Canal St. is one of America's widest downtown
thoroughfares. For many decades
earlier in the city's history the inner portion of Canal St. carried four tracks busy
with streetcars. As the city's public transportation system
was converted almost entirely to buses the trackage contracted.
After the original Canal car line was abandoned in 1964, the only
remaining rail running anywhere along the street was one block of
single-track running used
by city's last line, the St. Charles Streetcar.
Renewed interest in electric urban rail transportation brought back
tracks and a revived route to Canal St. in 2004. The line
leaves its junction with the Riverfront Streetcar close to the
Mississippi, and extends more than three miles to the Cemeteries terminal.
Not too far from the outbound end a second branch turns off at N. Carrollton Ave. to reach City Park/Museum.
As for the peculiar switch and additional trackage to the left in
this view, some day it is anticipated that additional service,
"A Streetcar Named Desire," will terminate downtown by
looping along streets in
this area. |
