Wanting to get back into a little history, I chose to take
a look at New Orleans, once my home for 3 years, a very
formative time in my life where I was absorbing everything
around me. New Orleans had a lot to absorb. The trains
I rode back then were the streetcars. I never wanted to
get off and couldn't wait to get on, even when a visit to
the orthodontist was my destination. The few people I
knew liked railroads and as 11 year old kids we had a "fort"
on the edge of a huge yard in the vicinity of Broad St. I re-
member a dare was made to run inside of a caboose that
was sitting out on the rails. No one took it, but, Kim and
I tried to start a diesel at the lumber yard and were caught.
My mother had to fetch me and all hell broke out when
my dad showed up. But, I can still see the cab of that diesel.
So, like I said, when I needed a new History Hunts project,
New Orleans was an easy target. This is what I've
collected so far using excerpts from this Federal Writer's
Project tour and many websites as guides. Below is an
assemblage of my notes.
The Cresent City Choo Choo /New Orleans Public Library
was invaluable in my attempt here.
A short summary of the ferries and their landing locations
somehow expanded. The history of New Orleans is so
fascinating that this report could become endless. I hated
to stop, but I found I was becoming obsessive, yet again.
Using the Federal Writer's Project as an outline, here we go.
If you can't read the writing, either zoom your browser IN
or click on the picture of the words, they will expand, hit the
"X" on the right and you will be back here.
The Gouldsborro was the first T&P ferry.
I have to know exactly where historical places are.
Points of interest are the Texas
and Pacific RR Depot on Annuciation St. and the Trans
Mississippi's RR Co. landing which would have been
basically under the Cresent City Connection Bridge.
L&N Julia St. location:
Morgan's first ferry location, below. The New Orleans
Northeastern is seen headed up Press St., on its way to Slidell.
The Southern Pacific's ferry was the Mastodon.
The Mastodon ferry barge was towed across the river.
I am getting the idea that the SP landed its passenger
trains / cars at one landing, and its freight cars at another.
The Esplanade Wharf would have been the freight yard.
The FWP mentioned the depots, so I had to add them.
The map is large. Click it and the depots and landings will
be easily seen.
Download the larger versions found by clicking and then
returning to the collection by hitting the "X" in the right
corner.
Union Station, 1001 S.Rampart: Gulf Coast Lines, Illinois Central,
Southern Pacific, and Yazoo and Mississippi Valley.
The Illinois Central's City of New Orleans is pictured leaving
Union Station or its successor. The old station went down in 1954.
A 1940's shot:
Mayor Morrison is seen looking at the new station's property, 1954.
The Union Passenger Terminal would replace it. Another Link.
Below
Terminal Station, 1125 Canal St.: Gulf Mobile & Northern RR**,
and the Southern Railway System. and it subsidiaries: The New Orleans and Northeastern Rail Company and the New Orleans Terminal Company in the 1940's. The "Southerner" was
the company's passenger train. The depot was built in 1908
by the same fella who designed Washington, DC's Union Station.
I was just thinking that it had a very "federal" look or possible
a Arc de Triomphe appearance.
The AdT:
The Southern's "The Southerner"
Below, Southern Station (Terminal Station), taken from Elk Place.
**
Gulf Mobile and Northern would merge with the Mobile and
Ohio to form the GMO.
The famous "Rebel", I would bet, ran out of this depot.
Louisiana & Arkansas / Kansas City Southern RR Station, 701. S.Rampart St.
It was built in 1923 and was later a fire station.
Track leading into the L&A / KCS Station.
L&A / KCS' Southern Belle
Aboard the Southern Belle with a few belles.
Go here for an excellent page on the Belle.
And here's the best of them:
The Louisville & Nashville RR, foot of Canal St at the Canal St.
Ferry walkway. It was built in 1902. I'd say it was the Victorian
among all the others.
"The L. & N. passenger station is located at the foot
of Canal Street. It is a three story brick building
constructed in 1902. It contains a general waiting
room 30' wide and 45' long, a colored waiting room
25' wide and 35' long, two small rest rooms, and a
ladies rest room 30' x 25' in size. A small lunch
room (15' x 20') is in one of the waiting rooms.
There is one baggage room 30' wide and 60' long. Mail
and express are handled direct from the cars to
trucks. A concourse 12 « feet wide and 165' long
parallels the north or track side of the building.
The train shed spans the three tracks and is 550 feet
long. It is of steel with open sides".
"There are three tracks, two of which are main line
and one the baggage and express track. The latter is
almost continually occupied. It is therefore
necessary to perform the seemingly impossible feat of
getting out and in 22 trains daily on two tracks, one
of which must be kept clear for freight and switching
movements. To add to this difficulty, Iberville
Street, which runs through the train shed must be
kept open, and the available length for standing cars
is only about sufficient to take seven or eight
coaches. The operation is that of a through station,
the trains being made up and received in the coach
yard near Julia Street".
"The station is located between its own tracks and
those of the Southern Pacific and the river, and is
practically inaccessible at times. Taxis line up in
the driveway along the south side of the station and
to some extent in Canal Street where they obstruct
traffic to the train tracks and wharf sheds".
[Bartholomew & Associates, Railroad Transportation
Report for New Orleans-Louisiana (1927), pp. 20-22
1951 shots of the walkway to the Canal St. Ferry. I remember
walking on the "bridge" and taking that ferry ride with my father.
I don't remember the tracks or the station. That was probably
about 1959.
The L&N's Humming Bird crossing Biloxi Bay
The Texas & Pacific / Missouri Pacific RR Station was on
Annunciation St., between Melpomene and Thalia Sts.
It was built in 1916, possibly "the most impressive of NO
passenger stations". The Gouldsboro was possibly the
T&P's first ferry.
The L.S Thorpe was another. This picture was taken in 1938.
I believe the Huey P.Long train/auto bridge was opened in 1940,
but then again, "1935" rings a bell. I'll check.
Some T&P trains were the:
Houstonian: (New Orleans - Houston)
Orleanean: (Houston - New Orleans)
and "the popular Louisiana Limited rendering outstanding
service between New Orleans, Shreveport, Dallas, Fort Worth,
El Paso and Denver".
T&P Depot
A comprehensive explanation of the various RR company routes
is explained HERE. Maybe "comprehensive" is too strong a word?
And the FWP write goes on:
I feel the above has been covered.
Above: That's the Humming Bird's route.
One rainy night I found the Pontchartrain mentioned. I had
to know more. It was a fascinating RR in a fascinating area.
A voodoo princes would ride it, musicians would get to
gigs out on the lake on it and the New Orleans public would
use it as a working man's link wit the lake. And much more.
Yes, "more", it went to where Pontchartrain Amusement Park
would later thrive and entertain for years.
Read THIS , my deal, to learn a little more about about
the Pontchartrain RR.
The information, like in this write, would just kept coming.
Done!
Note the mention of "Spanish Fort" above. It was a place
I once played. That, of course, stands out above all the other
history that occurred there.
One More:
The New Orleans City RR Co. ran steam service from Canal
and Basin Streets downtown out to Spanish Fort as early as
the 1880s. The 1880 Robinson Atlas shows tracks running
out of the New Orleans Terminal Company station at Canal (remember it's a Southern Railways System subsidiary?)
and Basin, up Bienville Street to what is now Robert E. Lee
Blvd in Lakeview, then over to Spanish Fort. (I lived on Egret St)
American Car Company car 511 at the Spanish. Fort Station, 1911
Roger is waiting to give you a ride. Where do you want to go?
I remember the City Park version.
The ferries would eventually die out with bridges like this.
That's it. I may add to it, I may not, enjoy.
And a brief credit though many are due but where do you start?
Most of the sources got their sources from other sources that
probably got their source from others. It would be like trying to find the
original version of a blues song. Kidding aside, the FWP really
did contribute even though it was a socialistic Roosevelt creation.
More Below.
Going Back to New Orleans by Dr. John, the Night Tripper.
Goin' back home, fe nan e'
To the land of the beautiful queen
Goin back to home to my baby
Goin' back to New Orleans
(Spoken:
On the double, here comes the Neville Brothers!)
Seeing na-na, my parin,
Couzine and my ma and pa
Want to plant my feet on Rampart Street
Be there for the Mardi Gras
Goin' back home, fe nan e'
And never more will I roam
Goin get me fill of that etoufee
Cus New Orleans is my home
(Spoken:
Is that a jumbo jet?
No, that's Big Al comin' to put a Hurt on you)
(Spoken:
On the level, there's Charlie Neville)
Get some crawfish, jambalaya
Red beans and fine pralines
Get some lovin' that gonna satisfy
Home in New Orleans
(Neville Brothers)
Goin' back home, fe nan e'
In the land of the Carnival Queen
I'm goin' back home to my baby
Goin' back to New Orleans
I want to go back home
Back where I'm little known
Yeah, home, boss
You're home sweet home.
(Here come Pete Fountain)
I want to see some
On that Mardi Gras queen
Good red beans
Baby, I want to go back home
Home, sweet home
Home back to New Orleans
(fade out with the Neville Brothers)
Goin' back home, fe nan e'
In the land of the Carnival Queen
I'm goin' back home to my baby
Goin' back to New Orleans
Walking to New Orleans by Fats Domino
It's time I'm walkin' to New Orleans
I'm walkin' to New Orleans
I'm going to need two pair of shoes
When I get through walkin' to you
When I get back to New Orleans
I've got my suitcase in my hand
Now, ain't that a shame
I'm leavin' here today
Yes, I'm goin' back home to stay
Yes, I'm walkin' to New Orleans
You used to be my honey
Till you spent all my money
No use for you to cry
I'll see you bye and bye
Cause I'm walkin' to New Orleans
I've got no time for talkin'
I've got to keep on walkin'
New Orleans is my home
That's the reason why I'm goin'
Yes, I'm walkin' to New Orleans
FADE:
I'm walkin' to New Orleans
I'm walkin' to New Orleans
I'm walkin' to New Orleans
Fats, take the train next time.
Both songs represent the New Orleans I loved.
I'll go no further in my commentary.