Riverfront Streetcar Line

The Riverfront Streetcar Line is a streetcar route in New Orleans, Louisiana, operated by the New Orleans Regional Transit Authority (RTA). It opened on August 14, 1988, becoming the first new streetcar line in the city in 62 years. The route runs for along the east bank of the Mississippi River, between Esplanade Avenue in the French Quarter and Julia Street near the New Orleans Convention Center.

Unlike other RTA streetcar lines, the Riverfront line operates on an exclusive right-of-way adjacent to the New Orleans Belt Railway, making it more similar in function to a light rail service. It was originally constructed with standard gauge track, but was regauged in 1997 to the wider Pennsylvania trolley gauge to standardize the track gauge across the RTA's streetcar system. The line was initially designated as Route 2, but was redesignated Route 49 on June 1, 2025.

Due to service disruptions caused by the Hard Rock Hotel collapse and ongoing construction at the nearby Four Seasons Hotel, the Riverfront line was temporarily merged with the Loyola–UPT line in 2021 to form the Loyola–Riverfront Streetcar Line (Route 49), a configuration that remained in place until June 1, 2025. The line is represented by the color blue in most RTA publications.

History

The Riverfront Streetcar Line opened on August 14, 1988, becoming the first new streetcar line in New Orleans since 1926. To equip the line, the Regional Transit Authority (RTA) repurchased and refurbished two former Perley Thomas streetcars, originally retired from the Canal line in 1964, and imported two W2-class streetcars from Melbourne, Australia. The Melbourne cars allowed for level boarding and wheelchair access, making the Riverfront line the first in the city to meet modern accessibility standards. By contrast, the historic status of the St. Charles Streetcar Line prohibited modifications to its older cars.

Initially, the line operated as a single track with one passing siding, using track. Due to high ridership, the line was temporarily closed in 1990 to install a second track. Two additional streetcars—one more Perley Thomas and another ex-Melbourne car—were added at that time, bringing the fleet to six. The Perley Thomas cars were renumbered 450, 451, and 456 (formerly 924, 919, and 952), while the Melbourne W2 cars became 452, 454, and 455 (formerly 626, 478, and 331).

By the mid-1990s, the RTA sought to further improve accessibility and standardize on a fleet that used Pennsylvania trolley gauge. This led to the development of new replica streetcars resembling the Perley Thomas design, but built with modern components. The first of these, car 457, was rebuilt from car 957 with an added wheelchair lift. Six additional cars (458–463) were constructed from scratch at the Carrollton Shops. Although two of the initial replicas used salvaged PCC components from retired Philadelphia trolleys, all seven were eventually outfitted with modern trucks and controls from the Czech manufacturer ČKD Tatra.

Concurrent with the fleet modernization, the Riverfront line was regauged in 1997 to Pennsylvania trolley gauge, matching the gauge used on the St. Charles line. A connecting track was also constructed along Canal Street to enable vehicle transfers between the lines and to allow Riverfront cars to be serviced at the Carrollton Shops. The final day of standard-gauge operation was September 6, 1997, after which the older Perley Thomas and Melbourne cars were retired. The Melbourne cars were later transferred to the Memphis Area Transit Authority for use on that city's Main Street Trolley line, while one Perley Thomas car was sent to the San Francisco Municipal Railway and the others were stored. The Riverfront line reopened on December 13, 1997, operating with the new broad-gauge cars."Systems News" section, '' Tramways & Urban Transit'' magazine, February 1998, p. 79.

In spring 2018, the section between Canal Street and Julia Street was closed due to redevelopment of the former World Trade Center New Orleans building into the Four Seasons Hotel and Private Residences New Orleans. Service was temporarily reduced to operate between French Market and Canal Street.

On October 12, 2019, a portion of the Hard Rock Hotel under construction at Canal Street and North Rampart Street collapsed, further affecting service. During this period, the Riverfront line was rerouted through the central business district, operating via Canal Street to Carondelet Street. As tracks were cleared and repaired, service extended to the Union Passenger Terminal (UPT) via Loyola Avenue.

Full Riverfront service between French Market and Julia Street resumed on June 1, 2025. At that time, the line was officially redesignated as Route 49. Full service also resumed on the Rampart/UPT line.

Service description

Hours and frequency

, the line operates daily from 6 a.m. to midnight. During core service hours, from 9 a.m. to 10 p.m., streetcars run every 20 minutes. Outside of these hours, service is provided every 30 minutes.

Station listing

The following table lists the stations of the Riverfront Line, from the French Quarter to the Convention Center area:

References

External links

Riverfront Streetcar line schedule

{{LouisianaTransit

Passenger rail transportation in Louisiana
Transportation in New Orleans
Light rail in Louisiana
Heritage streetcar systems
New Orleans
1988 establishments in Louisiana
Railway lines opened in 1988