St. Charles Streetcar Line

St. Charles
St. Charles Streetcar passing through the New Orleans Central Business District
Overview
OwnerNew Orleans Regional Transit Authority
Line number12
LocaleNew Orleans, Louisiana
Termini
  • South Carrollton and South Claiborne
  • Carondelet and Canal
Stations61
Service
TypeHeritage streetcar
SystemStreetcars in New Orleans
Depot(s)Carrollton Transit Station
Rolling stock900 Series Perley Thomas streetcars
457 Series Perley Thomas replica streetcars
History
OpenedSeptember 26, 1835; 189 years ago (1835-09-26)
Technical
Line length6 mi (9.7 km)[1]
Number of tracks2
CharacterPrimarily in neutral ground (central median), street running between Howard Avenue and Canal Street
Track gauge5 ft 2+12 in (1,588 mm)
ElectrificationOverhead line600 V DC
St. Charles Streetcar Line
St. Charles Streetcar Line is located in East New Orleans
St. Charles Streetcar Line
St. Charles Streetcar Line is located in Louisiana
St. Charles Streetcar Line
St. Charles Streetcar Line is located in the United States
St. Charles Streetcar Line
LocationSt. Charles Ave. route from central business district to Carrollton, New Orleans, Louisiana
Area15 acres (6.1 ha)
Built1835
Built byPerley A. Thomas, B. Booth & Co.
NRHP reference No.73000873[2]
Significant dates
Added to NRHPMay 23, 1973
Designated NHLAugust 25, 2014
Route map

Canal & Carondelet Streets
4748 49
St. Charles & Common Street
St. Charles & Union Street
Carondelet & Gravier Street
Poydras Street
Lafayette Street
Girod Street
Julia Street
St. Charles & St. Joseph Street
Howard Avenue &
Carondelet Street
Tivoli Circle
Erato Street
Martin Luther King, Jr. Boulevard /
Melpomene Street
Euterpe Street
Felicity Street
St. Andrew Street
Josephine Street
Jackson Avenue
First Street
Third Street
Washington Avenue
Sixth Street
Eighth Street
Louisiana Avenue
Foucher Street
Peniston Street
Constantinople Street
Milan Street
Napoleon Avenue
Jena Street
Cadiz Street
Bordeaux Street
Robert Street
Duffosat Street
Valmont Street
Jefferson Avenue
Joseph Street
Nashville Avenue
State Street
Webster Street
Calhoun Street
Exposition Boulevard
Tulane/Loyola
Tulane University
Walnut Street
Broadway Street
Lowerline Street
Hilary Street
Burdette Street
Fern Street
St. Charles Avenue
Maple Street
Freret Street
Oak Street
Willow Street
Carrollton Transit Station shop
Jeanette Street
Birch Street
Spruce Street
Sycamore Street
South Claiborne Avenue

The St. Charles Streetcar Line is a historic streetcar line in New Orleans, Louisiana. Running since 1835, it is the oldest continuously operating streetcar line in the world. It is operated by the New Orleans Regional Transit Authority (RTA). Officially the St. Charles Streetcar line is designated as Route 12, and it runs along its namesake, St. Charles Avenue. It is the busiest route in the RTA system as it is heavily used by local commuters and tourists. On most RTA maps and publications, it is denoted in green, which is also the color of the streetcars on this line.

The St. Charles Streetcar Line is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and is one of only two street railways that are National Historic Landmarks, along with the San Francisco cable car system.

  1. ^ Cite error: The named reference NOLA-Streetcars was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  2. ^ "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. July 9, 2010.