Ponta Delgada port railway

from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The Ponta Delgada port railway was in operation from 1861 to 1973 with two major interruptions. Ponta Delgada is the capital of about Portugal belonging Azores and is located on the island of Sao Miguel .

route

The track was in the track width 2134 mm (7 feet built), called Brunel broad gauge because of Isambard Kingdom Brunel in the Great Western Railway in the UK was used. The Ponta Delgada port railway was used exclusively to transport goods. It was originally built to get building materials from a quarry to build the port of Ponta Delgada . In the course of time, three steam locomotives and 39 freight cars were procured for the railway.

The railway had three operating phases:

  • 1861–1888 for the construction of the port. After this was completed, the railway operation was stopped.
  • 1948–1954 it was resumed for the transport of materials for road construction work, then shut down again.
  • 1969–1973 it was taken up again for the expansion of the port facility, but after 1973 the railway facilities were demolished.

Rolling stock

Two of the three locomotives still exist, as well as a cement mixer wagon, which is parked as a memorial on the outskirts of Ponta Delgada on a short section of track. The two locomotives are the last remaining original locomotives with a gauge of 2134 mm worldwide. They are stored in a warehouse without being taken care of in terms of conservation .

literature

  • Bernhard Rieger: On a broad track. The Ponta Delgada port railway . In: EisenbahnGeschichte. Volume 43, 2010, p. 77.

Web links