New Orleans Public Service

Company History: NOPSI was formed in 1922 with reorganization of the New Orleans Railway and Light Company. This was the final stage of consolidating the many street railways operating in New Orleans, Louisiana. Most of the lines were broad gauge, specifically 5 foot 2 ½ inch gauge (often referred to as Pennsylvania trolley gauge) but some were built to standard gauge. The standard gauge lines were all converted to broad gauge by 1929. That year, NOPSI employees went on strike. The public largely backed the strikers. In fact, the Po Boy sandwich was invented by strike supporters to feed the “poor boys” on the picket lines. Less popular routes were converted to busses as early as 1924. Jim Crow laws were adhered to with simple signs that could be moved forward or backward depending on the route and traffic. In 1958, the signs came down and NOPSI became integrated. In 1983, the recently created New Orleans Regional Transit Authority took over operation of the city’s streetcars.

Brief History: The U.S. is a country of 50 states covering a vast swath of North America, with Alaska in the northwest and Hawaii extending the nation’s presence into the Pacific Ocean. Major Atlantic Coast cities are New York, a global finance and culture center, and capital Washington, DC. Midwestern metropolis Chicago is known for influential architecture and on the west coast, Los Angeles' Hollywood is famed for filmmaking.