International Railroad Discussion > In search of VLI grain trains in the wilderness (Brazil)

Hi, yesterday March 24, I did a raid with two friends in the "Sertão", as we call the wilderness area of Minas Gerais state that starts about 100 km from my city. It is a wild area with small cities or towns isolated from each other. Just a few trains run there daily, but in the soybean harvest we can find four pairs of J class grains plus a couple of other freights. The tracks are old and just small locomotives can be used there, like the GE U20C's.
The tracks were built by former Central of Brazil (EFCB) in the 1910's. Nice stations and small bridges can be found and are another attraction to railfans and railroad historians like me.
Enjoy.

1 - We started at Araçai (ç has the same sound of s in some word in portuguese) where we found the old depot from 1903 restored to be used as a museum and cultural center.

2 - The old water towels of Araçaí station.

Pedro Rezende
Vespasiano MG,

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1 - The 19 century church near the railroad yard.

2 - An old store in Araçaí.

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



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 03/25/18 16:34 by pedrop.

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Our second stop was Cordisburgo (EOR code in VLI CCO), a town famous by its caves and pre historic animal bones found there. EOR is has MoW department and we could see some interesting stuff in the yard.

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

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I always enjoy your images and insights from Brazil. Thanks for sharing.

We met our first grain train in Cordisburgo (EOR). fca GE U20C´s 2681 and 3871 were the leading units, while fallen flag Fepasa 3828 worked as DPU. The train had only 33 hoppers - 23 in the first section plus 13 in the second section.
The video of this train can be seen in this link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TH4Ul8kCTM8&t=3s

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

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I continue to love your pictures!
Not so much for the trains,but the
countryside area near the tracks.
I want to see what other parts of
the world look like and how the
people live.Too bad I cannot visit.

Uncle Joe
On Florida's West Coast just east
of Tampa

In Cordisburgo we visited the famous privated collection of old stuffs of Mr "Brasinha". A visit to his museum is a turn to the past of all us.

1 - From left to right: Walter Silva, Gutierrez Lhamas, me and Mr "Brasinha". Brasinha is a nick name of this gentle man.

2 - A view of the Brasinhas radio collection.

3 - The collection of old bottles

Cordisburgo is also famous because it is the town where the famous brazilian writer João Guimarães Rosa born. For more on his work, see this link: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jo%C3%A3o_Guimar%C3%A3es_Rosa

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



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 03/26/18 15:39 by pedrop.

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Thanks Uncle Joe. It is a pleasure to show to other people a bit of my country.

retcsxcfm Wrote:
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> I continue to love your pictures!
> Not so much for the trains,but the
> countryside area near the tracks.
> I want to see what other parts of
> the world look like and how the
> people live.Too bad I cannot visit.
>
> Uncle Joe
> On Florida's West Coast just east
> of Tampa

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

Leaving Cordisburgo, we took the road LMG 754 bound to Curvelo, but we stopped in Madcarenhas comunity to wait for another train.

1 - The road was paved last year. This photo was atken while they were adding asphalt to that section. Nowadays is totally paved fro Cordisburgo to Curvelo, but the access to Mascarenhas and other communities still done by dirt roads;

2 - A plate give us the direction to Mascarenhas;


3 - I love these dirt roads. It remembers my childhood where paved roads were rare to be found.

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

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1 - Close the windows, a truck is doing a lof of powder on the road;

2 - Mascarenhas station can be seen from this pin of the road. We have the feeling of a place that stopped in the time;

3 - Mascarenhas station: Built by former EFCB in March 11, 1905. It is located at Km 764 + 077 meters and 735 meters above the sea level.

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

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1 - The station seen from the south switching machine;

2 - A view of the south switching;

3 - Me inspecting the old device from the steam era used to change the disc signal in the other side of the yard

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

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It was common the railroad companies to import tiles from France to use in the stations and other building along the tracks. An house old house that is gone was covered by tiles from Marseille, France.

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

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After an hour at Mascarenhas (EMX code in VLI CCO), train C558 sounds in the woods. Ina few minutes it arrived in the yard. It was a train of an ore used by Magnesita Co. to produce thermal insulation. It was leaded by GE U20C 3831 and 2566. The video fo this train can be seen here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ppYGoTmHT5s

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

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More of train C558 passing by Mascarenhas siding. The last picture can give us an idea of the tracks in that area, composed of many horse shoe curves like this one around Mascarenhas siding.

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



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 03/26/18 16:32 by pedrop.

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Great set Pedro. Am I right, this country is north of Belo Horizonte?

Yes sir, it is.


86235 Wrote:
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> Great set Pedro. Am I right, this country is north
> of Belo Horizonte?

Posted from Android

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

Fantastic! Seeing rural, low traffic areas with that interesting history is fascinating. Thanks for explaining it in the captions.

Leaving Mascarenhas, we took the LMG-754 road again bound to Curvelo, where we visited the old and beautifull stationNowadays the old building is a museum and a cultural space to the community.

1 to 3 - Curvelo station

3 - My friend Walter at Curvelo.

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



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 03/27/18 15:00 by pedrop.

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1 - The old agent house at Curvelo is another beauty from old EFCB railroad;

2 and 3 - Aspects of the railroad museum at Curvelo station.

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

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In 1996, after the government privatized the railroads, the firts tracks built to privated companies were done at Curvelo. Army 2nd railroad battalion did the Curvelo cutoff, a small strech of tracks to allow the railroad run outside downtown Curvelo.

1 - A viaduct with the inscription of the 2nd railroad Battalion at the Curvelo cutoff;

2 - Curvelo main church;

3 - A bandstand at Curvelo main square.

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

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