It is September 1951, and S. Claiborne streetcar 957 has paused for passengers on Carondelet Street at Canal, with a Freret trolley coach behind it.  Another streetcar follows, about a block away at Common Street; it is probably on the St. Charles line.  The streetcars use the right hand wire of the two-wire trolley coach overhead.  There is an automatic switch in the overhead wire ahead of the car, so that when it moves forward, its trolley pole will follow the track onto the Canal Street neutral ground; the double poles of the trolley coach activate the automatic switch such that they will follow the coach into the roadway.  The second picture below is a closeup of the first.