Brazil's Super railway, the EFVM

12th January 2007 to 14th January 2007

Brazil might not be high on most railway enthusiasts lists of overseas destinations, and indeed much of the country has never seen a railway of any kind. But for those, who like me are addicts of railroading North American style, Brazil is a fascinating place to experience real US locomotives in an often spectacular tropical setting. And with a subtle twist, all this heavyweight railroading takes place on what we consider a narrow gauge, one metre.

EFVM is probably the busiest railway in South America, possibly the entire Southern Hemisphere. It links Vitoria the capital of Espirito Santo, and the worlds busiest iron ore export facility, with Belo Horizonte (660 kms) the hub of one of Brazil's biggest industrial regions, as well as the administrative capital of Minas Gerais. Two important branches run from Desembargador Drumond (km 507) to Itabira (km 542) and from Costa Lacerda (km 569) to Fabrica (km 676) and Ouro Branco (km 669). The principal commodity is iron ore from owner CVRD and other mining companies. EFVM also carries coal to the various steel works sited alongside it's mainline, soy beans and wheat for export, usually picked up from the FCA in the Belo Horizonte area and timber. The railway also runs a daily passenger train each way between B Horizonte and Vitoria and over the Itabira branch, handling approximately 1m passengers annually.

Apart from the EFVM there are some other big hitters in South and South Central Brazil - the FCA (Central Atlantic Railway), MRS Logistica (Minas, Rio and Sao Paulo Railway), Brasil Ferrovias and America Latina Logistica (who also operate in Argentina).

For more on Brazil's railways (and those of other South American countries) I recommend Latin Tracks, a bi-lingual magazine based in Argentina dedicated to Latin American railroading. Issue 19, back copies of which are still available had a full article on the EFVM. See the link on the side panel.

Also the EFVM and FCA's owner, Brazil's giant mining company the CVRD, has a whole section on it's website (in English) dedicated to railway operations. See www.cvrd.com.br/

The timber looks a trifle exotic to temperate zone eyes. 2773x1741 EFVM_25.jpg	More coal for Acominas heading on to the Fabrica branch at Costa Lacerda... 2869x1834 EFVM_26.jpg	...after 80 cars (6400 tonnes) BB40-9MW 1227 was the mid train helper. A further 160 empty hoppers trailled 1227. 2707x1804 EFVM_27.jpg	Within a few minutes another BB40-9MW/DDM45 lash up approached Costa Lacerda with loaded iron ore from the mines around Gongo Soco... 2787x1776 EFVM_28.jpg
...behind the two locomotives stretched 160 ore hoppers weighing (I estimate) 12,800 tonnes. 2845x1855 EFVM_29.jpg	The previous train halted in the yard to await the passage of this. Another 160 ore cars, this time behind a pair of BB40-9MWs, exiting the Fabrica branch... 2521x1660 EFVM_30.jpg	...and this is car 160, weighing just over 80 tonnes 2752x1672 EFVM_31.jpg	On the Costa Lacerda turntable an ex-NS B36-7 sits, still sporting the NS Thoroughbred livery. Now a BB36-7 it was accompanied by the yard trio, who had stopped for lunch. 2862x1714 EFVM_32.jpg
Another ex-Conrail (by way of NS) acquisition. BB36-7 718 still sports CR livery. Again the height difference when compared to EMD export models is noticeable. 2909x1864 EFVM_33.jpg	Sitting out the weekend were two DDM45s. 836 is in the current livery... 3008x2000 EFVM_34.jpg	...whilst 809 still sports the classic Eagle look,... 2560x1741 EFVM_35.jpg	...the old style lettering... 2898x1899 EFVM_36.jpg
...and a very worm EMD builders plate. 2044x1573 EFVM_37.jpg	With the DDM45 in full cry 12,800 tonnes of iron ore gets on the move, heading for Vitoria 3008x2000 EFVM_37a.jpg	After lunch the yard trio set off for the timber loading point with a long train of empties... 2605x1890 EFVM_38.jpg	...watched over by a brakeman as it passed slowly through the small village of Costa Lacerda... 2000x2832 EFVM_39.jpg
...which is completely cut off whilst any movements are carried out. The motor bike was there for almost 15 minutes whilst the switching went on. 3008x1780 EFVM_40.jpg	Also in Costa Lacerda village is a ballast loading point. 718 is at the head of a small train of ballast hoppers being loaded by a JCB. 2587x1723 EFVM_41.jpg	And finally. During a tropical shower 864 passed Dois Irmãos with a train of stone. 2749x1792 EFVM_42.jpg