International Railroad Discussion > Sailing the rails (Brazil)

Hi, a video of a Vale mining narrow gauge train sailing the flooded rails after the heavy rains of last week.

Pedro

Pedro Rezende
Vespasiano MG,

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Interesting. You would think they would slow some for possible soft spots or washouts?
RB

Yes, they reduced speed in the area with flooded tracks. They also run an inspection vehicle ahead of the trains to verify the track condition. But now the entire narrow gauge system is closed since the water level is higher and there were many mudslides. It will be close for at least more two weeks.

up833 Wrote:
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> Interesting. You would think they would slow some
> for possible soft spots or washouts?
> RB

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

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I was waiting to hear the ground relay alam start to ring!

I've sailed thru flooding waters back in my working days, makes your rear end pucker up a bit. Interesting pctures Pedro!

Larry

Is that a double track main line or a passing track?

Hi, the mainline of Vale narrow gauge system is all double tracks. Just the BH and Fabrica branches were not duplicated yet. BH branch is almost all dual tracks.

tomstp Wrote:
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> Is that a double track main line or a passing
> track?

Posted from Android

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



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 01/16/22 11:06 by pedrop.

Hate to keep bothering you for details but:  what is the altitude in the area of the bad flooding you have pictured?

Hi, no problem to question about details of the pictures. That area is about 620 meters about sea level and the tracks are usually about six meters above the water level.

tomstp Wrote:
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> Hate to keep bothering you for details but:  what
> is the altitude in the area of the bad flooding
> you have pictured?

Posted from Android

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

river name?   are there anacondas?

Piracicaba river. Anacondas can be found there too, far from big cities.

dan Wrote:
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> river name?   are there anacondas?

Posted from Android

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

Hi Pedro----Thanks for this outstanding video. That certainly was run at a speed above "restricted speed" unless the film was editied to move faster.   The track looks to be in really good shape but, as a former train dispatcher, why not restrict traffic to the track that was clearly above water?  That is most certainly what we would have done at most USA railroads.  Thanks again!   

rww

Hi, I imagine they were passing the trains that were in the area before the floods becomes worse and damage the locomotives. Vale mining reopened that tracks two days ago, but the line that comes to my area is receiveing just four trains a day since they need to use autonomus locomotives to lead the trains that pass through dangerous area near the mud ore dams. Vale has twelve units that run autonomus without crew or radio signals to do this job. The train run autonomus for about 15 km.

This video has no sound and was recorded by Vale mining security cameras and shows the autonomus train passing on a viaduto over one of the dangerous mud ore dams in risk of rupture with the heavy rains.

rww Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Hi Pedro----Thanks for this outstanding video.
> That certainly was run at a speed above
> "restricted speed" unless the film was editied to
> move faster.   The track looks to be in really
> good shape but, as a former train dispatcher, why
> not restrict traffic to the track that was clearly
> above water?  That is most certainly what we
> would have done at most USA railroads.  Thanks
> again!   
>
> rww

Posted from Android

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



Edited 3 time(s). Last edit at 01/19/22 19:19 by pedrop.

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Always run with that many engines?   Piers from an old bridge?

Yes, two locomotives belongs to the train and six units are autonomus leading it.
The piers are for the new bridge under construction. Vale mainline is all dual tracks and they are adding dual tracks in this BH branch too.

dan Wrote:
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> Always run with that many engines?   Piers from
> an old bridge?

Posted from Android

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

Is there any government pressure on Vale to remove the mud dams?



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/20/22 09:18 by tomstp.

Is there any government pressure on Vale to remove the mud dams?

Yes, they are changing the technology to not use wet process anymore.

tomstp Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Is there any government pressure on Vale to remove
> the mud dams?

Posted from Android

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