International Railroad Discussion > The only broad gauge 4-4-0 survivor in Brazil

Hi, yesterday I was returning to home from a trip in São Paulo state and I chose a route following MRS tracks to visit some famous hot spot locations for train watching. I will create new threads here in TO to show them. I start with the only broad gauge 4-4-0 survivor in Brazil that is preserved in Vassouras RJ city. Locomotive 122 belonged to ancient "Dom Pedro II railroad" that later changed the name to "Central do Brasil" in 1889. Vassouras is a historic town from the coffee barons era. The city itself had meter gauge tracks (1,010 mm) at that time, but the broad gauge cross its lands too. The old narrow gauge line belonged to the old EFCB Jacutinga branch. Here the history of the branch:
"The Jacutinga Branch had its origin in Companhia Estrada de Ferro União Valenciana, opened in 1871 and which linked Valença to Desengano (Juparanã nowadays). In 1880, it was extended to Rio Preto town. Only in 1910, with the creation of the Rede de Viação Fluminense, the Auxiliary Line taken over by the EFCB, was a branch opened linking Governador Portella to Barão de Vassouras and from there the mixed gauge lune was made, along the Centro line, to Desengano, joining Portella to Rio Preto, at the same time that the line was extended to Santa Rita do Jacutinga, in the Sul-Mineira railroad network, where it was connected in 1918. The railroad gauge was reduced from 1,010 mm to 1,000. In 1963, the stretch between Portella and Barão de Vassouras was handed over to Leopoldina, while the remaining stretch continued with Central of Brazil (EFCB). But from 1971 to 1973,  the two stretches were extinguished and the tracks removed."

1 - 3) Locomotive #122 was stored for decades in Três Rios houndhouse. When the shops were rented to a privated freight car shops, the locomotive was put outside for many years and was almost destroyed. A group was sensibilized with its sad end and removed it together with an old freight car to the site where we see it now, even though the city never had broad gauge in this station.


 

Pedro Rezende
Vespasiano MG,




Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 01/17/23 06:40 by pedrop.

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4 - 6) Details.

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

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7) Details;
8 - 9) The beautiful Vassouras station.

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

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10) The main entrance;
11) The station hight;
12) The Kilometer position in the branch.

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

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13 - 15) The old freight car from ancient "Dom Pedro II" railroad.

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

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16) The rear end view;
17) An old picture in display in a restaurant near the station shows the building in its heyday;
18) An old picture from the website Estações Ferroviárias no Brasil (railroad station in Brazil) Railroad stations in Brazil

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

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19) This video shows the Vassouras historic center. It is a beautiful city with many attractions nearby, from nature, historic buildings and churches,  to train action. In the following threads, I will show MRS railroad action in Vassouras.
That's all for now. Hope you like it.

Pedro

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



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/17/23 07:13 by pedrop.

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Nice look at the old 122 and historical buildings, in a beautiful area. Also liked the historical rail pictures

Larry

Very "artsy" setting for railroad-related scenes.

Nice presentation, Pedro.

Greg Stadter
Phoenix, AZ