PAGE UPDATES:
Added new photos of no. 1002 and 1004 on 12/01/22.
Added new photo of no. 1008 on 09/07/20.
NOPSI OPERATION:
Streetcar, trolley coach, and motor coach lines used to travel the interior streets
of the French Quarter. City Park and
Esplanade ran via Dauphine, Canal, and Burgundy. Desire, Franklin, and Express 92
ran via Royal, Canal, and Bourbon.
But in the late sixties and early seventies, preservation movements began to maintain
the historic nature of the
Quarter and its buildings. One of the objectives was to minimize heavy traffic that could
place stress on foundations
and walls. Another was to provide pedestrian malls on Royal and Bourbon Streets.
NOPSI was already detouring buses off the latter two streets from Royal via Orleans, Dauphine, Canal, Burgundy,
and Esplanade to the regular Desire, Franklin, and 92 lines during 1973.
Public Service cooperated with the goals
by routing all full-size buses on perimeter streets (North Peters, Decatur, Canal,
North Rampart, and Esplanade).
Desire, Franklin, and 92 circled the Quarter. City Park used Basin and Crozat,
Esplanade used N. Rampart and Basin. These moves benefitted NOPSI bus lines by speeding
up service around congestion.
To replace interior service, the new Vieux Carré bus line was introduced January 1, 1974.
This line had two routes
that started at Royal and Elysian Fields. Peak hour buses ran via Royal, Canal, and Bourbon.
Off-peak buses ran via
Royal, Esplanade, Dauphine, Iberville, Chartres, St. Peter, N. Rampart, St. Ann, Chartres to
Elysian Fields. During peak
hours, the new Bourbon Street pedestrian mall barriers were removed.
For the service, Public Service introduced eight Flxette 512KE-F73 buses (nos. 1000-1007)
with trolley-style bodies built at Carrollton Shops. The buses wore olive green
and red streetcar colors.
The Flxettes were supplemented in 1981 with
three Wayne Transettes on Chevy chassis in white livery and numbered 1008-1010. These cutaway buses
were not modified to look like trolleys.
NORTA OPERATION:
RTA acquired the Vieux Carré bus line on July 1, 1983. Apparently the three Wayne Transettes did not
last too long, because late that year RTA bought fifteen Carpenter CBW-300 buses numbered 1008-1023.
Buses of this series were used on the French Quarter line.
Under RTA ownership, a single route was implemented: from Royal and Elysian Fields via Royal,
Esplanade, Dauphine, Baronne, Poydras, Convention Center Blvd., U-turn at Howard Ave.,
Convention Center, Poydras, Water, Canal, Chartres, Toulouse, Decatur, Dumaine, Chartres, Elysian Fields.
In the 1989 enumeration of routes, Vieux Carré was numbered 3.
The Carpenters were replaced by Boyertown TVB292 buses.
After Hurricane Katrina, the 3 Vieux Carré bus line was not restored.
The Riverfront streetcar, the 5 Marigny Bywater bus, and the 55 Elysian Fields bus give
service to the Decatur/North Peters corridor along the Mississippi River.
FLXETTE 1000:
First of the series Flxette 1000 at Royal and Conti Sts. on November 13, 1973. Introduction of the Vieux Carré vehicles.
Scan of a press photo added 05/22/19.
Flxette 1000 on March 18, 1975. Scan of a Times-Picayune photo added 12/03/18.
Flxette 1000 on Dauphine at Bienville Sts in a photo by Earl Hampton, Jr. The light color building on
the left is the Chateau LeMoyne hotel. One photo added 04/12/11.
FLXETTE 1002:
Flxette 1002 in a tight closeup slide (uncredited) in February 1976. Added 10/09/17.
An uncredited slide of Flxette 1002 somewhere in the Quarter. Added 12/01/22.
Flxette 1002 is featured in a Jenkins Enterprises postcard advertising Bourbon Street; cross street is St. Peter.
On the left is the 500 Club burlesque house, once owned by Leon Prima (Louis' brother) and in 2011 home to Bourbon Street Blues Company. Quoting the reverse: "By Day, fine restaurants, interesting patios, curio shops and art galleries.
By night, Jazz bands, famous entertainers and dancing girls. Entertainment to suit every individual.
Also seen is the Street Car Bus." One photo added 09/19/11.
FLXETTE 1003:
Flxette 1003 at Iberville and Royal Sts. on the off-peak loop of the French Quarter.
To the right is a garage of Solari Parking, now known as Solaris's Parking.
In the background is a black sign for Felix's Restaurant and Oyster Bar.
Flxette 1003 at the Royal St. and Esplanade Ave. terminal in the early 1980s.
One photo added 03/19/11.
FLXETTE 1004:
An uncredited slide of Flxette 1004 somewhere in the Quarter. Added 12/01/22.
Flxette 1004 at Canal and Basin Streets in the early 1980s is probably heading for Canal Station.
FLXETTE 1005:
Flxette 1005 at Chartres and Wilkinson Sts. on the first day of service on the Vieux Carré line, January 1, 1974. Press photo by R. Uribe
from my collection added 04/07/19.
GMC 266B and Flxette 1005 are among the buses at rest in Canal Station.
One photo added 04/12/11.
FLXETTE 1007:
Flxette 1007 on December 26, 1973, right before the start of service on New Year's Day 1974. Scan of a Times-Picayune photo added 12/03/18.
Flxette 1007 at Royal and Ursulines Sts. on April 5, 1974. Scan of a Times-Picayune press photo added 11/06/19.
Flxette 1007 at an unknown location (my study of Google Maps Street View didn't come up with any conclusive information)
in May 1974. One scan of an uncredited slide added 11/06/19.
Flxette 1007 at Dauphine St. and Esplanade Ave. in 1975. Scans of two uncredited slides added 11/06/19.
WAYNE TRANSETTE 1008:
From the press release taped to the back of the print of Wayne 1008: "A New Orleans Public Service Transit employee
puts the finishing touches on one of the new Wayne Transette vans being readied for operation in the French Quarter.
Two of the 17-passenger Transettes are being added to the fleet of minibuses which operate on the Vieux Carre line of
Public Service." This caption is dated May 18, 1981. I remember them in service. Scan of a press photo in my collection
added 09/13/20.
CARPENTER 1021:
Here is Carpenter 1021 signed for Vieux Carré at rest in the Canal Station in early 1984.
BOYERTOWN 1043:
In the late 1980s, the RTA bought Boyertown trolley-bodied buses to replace the original replicas.
Here is 1043 turning at Decatur and Dumaine (just past Tujague's restaurant)
in April 1991.
Boyertown 1043 at Baronne and Canal Sts. in December 1991. Note Lerner Shops on Canal, three doors in from Dauphine.
BOYERTOWN 1048:
Boyertown "trolley" 1048 on St. Charles Ave. during the 1990 track reconstruction project in a shot by Earl W. Hampton, Jr.
They filled in local service while Perley Thomas cars ran single track through construction areas. One photo added 04/12/11.
BOYERTOWN 1049:
Boyertown 1049 with car 29 on St. Charles Ave. during track reconstruction in February 1990. Photo by Earl Hampton, Jr. added 10/11/17.
Boyertown 1049 at Arabella Station in November 1992. Photo by Earl Hampton, Jr. added 10/11/17.
CHANCE 6:
The last buses used were Chance RT-50 trolley body conversions
from the late 1990s. Here is number 6 on the 3 Vieux Carré line at Canal
and Burgundy Sts. in November 2001. Construction of the future Canal streetcar line out
from this point was beginning.
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