Along the Line

Once the streetcars leave the Central Business District, the center of Canal Street shifts from being a concrete jungle to a grass-covered “neutral ground.” This is typical of many of New Orleans’ main boulevards.

On St. Charles Avenue, the neutral ground was simply dug up and the track laid down. On Canal, however, the track is being laid on an elaborate concrete foundation. That foundation is then covered with topsoil and grass planted over it.

Above is a cross-sectional diagram of the track along the line. Click on the diagram for a very large version.

Looking lakebound on Canal from Broad Street, the first week of September, 2003. You can see the reality of the cross-section diagram above. The water in the street has plagued the crews for months; Broad and Canal is one of the lowest points on the line.

Close-up of the outbound track. You can see how the rail is set into the concrete.

Looking riverbound in the block from Rendon to Lopez. The construction is complete, topsoil, grass and palm trees have been laid on top of the concrete.

Sacred Heart Church on Canal and S. Lopez.