Estrada de Ferro Oeste de Minas

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The Estrada de Ferro Oeste de Minas was a 760-mm (2' 6") narrow gauge railway located in the southeastern Brazilian state of Minas Gerais. At its peak the railway's route totalled 775 kilometres (465 miles). A portion of the railway still operates as a heritage railway, and one of the major stations is now Brazil's largest railway museum.

History

Broad gauge railways entered Minas Gerais in the 1870s, pushing towards the city of Belo Horizonte. Almost immediately attention turned to the construction of narrow gauge feeder lines. In 1872 Provincial President Dr. Joaquim Floriano de Godoy signed into law approval for a narrow gauge railway from the broad gauge line heading west towards a navigatable point on the Rio Grande. A subsequent law in 1877 limited the railway to initially building only as far as São João del Rei. A company, the Comania Estrada de Ferro Oeste de Minas, was established in 1878, and a decision was made to make the junction with the broad gauge at Sitio (Antonio Carlos).

The gauge of 760 mm was chosen in 1879. The exact reason for the choice of gauge is not known, one theory is that an American engineer was familier with the Ferrocarril de Antofagasta a Bolivia in Chile. In any case construction was commenced in June 1979, with the first section of traffic between Sitio and Barrosso in September 1880. The opening of the line through to Sao Joao d'El-Rey was conducted on the 28 August 1881 by the Emperor Dom Pedro II.

The company sort permission to extend the railway and over the subsequent 15 years built a number of extensions until it reached Paraopeba. Apart from a small number of short branches, the railway was more or less complete by 1894. During this time the line had been reasonably profitable, returning small dividends. However in 1894 the railway barely broke even, and following years brought losses. By April 1900 the company was in liquidation, and a month and a half strike by employees was only halted when the State government paid their back pay. The entire railway was placed up for auction on the 13 June 1903, the purchacer being the Federal Treasury.

Several branches were constructed in the period up to 1923, but no extensions after that date. Operation of the line was divested to the State government in 1931. In the meantime, metre gauge had been adopted as the primary gauge for secondary lines in Brazil. Lines radiating to the west from Belo Horzonte crossed the railway at Divinopolis and Velho Dataipa. By 1953 control of the railway reverted to the Federal government. During the period 1960 to 1965 most of the railway was either closed or converted to metre gauge. Only the section from Antonio Carlos to Aureliano Mourao was retained.

The Antonio Carlos line survived mainly on limestone traffic associated with a cement plant. Passenger traffic declined to a single coach attached to a daily mixed train. However as the 1970s progressed the line became more popular with tourists, and passenger traffic grew dramaticly. In 1983 the closure of the cement plant brought the closure of the line, however the section from Tiradentes to Sao Joao Del Rei was retained as a tourist line.

Route

The main line route was shaped like an "L". The line headed west from the junction at Antonio Carlos, through Sao Joao Del Rei, to Aureliano Mourao. From Aureliano Mourao the line headed north though Divinopolis and Pompeu to the terminal at Paraopeba. A branch ran from Aureliano Mourao south-west to the head of navigation on the Rio Grande at Riberao Vermelno. The sections, with distances and dates of opening and closing, are listed below:

Main line - 602km total length

Branch lines

Locomotives

The first two locomotives purchaced by the company were from the Baldwin Locomotive Works, and were described as being of the "Montesuma" type. They had an 4-4-0 wheel arrangement, and weighed about 13 tons plus tender. Further 4-4-0s followed, and as the railway grew also 4-6-0s and 2-8-0s. Some of the larger locos were up to about 25 tons in weight. Initially the locomotives used wood as a fuel, however later they were converted to oil.

In all 58 locos were built for the railway. Baldwin built all but five, with three being built by Alco, and two in the railways own workshops. These included the last loco acquired by the railway, a 2-8-0 constructed in 1920. Records indicate this loco was built for about half the cost of an imported loco, but performed equally well.

16 locos survived to the final closure of the railway, and were subsequently preserved, including locomotive number 1.

Rio Grande Navigation

The EFOM met the Rio Grande at Riberao Vermelho, from where the railway ran a steam navigation service down the river for 208 km, as far as Capetina. There were six stations on the river between Riberao Vermelho and Capetinga, and a passenger and freight service was operated between 1889 and 1963. The railway operated a fleet of 6 stern-wheel paddle steamers, together with barges and launches.

Preservation and Museum

At the time of the final closure in 1983 the railway was attracting increasing numbers of tourists. A decision was made to turn the substantial station, workshops and roundhouse in San Joao del Rei into a railway museum. 14 locomotives, as well as the remaining rolling stock was brought to San Joao del Rei, together with a number of items of metre gauge equipment. The roundhouse had to be rebuilt after a fire in 1972. The new museum became the largest railway museum in Brazil, and was opened in August 1984.

At the same time a 13km stretch of track to Tiradentes was retained for the tourist railway operation. Regular passenger trains are operated over this stretch of track, using the original equipment of the railway. Trains are run on Fridays, Saturdays, Sundays, and public holidays.

Reference

Waters, P. West of Minas Narrow Gauge 2001. PWA, Kent, UK ISBN 0 948904 08 0

Web sites

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