Historic streetcars

[Cadenza]

I am so happy to read that there are plans for a little bit of the once oldest continously operating streetcar line in the world to be running by the end of this year. It is only the nine blocks between Canal St. and Lee Circle. This was always my least favorite part of the trip from Uptown to the Quarter. I loved passing the old historic homes and businesses along St. Charles. The rest of the line isn't expected to be ready before the end of 2007.

Until reading the article in today's Shreveport Times, I didn't realize that all but one of the new "red ladies" cars had been destroyed. They were flooded out in their storage barn. It is a relief that the truly historic green cars are at least safe though not in service. The red cars, air-conditioned and run by computer, never had the same ambience as the old line. They were more simply a way to get from one shopping area to another along the river.

New Orleans will not feel at all "normal" to me until I can hear the rumble of the old cars down St. Charles.