International Railroad Discussion > A ride in CBTU metropolitan train ( Brazil)

Hi folks, yesterday I was in Belo Horizonte city (BH) and took the CBTU metropolitan train to reach downtown, since I don't like to drive there. I preffer to park the car in a mall and use CBTU service, specially because it follows the freight train corridor for a long time. Here I show a brief part of the journey, starting in BH central station and also a strech of the ride from Santa Teresa to Horto Florestal stop. BH station is where the Vale mining passenger train arrives / departures everyday. Horto Florestal is where MRS has its main locomotive and freight cars shops. Also, VLI has its Horto yard at side (EHF). The freight corridor is always full of trains, but I didn't see any train since the last rains produced some track damage in MRS and VLI tracks that comes here. Also, Vale mining tracks have a few trains these days because they are doing MoW in the tunnels near BH.
1 - 2) BH central station was built by old Central of Brazil rr in 1920's;
3) The beautiful building seen from CBTU platforms.
 

Pedro Rezende
Vespasiano MG,




Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 01/13/23 14:21 by pedrop.

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4 - 5) Old RMV central station is located behind  old EFCB station. They face each other. At that time the operated different gauges. EFCB had broad abd meter gauge and RMV was meter gauge only;
6) Behind RMV station, we see the old RMV headquaters, now VLI headquaters. The building also houses a club layout and a 76cm steam locomotive and passenger car preserved in the garden. 

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

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7 - 8) Details in the old RMV station. Both stations houses a museum, but not related to trains;
9) CBTU platforms in BH station.
 

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

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10 - 11) The train is coming;
12) MRS AC44i 3433 at Horto shops.
 

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

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13 - 15) Old locomotives at Horto shops waiting to be scrapped.

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

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16) The freight car shops;
17) The MRS main gates is seen over there. In this point CBTU tracks follow another right of way than the freight corridor.
18) I left CBTU train at Minas Shopping station, where I parked the car.

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



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/13/23 14:24 by pedrop.

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19 - 20) Views of Minas Shopping stop;
21) Crossing under the tracks to reach the mall.

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

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22) The mall is over there;
23) The CBTU map, known as "metrô de BH". BH stop in marked "Central" in the map. Eldorado stop is at side of VLI Eldorado yard ( EEL), usually full of trains all day.
24) Google view of BH central station.
 

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



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 01/13/23 14:28 by pedrop.

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25) Google view of MRS Horto shops;
26) Google view of Minas Shopping stop at the mall;
27) The video.

That's all for today.

Pedro

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

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Interesting operation, Thx for sharing.

28) in time, the single pass ticket. It is important to say that CBTU is a federal division of metropolitan train transportation system present in some states of Brazil. The BH system was privatized in an auction last month and a privated group will operate it for the next thirty years. They have the mission to improve the system building the tracks maked "under construction" in the map, among other improvements;

29) inside view of the cars. There are some South Corea made trainscthar are more modern.

Posted from Android

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



Edited 3 time(s). Last edit at 01/13/23 16:08 by pedrop.

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Thanks Pedro for the excellent tour of the beautiful old depot and enjoyable ride on thr CETU. Also interesting seeing the rail shops with all the engines to be scrapped.

Larry
 

Is left hand running standard for urban transit systems like this?

Thanks for CBTU met train ride. My first and only visit to South America.

Yes, I do not know why, but the urban transit trains are left hand running here.

joemagruder Wrote:
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> Is left hand running standard for urban transit
> systems like this?

Posted from Android

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

pedrop Wrote:
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> Yes, I do not know why, but the urban transit
> trains are left hand running here.
>
> joemagruder Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Is left hand running standard for urban transit
> > systems like this?
>
> Posted from Android

British capital built much of Brasil's railway infrastructure, so left hand running was the rule.