24-04-28 PHOTOS: EAST BRIDGE JCT

In April 2024 I had the opportunity to return to New Orleans for the first time since I finished up a Sunset Limited trip there in 2016. My three night stay was intended to include a lot more of the city's music scene courtesy of travel companion that is into that sort of thing, but of course I had scheduled plenty of railfan activities, specifically visits to the City's two famous interlocking towers, CLARA ST and EAST BRIDGE JCT, and the Carrollton Carbarn where the green Perley Thomas streetcars on the St. Charles Line are based. In most of these posts I struggle for content, but in this one I am going to have to significantly pare it down so if you really like streetcar photos remember to check out the full gallery ( mirror ).

After arriving at Moisant Stock Yards International Airport I managed to catch an express bus downtown, which was better than the old local bus I took in 2009, but limited service meant nearly an hour wait at the airport. After dropping bags at the hotel I went out to join a local at Bar Tonique on Rampart, where [SCENE MISSING] until I caught RTA Red Car #2017 on Canal at St. Charles Junction.

The next morning the goal was to hit up Fatma's Cozy Corner in the Treme. Unfortunately the Rampart Line had been forced closed due to a building collapse in 2019 and my trip happened to be a month shy of the reopening so I was forced to walk the better part of a mile to the café after getting off the Canal St Line at Caliborne where RTA Red Car #2003 had bunched with #2004.

After breakfast it was back downtown via Red Car #2011 and after helping my friend not purchase a time share, it was time to ride RTA Perley Thomas class car #900 out to the Carrollton Street carhouse.

Heading outbound on the St Charles St right of way we passed green cars #953, #930 #954.

The Carrollton St carhouse kept the last bit of the New Orleans streetcar heritage going until the city began to rebuild the network in the late 1990's. The facility fits into a standard city grid block and contains everything needed to keep the 1920's vintage green cars in service.

Although vintage Perley Thomas Car Company green cars, like #922 and #948 here, take up the majority of the carhouse billets, one row stables additional historic cars and MUNI cable car #59 (for some reason). Modern Brookville red cars like #2016 can show up from time to time.

The 10 ready service tracks feature inspection pits and are covered by a high triangular arch roof to let in sun and help catch the heat. In the United States, only Philadelphia has comparable historic streetcar infrastructure.

About a half mile away from the Carrollton Carbarn was the New Orleans Sewer and Water Board's Carrollton powerhouse which generates 25hz power for about half of the storm water pumps inside the below sea level "bathtub" that most of the city sits. This pump system, along with Amtrak's and SEPTA's railroad electrification systems comprise the three surviving 25hz power grids in North America. The power is generated using a traditional boiler and steam turbine system with a group of 5 EMD 567 diesel engines acting as a backup.

After walking through a tunnel of live oaks, I caught green car #953 at Willow St Jct.

For ADA purposes the NOLA RTA has started running some green painted red cars on the St. Charles Line as the newer equipment is equipped with wheelchair lifts.

Due to running ahead of schedule, my party decided to grab a pint at the conveniently located Carrollton Station carbar.

After returning to Willow St Jct, we were greeted by a literal parade of outbound cars, #900, #906 and #951, that were all returning to the Carrollton Carbarn, presumably for a shift change.

This was followed by a 4th pull-in car, #954, before #907 finally arrived to take us back downtown.

Demand was surprisingly light so #907 ran semi-express most of the way back downtown, which I was able to capture with an open-window video.





Back downtown here are #907, #463 and #2012.

The following day was largely spent on Frenchman St so here is #2003 the Riverfront Line's northern terminus at French Market. The Riverfront Line was the first of New Orleans' streetcar revival and somewhat ironically now sees rather limited service as the NOLA waterfront generally failed to become the tourist hub planners had intended.

The next morning I went down to NOUPT's CLARA ST interlocking tower to catch the morning departure of that day's northbound Crescent Train 20. Power consisted of ALC-42 Charger #324 with P42DC #18 running behind for reliability purposes.

CLARA ST was built along with NOUPT in the 1950's and was in service until ~2005 when the terminal was put under remote control to 21ST ST tower in Chicago and then the Chicago Train Director desks. Available evidence indicates that the the relay interlocking plant was not replaced and the NX panel might still exist in the tower for local control.

New Orleans Union Passenger Terminal was opened in 1953 and is largely considered to be the last of the major urban "Union Stations" to be constructed in North America. Today it plays horst to 3 Amtrak long distance trains (Crescent, City of New Orleans, Sunset Limited) with Mardi Gras regional service soon to follow. The station also hosts Greyhound, which must be a relief to its riders since the bankrupt company was not able to sell it off.

Amtrak P32-8WH #507 was on hand as the NOUPT switcher that day. These versatile units can tow trainsets to/from the yard, power work trains and even appear at the head of passenger trains in the event of a breakdown.

After NOUPT we met up with a local who offered to drive my party over to EAST BRIDGE JCT to check out the interlocking tower and try and catch both Cities of New Orleans. EAST BRIDGE JCT, along with its partner WEST BRIDGE JCT were built by the New Orleans Public Belt Railroad a either end of the railroad's Huey P. Lewis Bridge, which opened in 1935 to connect the Port of New Orleans to railroads on the west bank of the Mississippi. The towers remained in operation until 2019, when they were finally resignaled with control of EAST BRIDGE JCT passing to Canadian National.

With Train 59 running late, Train 58 was first through EAST BRIDGE JCT, taking a chance on ALC-42 #312 being able to complete the trip on its own.

 

Southbound City of New Orleans Train #59 then appeared with P42DC #199 leading, but was forced to hold again for a westbound Union Pacific manifest freight taking the single track ladder from the NOLA Back Belt to the Huey Lewis Bridge.

Power for the Union Pacific freight was provided by AC4400 #5846, C44ACM #7301 and C44ACM #7113.

After the UP freight train cleared up, Train 59, powered by P42DC #199 and ALC42 #317, got its lineup to proceed the last few miles to NOUPT.

Well that was quite the trip. Check back next time as I stay a bit closer to home to see what's hopping at Amtrak's Race St Engine Terminal and other Philly stuff.

24-04-14 PHOTOS: FoPT #9000 Heritage Trip

As I noted in my previous video post, despite living in the area for all my life I had never attended any of the several streetcar charters the Friends of Philadelphia Trolleys puts on every year. One of the reasons was that I have attended numerous trips arranged by the Enemies of Philadelphia Trolleys, aka SEPTA, and with the complete revenue streetcar system under my belt I didn't feel much urgency to pay extra money for a few staged photoshoots. Well, for whatever reason the announcement of an April 2024 charter featuring LEV #9000, the leading member of the K-Car LRV's, in a special "Day 1" heritage paint scheme caught my eye and I signed up. What followed was a great day with great people and great weather. I almost have too many good photos to post ( mirror ), but I'll do my best to pare things down a bit.

The charter was scheduled for a Sunday to avoid disrupting service, this also meant #9000 had plenty of company in the Elmwood depot yard before the trip kicked off.

PCC 2 cars for the Route 15 were on track #25, including #2330 seen here. At this point the Route 15 trolleys were still out of service, but would return later in the year.

View inside the inspection and light repair shoppe while hitting the restroom before the charter kicked off.

The first staged photo op of the day was #9000 pulling out of Elmwood depot onto what is normally the Route 36.

The event was well attended and at $60 was a pretty good deal.

The first stop was the Route 11 terminus at the Darby Loop, reached via a short stretch of non-revenue track that crosses under the NEC before a left hand turn onto the Route 11 at the site of the historic Blue Belle tavern, which had been hit be a runaway streetcar the previous year. Note the black Dodge pickup. This was a chase vehicle that followed #9000 over the surface portions of the trip.

At the Darby Loop, LRV #9020, in revenue service, held short so that the railfans could get their photos before being allowed to pass on the bypass track.

#9000 seen here pulling out of the loop and posing for another photo.

Low angle of #9000 crossing the CSX Philly Sub in Darby.

Trip organizers stop traffic so that the trip participants could get another posed photo near 60th St where the Route 11 re-crosses the CSX Philly Sub on an overhead bridge.

Speaking of, there was quite a bit of congestion on the Philly Sub as a manifest freight on track #1 held short of 58TH ST interlocking while a NYC garbage train was holding things up on track #2.

We didn't get very far before the next photo stop near 52nd St where #9000 met an opposing Route 11 streetcar, #9008.

The next stop was the 40th St trolley portal where #9000 discharged the attendees to #9088 to head down the Route 34 before taking a spin on the circle track, before #9002 showed up on a revenue Route 13 run.

Next up was an express run through the downtown Subway Surface tunnel, followed by a photo stop at 13th St.

This was followed by a brief race with a normally "express" MFL train, which we ultimately won when it had to make the 30th St stop.



After this the #9000 exited the tunnel at the Route 10 36th St portal to pose for another photo.

From there the charter proceeded to the infrequently used 54th St turnback on the Route 10. This is located near the site of the old 52nd St passenger station on the former PRR Main Line.

While getting set up for a run-by, Amtrak's westbound Pennsylvanian Train 43 passed by in the distance.

Here is #9000 waiting for #9076 on an inbound Route 10 run to pass by before exiting the 54th St turnback and passing #9051 heading in the opposite direction towards the Malvern loop.

Near Powelton #9000 posed with some blooming cherry trees.

After second run through the trolley tunnel, the charter stopped briefly at 30th St station to get a photo of #9000 with the lead member of the in-house SEPTA design team that had worked closely with Kawasaki to make the LRV's some of the best equipment SEPTA ever purchased.

The trip then set out on the Route 34th with a photo stop at the Angora Loop.

The photo line then repositioned itself to catch #9000 exiting the loop and then turning back onto Baltimore Pike.

Up next were a pair of photo stops on the 58th St diversion track at Warrington Ave and Regent St.

After a spin around the Woodlawn heavy overhaul depot the charter made a left off 58th St and onto the Route 13 towards Darby. An approaching inbound R3 Wawa train with Silverliner IV #336 resulted in a spur of the moment photo-op on the bridge over the 49th St station.

The photo stop was a bit rushed because we were kind of blocking revenue service, but after everyone re-boarded I got this photo of outbound LRV #9027 passing inbound car #9002, which you might remember from the 40th St portal stop.

Since we had already been to Darby, the charter short turned at the Mt. Moriah Loop for another photo stop. Unfortunately we kinda forgot to reset the loop entry switch for #9027.

After departing the loop time was getting short so the charter hightailed it back to the 58th St diversion track, however after pulling off the Route 13, we found time for one more photo stop.

Due to needing to catch another train I couldn't stay for the Elmwood shoppe tour and so I'll end with this photo of K-Car #9003 on the Route 36 returning me to centre city.

As you can see this was a superb trip. The weather was perfect, #900 looked great and I want to give a special shout out to Bill Monaghan, who has been the mover and shaker behind these events for many decades.