International Railroad Discussion > The end of an era in Brazil

Hi, I am a railfan in southeast Brazil and this is my first time in Trainsorders. I would like to start with the news and photos of the end of an era in diesel locomotive in Brazil. The well famous EMD DDM45´s built during the 1970´s and 80´s to EFVM, now part of Vale mining, are being retired as part of a agreement among VLI ( Valor da Logistica Integrada) and EMD Brazil. The DDM45´s will be used as core in the purchase of new SD70ACe-BB´s. Four DDM45´s arrived to the EMD plant at the time a couple of SD70ACe-BB are been tested nearby.

Picture 1: DDM45 874 leads a freight of empty gondolas for coal wiith GE BB40-9W 1239 and 1115 on track #2, while the new SD70ACe-BB´s 8795, 8796 and GT46CAe 8666 demonstrators pass by track #1 during a test run. 
Location: Vespasiano yard (EVP)  on May 15, 2015;

Picture 2: A close on the DDM45´s 874 in the same train described on picture 1;

Picture 3: DDM45´s 817, 838 and 824 in a special train S700 leaded by BB40-3 8147 with BB40-2 4818 in the tail end going to EMD plant where the DDM´s will be scrapped. 
Location, Wilson Lobato, yard (EWL), on June 4th, 2015



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 06/05/15 09:00 by pedrop.

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Nice shots.Thanks for posting.Keep it up.

Uncle Joe,Seffner,fl.

Glad to have you aboard! A bunch of us will really enjoy your posts. wag216

The Internation Board needs more input.  It will be nice to have some from Brazil.  Welcome aboard.

NO!! NOT YET!!

Nice stuff Sr. Rezende!

Pic 1: In 2009 I found unit 4292 scrapped in a corn field while rainfaning with the american railfan Bill, that came to Brazil specially to see BB´s and DDM45´s. Here I am posing with 4292.
Pic 2: 4292 is former EFVM 802. Here it is its builder´s plate;
Pic 3: A rear view of 4292 shows the original painting with the stylized eagle made by EMD in 1970.

Pedro Rezende
Vespasiano MG,
https://youtube.com/c/minasgeraisrailways1



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 06/05/15 18:28 by pedrop.

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 It is a wonder why they don't use the normal standard gauge trucks seeing there is both
With a DD truck.. yours       snoopy

The DDM45 was built for meter gauge. Traction motors of sufficient rating to match the prime mover's output were not available for the normal SD45's six-axle configuration in meter gauge, because of the narrower available dimensions within a truck. Adding more smaller motors solves the problem, which is primarily why you see more axles under the heavy haulers of Brazil.

Just as in North America, the EMD 3600HP diesel-electric product was the ultimate death knell for EFVM's sixteen Krauss-Maffei ML 4000 C'C' Series Units, cousins to the fifteen units imported by the Southern Pacific. The KMs had a longer life there than here, but the -45s had the longest. Sorry to see this connection vanish.

Thank you for the post, and welcome!

~ Bob Z, SP 9010 KM Project, PLA

The first picture shows dual gauge trackage and the contrast to meter gauge is very striking.  Confirming that the broad gauge is 5ft 3in?

Yes, the broad gaughe in Brazil is 5ft 3in. We have just one standard gauge railroad in Brazil, EF Amapá, in Amapa state.

Pedro Rezende
Vespasiano MG,
https://youtube.com/c/minasgeraisrailways1

Some pics of DDM´s in action:

1-  809 waiting for a crossing at Km 628 at Vespasiano yard, on August 8th, 2006;
2 - 825 and 881 switching at Eldorado yard, on September 3rd, 2006;
3 - 836 and BB36-7 741 (ex-Conrail 5046) leading train C64 at Vespasiano yard, on September 18, 2006

Pedro Rezende
Vespasiano MG,
https://youtube.com/c/minasgeraisrailways1

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A video of the DDM´s in action here in town

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-xt75_1ktc0

 

Pedro Rezende
Vespasiano MG,
https://youtube.com/c/minasgeraisrailways1

My contribution to a DDM45 love fest - on my one and only visit to the EFVM in January 2007

http://nick86235.smugmug.com/Trains/2007/Away-Fixtures-2007-chasing/i-Wm2bBw7
 

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Great catch!
Pic 1 was taken at Dois Irmãos station, inside Patio 7 Yard;

Pic 2 was taken at Desembargador Drummond Yard, near The control Tower.

Thanks por post these pics

Pedro


86235 Wrote:
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> My contribution to a DDM45 love fest - on my one
> and only visit to the EFVM in January 2007
>
> http://nick86235.smugmug.com/Trains/2007/Away-Fixt
> ures-2007-chasing/i-Wm2bBw7
>  

Posted from iPhone

Pedro Rezende
Vespasiano MG,
https://youtube.com/c/minasgeraisrailways1

pedrop Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Great catch!
> Pic 1 was taken at Dois Irmãos station, inside
> Patio 7 Yard;
>
> Pic 2 was taken at Desembargador Drummond Yard,
> near The control Tower.

Definitely Dois Irmãos for picture 1 but picture two was taken at Costa Lacerda, the train is heading onto the Fabrica line

> Definitely Dois Irmãos for picture 1 but picture
> two was taken at Costa Lacerda, the train is
> heading onto the Fabrica line

Oh Yes...Lacerda changed a bit since then. The yard was enlarged and a new control center was built there.

Posted from iPhone

Pedro Rezende
Vespasiano MG,
https://youtube.com/c/minasgeraisrailways1

pedrop Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Oh Yes...Lacerda changed a bit since then. The
> yard was enlarged and a new control center was
> built there.
>
> Posted from iPhone

You can see on some of my other pictures taken on that visit that work was going on enlarging the yard

You found nice train in that area.  Vale system has a lot of spot to be explored by railfans, speciallu the mountain area betwenn Sabará and Antonio Dias. Soon I will do a railfaning trip with friends in that area and I will open a Forum here about it.


> You can see on some of my other pictures taken on
> that visit that work was going on enlarging the
> yard

Pedro Rezende
Vespasiano MG,
https://youtube.com/c/minasgeraisrailways1

Some drawings of the DDM45

Pedro Rezende
Vespasiano MG,
https://youtube.com/c/minasgeraisrailways1

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