The Cemeteries Terminal
Von Dullen car 2011 at the Cemeteries Terminal
The original Canal line ended here at the end of Canal Street. It’s called the “Cemeteries” terminal because that’s all there is around the end of Canal, cemeteries. The white wall behind car 2004 in the above photo is the wall around the Odd Fellows’ Rest cemetery. In the background and to the left of the car is the Fireman’s Memorial in Greenwood Cemetery.
Like the 900-series cars, the 2000-series have twin trolley poles. Look carefully at the photo above and you’ll see that both trolley poles are up on the catenary wire. This means that the operator has gone to the far end of the car and released the pole there, and then will walk back to the closer end to pull that pole down for the inbound run.
Above, car 2011 departs the terminal for its riverbound run. The two-track main line merges together to a single track at the terminal, as you can see in the top photo. The operator pulls into the single track, reverses the trolley poles, boards passengers and heads out for the French Market. Passengers line up to board the streetcar between the two green fences on the right. This fence was constructed because the left lakebound auto lane of Canal is right behind that yellow curb. You can see the yellow curb separating the riverbound auto lanes from the neutral ground on the left side of the photo. The neutral ground at the Cemeteries is too narrow for for both tracks, so the beginning of the riverbound track is actually in the auto lane. You’ll notice there is vertical traffic signal just to the right of 2011. When the operator is ready to pull out, he’ll wait for the light sequence. When he has a green light, the traffic turning onto Canal from City Park Avenue (the street running perpendicular to Canal behind the car) will be stopped. You can see the horizontally mounted traffic signals for autos just above 2011.
Now that 2011 has pulled away from the single-track terminal, 2020 (background, right) can pull into the terminal, and 2012 will inch forward as well.
Cemeteries terminal, riverbound view. On the left, 2004 is arriving at the terminal; on the right, 2005 is leaving, heading down Canal on the riverbound run. At this point, the riverbound track is in the auto lane; the neutral ground widens about a block down from here and both cars then are in the center. Car 2005 on the right is passing the main gates of St. Patrick Cemetery Number One.
RTA has finalized the plans for moving this terminal from the end of Canal Street to the beginning of Canal Blvd. See the Bus Terminal page for some shots of proposed terminal plans.
|
