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New Orleans: The Canal Streetcar Line

The First Day of Revenue Service, 18-April-2004

Von Dullen Car 2004 leaving the Randolph barn, 3:10AM, 18-April-2004

Around 3:10am (I didn't look at the exact time), Von Dullen car 2004 left the barn at the Randolph SIS facility at Canal and N. Gayoso as run 01 on 18-April-2004.  The car turned lakebound onto Canal.  It stopped just past Gayoso and boarded a full load of passengers at $1.25 each.  After a delay that you would expect when enough passengers for three cars are waiting to board, 2004 headed up towards the Cemeteries terminal.  About a minute after 2004 left, 2013 pulled out of the barn as run X1, boarded a full load, and headed lakebound as well. 

2013 Pulling into the Cemeteries Terminal, about 3:35am, 18-April-2004

I didn't ride the first run; I made that decision when I set my alarm for 2:45 and just drove over to Randolph after the crowd had formed up.  I shot photos of both cars, then jumped in my Jeep and headed to the Cemeteries.  2004 had already pulled into the terminal and unloaded; this was, after all, a revenue run.  Everyone had to re-board and pay another buck-and-a-quarter for the first run down to the French Market terminal on the Riverfront line.  I waved good-bye to 2004 and 2013 was about six minutes behind.

Streetcar fans Earl Hampton (left) and Otto Goessel on car 2013, 18-Apr-2004

I ran into a bunch of people, of course.  My sister had a bunch of media folks out, along with Da Paper and other photographers.  I heard from a couple of people that some folks were angry because they was some issue with who got on 2004.  If I got the story right, some folks had been out there since 1am.  RTA had a list of the order of the line, but the operator of 2004 pulled up short of where the line originated.  Not knowing any better, he began boarding the group, and some of the people who had been there a while missed the 01 run and had to go on the 01X run.  A few feathers were ruffled.  I also ran into Peter Ehrlich from San Francisco, my friend Ray Broussard from my old New Orleans Mailing List, and long-time streetcar buffs, Earl Hampton and Otto Goessel.  It was a particular pleasure to meet Otto.  He's a retired NOPSI employee and many of his photos are in the Hennick and Charlton book on streetcars.  I also ran into a fraternity brother from college, Eric Hartman.  Eric's now an artist, and he did a great painting of a Von Dullen car passing in front of Mandina's Restaurant on Canal that he absolutely has to make into a poster for wider distribution.  The painting is hanging over the bar at Mandina's.  Eric's website is www.art-man.com, if you'd like to see some of his work. 

Boarding car 2004 at Randolph, 18-April-2004

At the cemeteries, I mentioned that I was going to jump back in the car and catch the 04 run at Beauregard Circle, because that car was supposed to be the first one to turn onto N. Carrollton from Canal.  Next thing you know, I've got Eric, Otto, and Earl in the car with me.  Off we went down City Park Avenue to Carrollton.  The car hadn't made it there yet, so Otto suggest I head back to Canal, and we could photograph the car somewhere on N. Carrollton.  We got all the way back to Canal and pulled into the supermarket parking lot when car 2009 was just pulling up to the stop.  We hopped on board and took the first revenue run of a streetcar ever on N. Carrollton Avenue.  The car was nowhere near as packed as the first two (the 03 run also went to the Cemeteries; don't know how crowded it was, though).  The trolley pole popped off the wire a couple of times on the way to City Park, so it was a slow ride outbound.  We got off, I said good-bye to Eric (who could walk home from there), and the rest of us re-boarded for the inbound run.  We got some speed up on the inbound leg, so we had a really enjoyable trip up Carrollton.  I got off at Canal and headed back home to rest up for going back out later in the day.