Estrada de Ferro Cantagalo
Encyclopedia
The Estrada de Ferro Cantagalo or Cantagalo Railway in Brazil
operated from 1873 to 1965, and used the Fell mountain railway system
, with equipment from the temporary Mont Cenis Pass Railway
which closed in 1871. From 1883 the Fell rail was used for braking only. Cameron says that the line was metre gauge to which the locomotives and rolling stock were converted (though another source says that the line was to the same 1100 mm gauge as the Mont Cenis Pass Railway). The line was built by English engineers and capital.
The railway, from Niterói to Nova Friburgo, was Brazil's first mountain railway. The coastal plain was followed by a steep rise of 3600 feet (1100m) to the inland plateau, starting at Cachieras, and spread over 32 miles (52 km), with the steepest section of about 7 ¾ miles (12.5 km) between Bocco do Matto and Theodoro de Olivera: 6 ½ miles (10.5 km) was 1 in 12, and 1 ¼ miles (1.9 km) between 1 in 14 and 1 in 33. Curvature was severe, from 111 to 328 feet (34 to 100 m) radius.
The locomotives initially were 0-4-0T tank engines of about 16 tons. Four new locomotives were purchased from Manning Wardle of England, plus 14 (probably) from the Mont Cenis Pass Line. These locos were of limited capacity and expensive to maintain, and possibly affected by the Brazilian climate. They were replaced in 1883 by new 44-ton adhesion-only locomotives from the Baldwin Locomotive Works, though the Fell centre rail was retained for braking.
The line became part of the Leopoldina Line in 1911, and closed about 1965.
Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
operated from 1873 to 1965, and used the Fell mountain railway system
Fell mountain railway system
The Fell system uses a raised centre rail between the two running rails on steeply-graded railway lines to provide extra traction and braking, or braking alone. Trains are propelled by wheels or braked by shoes pressed horizontally onto the centre rail, as well as by means of the normal running...
, with equipment from the temporary Mont Cenis Pass Railway
Mont Cenis Pass Railway
The Mont Cenis Pass Railway operated from 1868 to 1871 during the construction of the Fréjus Rail Tunnel. The line used the Fell design of mountain railway with three rails. The railway, opened in June 1868, was long, with a gauge of and a maximum inclination of 9 per cent. It was used...
which closed in 1871. From 1883 the Fell rail was used for braking only. Cameron says that the line was metre gauge to which the locomotives and rolling stock were converted (though another source says that the line was to the same 1100 mm gauge as the Mont Cenis Pass Railway). The line was built by English engineers and capital.
The railway, from Niterói to Nova Friburgo, was Brazil's first mountain railway. The coastal plain was followed by a steep rise of 3600 feet (1100m) to the inland plateau, starting at Cachieras, and spread over 32 miles (52 km), with the steepest section of about 7 ¾ miles (12.5 km) between Bocco do Matto and Theodoro de Olivera: 6 ½ miles (10.5 km) was 1 in 12, and 1 ¼ miles (1.9 km) between 1 in 14 and 1 in 33. Curvature was severe, from 111 to 328 feet (34 to 100 m) radius.
The locomotives initially were 0-4-0T tank engines of about 16 tons. Four new locomotives were purchased from Manning Wardle of England, plus 14 (probably) from the Mont Cenis Pass Line. These locos were of limited capacity and expensive to maintain, and possibly affected by the Brazilian climate. They were replaced in 1883 by new 44-ton adhesion-only locomotives from the Baldwin Locomotive Works, though the Fell centre rail was retained for braking.
The line became part of the Leopoldina Line in 1911, and closed about 1965.
External links
- The Cantagallo Railway (page down to Nova Friburgo).