needed. The estimated costs came to approximately half of the grant request, approximately $107,000. Rather than attempt to rebuild both trucks under this grant and then find out we had a major cost overrun, with the State Historical Fund’s concurrence, the second half of the grant request is for items that can be cancelled if unforeseen problems with the first truck are discovered. These items include replacement seat frames for the missing Hale & Kilburn seats, refinishing the remaining three wooden corner seats and building a replacement for the missing fourth, and replacement window glazing. If everything goes well with this rebuild, then we will seek a grant next year for the second truck. The third year will focus on the electric controls and brake system. Meanwhile labor intensive, low material cost work continues such as restoring the quarter sawn oak paneling. If you live in the Colorado Springs region, or are just visiting, please feel free to come down some Saturday and see the progress on car no. 59. Each truck weighs 5 tons so loading required some heavy-duty equipment from Randy’s Towing. Randy’s Towing from Colorado Springs and Adams Trucking from Commerce City both gave us bargain basement rates for the move, which we gratefully appreciate.
John’s
History Corner by John Haney
Copyright © 2003 Pikes Peak Historical Street Railway Foundation. For corrections or suggestions, please contact colospringstrolleys@att.net. |
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Copyright © 2006, Pikes Peak Historical Street Railway Foundation
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The
oldest continually operated street railway in the world was transporting
commuters and tourists alike down the median of St. Charles Avenue. It connected
the Garden District and the universities of Tulane and Loyola with downtown New
Orleans. From the north end of the Carrollton neighborhood at South Claiborne
and South Carrollton avenues, restored bi-directional streetcars traversed St.
Charles Avenue on “neutral ground.” Streetcar stops were located about every
two blocks. Patrons knew they were entering the Crescent City’s Central
Business District when true street running and mixing with automobile traffic
began. Operating over only one block of Canal Street, the St. Charles Avenue
Electric Streetcar Line terminated at Carondelet and Canal streets. 
With
federal funding available, the Regional Transit Authority could conduct a major
street railway overhaul program, which it began in 1988. Major projects included
renovating the track, streetcars, and the Carrollton Barn Maintenance Facility.
The Federal Transit Administration (FTA) granted RTA $35 million of the $47
million required to cover costs. The overhaul program was completed in 1992. 
The
day nears when the Birney Car will roll out from the Roswell roundhouse under
its own power. We also have the Belgian car as a dead weight blocking the Birney’s
escape route to freedom on the great track beyond (O.K. it’s only 600 feet for
now, but we have plans). With the new grant from the Colorado State Historical
Fund, Car No. 59 restoration is picking up speed with a rollout three years from
now planned. Car No. 2129 needs some cosmetic repair work best done inside the
roundhouse. All of this adds up to a need for more track including the
capability to shuffle the order of cars.
Built
by Taylor in Troy, New York in 1924 for the Boston MTA (Metropolitan Transit
Authority), the trucks were last overhauled in the early 1950s. They served
under a work car until that car was scrapped. Fred Perry of Seashore Trolley
discovered the trucks in the scrap dealers yard. Fred’s efforts enabled the
acquisition of the trucks for their value in scrap metal, a real bargain.
The
thirty-foot, half-open, half-closed “combination” cars, used mainly in the
1890’s, were probably a hit with passengers on those warm winter days, with
temperatures in the teens in the early morning and 50 or even 60 degrees by
early afternoon. The motorman might not necessarily share the same opinion,
since he had to operate his vehicle standing on the outside platform totally
exposed to all elements at all times, day and night. One photo taken in
mid-winter shows a motorman dressed in a fur coat, boots up to the knees,
mittens, and a fur collar. A hot stone was used to help keep his feet warm.
Passengers on the inside fared little better. Later, city ordinances required
the streetcar company to enclose vestibules and heat them as well as the
passenger compartment. Stoves were first used, but were replaced around the turn
of the century by electric heaters. These took up no room in the car, were
clean, and distributed the heat better. Built by Pullman in 1892, seven
combination cars constituted the company’s first attempt to give patrons the
best of all possible worlds for either summer or winter riding. They operated
principally on the Colorado City-Manitou and Tejon Street-Broadmoor lines. Their
link and pin couplers enabled them to haul eight-bench open trailers during rush
periods. It would be wonderful if our Foundation could possess this type of
trolley to help complete our roster of Colorado Springs streetcards of the past.
[From Pikes Peak Trolleys.]