International Railroad Discussion > The Republican Train (Brazil)

Yesterday 05/21 I visited the cities of Salto and Itú in São Paulo state  (650 km from my home)  to know the "Republican Train" that run between the two cities. The reason of the name of the train is because the first political meeting of influent people to change the political system in Brazil from Empire to Republic started in those cities in the 1870's. For sure, the influence of American confederates that came to Brazil after the Civil War in US in the 1860s are in the roots of that movement. There is a city nearby called Americana that was founded by those confederates. There is a famous cemetery in Americana where the confederates are buried. I had no chance to visit Americana this time, but it intend to do it in the near future.
1 - 3) The only locomotive of the project The Republican Train is GE U5B 3003, an ex broad gauge unit now adapted to meter gauge (1,000mm). The units was completed rebuilt since it was abandonned and vandalized for years in a open yard in Jundiaí, SP.
 

Pedro Rezende
Vespasiano MG,

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4 - 5) The new electric system;

6) They did a good job here too.

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



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 05/23/23 14:06 by pedrop.

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7) The throtle;

8) The logotype;

9) One of few cars they have.

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

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10) Salto depot;
11) Salto station;
12) Itú depot.

 

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

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13) Itú station;
14 - 15) The platform.


 

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

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16 - 18) The turntable in Salto.

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

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19) Old Budd SI-3270 car;
20) More cars;
21) An old box car changed into an open car.

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

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22) Departing from Salto;
23) Itu gate over SP 071 road;
24) Welcome to Salto.

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

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25) Itu is a small name that means "small waterfall" in the indian tupy language. In fact, there is a water fall in the Tietê river in the border of Itú and Salto cities. To compensate the small name, a tradition born in Itu to build big stuffs and we can see many of them in the cities, like this famous caricature of an artist born in the city.

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



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 05/23/23 14:09 by pedrop.

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26) The video. A full version can be watched in my channel here 
youtu.be/SEx1U9nPJIM

That's all for today.

Pedro

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



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 05/22/23 21:01 by pedrop.

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Nice travelogue Pedro of Salto and Ito. Like the Republican Train and the train stations. Enjoyable video.

Larry

Great photos.  Looks like fine work on the locomotive rebuild.

Pedro, thanks for the interesting history lesson.

For those who like a bit of history, I found some information about  US confederates in Brazil.

• After 1865, 2,800 confederates arrived in São Paulo state and openned two towns, now medium size cities: Americana and Santa Bárbara D'Oeste.
• In 1868 the wife of colonel Asa Thompson Oliver, Mrs Beatrice Oliver, passed away and the local catholic church prevented the family to use the cemetery to bury her body. So, the Olivers decided to bury her body in the farm. It was the beginning of the confederate cemitery in that area.
• Every year, on April, there is a party to celebrate the arrival of the confederates in that land.

27) One of the graves in the Confederate Cemitery;
28) The Confederate Annual Party;
29) A view of the Confederate farm where the cemitery is located.

 

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



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 05/23/23 14:12 by pedrop.

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pedrop Wrote:
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> For those who like a bit of history, I found some
> information about  US confederates in Brazil.

Thanks, that's totally unexpected.

For fear of straying off the topic of railroads, any questions I will send by PM.

Thank you for this excellent coverage!

Norm
 

pedrop, thanks for railroad coverage and history lesson.
USA has decided to rename military installations named for Confederate soldiers.
LINK: DOD Begins Implementing Naming Commission Recommendations > U.S. Department of Defense > Defense Department News

Can not see that benefits anyone.

Nice posting. You covered a lot of ground. The locomotive is impressive. Thanks.

Great post, Pedro!   Fascinating history.

Greg Stadter
Phoenix, AZ