New Orleans – The New Orleans Regional Transit Authority (RTA) held a toy drive to benefit Toys for Tots to signal the re-opening of the portion of the Canal Street Streetcar line which was suspended due to damage sustained from the Hard Rock Hotel collapse. The event included hot chocolate and an opportunity to take photos with Santa in front of a world famous New Orleans streetcar. The event was held at RTA Streetcar right-of-way located at the foot of Canal Street (Streetcar Stop ID: 8237) on Saturday, December 11, beginning at 10 AM. 

As a result of the Hard Rock Hotel collapse and subsequent demolition the RTA had to restore the overhead catenary system and ancillary components from South Liberty St. to Baronne St. The RTA also performed preventative maintenance on switches and substations, conducted streetcar testing including maintenance and safety, verified all tracks are within tolerance thresholds with no defects, and facilitated operator training.