"Earl W. Hampton, Jr., is more than a streetcar fan or buff. A streetcar scientist might be more exact." -Louis C. Hennick, coauthor of The Streetcars of New Orleans
An iconic symbol of the Crescent City, the New Orleans streetcar possesses a colorful past spanning more than a century. Covering the time between 1964 and 2008, this pictorial book presents the story of the streetcar, from the year they were replaced by buses on Canal Street through the restoration of the lines following Hurricane Katrina. The streetcar evokes a sense of nostalgia while representing the great legacy of America's transportation history. The St. Charles Avenue line is, in fact, the oldest operating street railway system in the world.
While they may appear the same on the outside, each style of streetcar contains unique engineering. Fifteen chapters include technical information on the various streetcar models in a comprehensible format. Other sections include an explanation of the car's connection to the famous Tennessee Williams play and the destruction caused when a devastating storm swept through the city. The author recalls his many experiences of riding on the colorful cars through humorous anecdotes. More than three hundred pictures fill chapters on collectibles, souvenirs, postcards, and memorabilia.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR Earl W. Hampton, Jr., continues to enhance his streetcar knowledge though his work with CSX Transportation as an intermodal service representative. In addition to serving as a member of the New Orleans Railway Association, he was once the editor in chief of Open Track, a publication of the New Orleans Railway Museum, Inc. Hampton resides in New Orleans, Louisiana.
