Estrada De Ferro Perus - Pirapora

60cm gauge railways are always of interest, so a trip to Brazil in 1973 had to include the Perus Pirapora Railroad - or Estrada De Ferro Perus - Pirapora (EFPP) in Portuguese - which, in this huge country, was luckily easy of access, being only a half-hour train ride from the city of Sao Paulo. The EFPP was a proper railroad with around 35km of running lines in its heyday, including sidings,and which, until recently, had run public passenger trains. The main purpose since opening in 1914 was the transport of limestone from quarry to mill for cement making and for most of its existence it was a subsidiary of the Perus Brazilian Portland Cement Co and successors.

Two of us caught the electric suburban service from the imposing ex-British owned Santos-Judiai railway station; EFSJ trains ran on broad gauge - 5'3''/1600mm - same as Ireland. After alighting at Perus, we soon found the adjacent 60cm line, but it did not look at all used. Had our journey been in vain? After walking for a while, we decided to take taxis and eventually arrived at the EFPP's Gato Preto workshops.

We did not have a permit to visit although I had written in advance, but not received a reply. Whether or not they were expecting us, it was pleasing to receive a cordial welcome and be given freedom to wander around.

There was a real mixture of steam locos, some new to the Cement Company in 1925, with others acquired second-hand over the years from various railroads in Brazil. A listing compiled by local enthusiasts in recent years showed there were 23 locos present in 1973, with possibly a maximum of 15 either in working order or capable of being fettled up. It was difficult to fully identify all locos, as some were just frames dumped in the bushes a long time ago. Could one of them have been the fabled loco that was shipped to Brazil from the Lynton & Barnstaple railway in Devon in the 1930s and has had British enthusiasts searching for it over the years? Well, no, wherever it ended up, it wasn't the EFPP.

Three of the 1925 Alco 2-4-2ST were in and around the workshops, including one in steam. We eventually bid farewell and made our way by bus to the two loco sheds at Cajamar where we saw three in steam including two working on trains. Various derelicts were also present.

The above is No.17, a Baldwin woodburning 2-4-0 of 1911. It was first used on the Cantareira Tramway in the city of San Paulo,which carried millions of passengers a year, then upon closure in 1958 going to a sugar mill, before arriving here in 1961, so had quite a varied life. The photo below depicts it on the branch to the source of the limestone, the Pedreira dos Pires quarry.

Whilst we were at Cajamar, No.14 an oil-burning Baldwin 2-6-2, arrived, above left, with empties from the cement mill, about 18kms distant, and near Perus. The empties were bound for the quarry, about 2km away, taken there by No.17, above right.

No.14 turned on the 'wye' and refuelled. With us and No.14 refreshed, the loco picked up a carriage and two tank wagons to add to the full limestone wagons. We climbed aboard the carriage and rattled off at a great pace to Gato Preto workshops, which was on a branch off the main line to Perus. On arrival, we left to return to Sao Paulo.

The weather throughout our visit had been very wet and overcast, misty and murky; it got worse as the afternoon wore on, with absolutely torrential rain back in the city, which aborted our planned visit to the famous Sao Paulo cable worked inclines, with their British built tram style steam locos.

Fortunately in June 1981 I was able to revisit the EFPP with three friends. After a brief look at Perus and seeing No. 11 on a permanent way train, we went to the cement company office in the centre of Sao Paulo to obtain official permission for our visit where we were told it was intended to refurbish and keep the railway in operation.

While in the city we learnt that the Sao Paulo inclines were not working this week, so I missed out again. At least I saw the preserved section in operation on a visit in 1986.

When we got to Cajamar next day, it was good to see the working locos were in a smart blue livery, looking better kept than on my 1973 visit.

Four working locos in view at Cajamar shed during our 1981 visit, including No.16, a Baldwin 4-6-0 of 1908, in steam. Behind it is No.6, a 2-6-2, with 2-4-2ST No.5 alongside it and No.10 2-6-2T + tender on the right.

No.16 originally worked for the Dourado Railroad Co, before going to the Cantereira Tramway in Sao Paulo mentioned earlier. After a spell at Usina Monte Alegre, it came to Perus in 1961. Apart from becoming an oil burner No.16 is little changed from its original appearance.

We were told there were nine workable engines, all oil-burners:

2-4-2ST 3 and 5; 2-6-2 6 and 7; 2-6-2TT 10; 2-6-0 11; 4-6-0 16; 2-4-0 17; 2-6-2ST 18 - quite a collection.

2-6-2 14 which I had seen at work on my 1973 visit was under repair this time. As mentioned earlier 2-6-0 12 in steam in 1973 had gone elsewhere for preservation.

2-4-2ST No.5 was new to Perus in 1932, an Alco built in Montreal, so from Canada not the USA. It was the last of five of this type - the previous four were constructed by Alco in the USA between 1925 and 1929, we saw them all on this visit.

This smart 2-6-2, No.6, from H K Porter in 1945 was also new to Perus and still looks capable of a hard day's work. We saw sister loco No.7 at Gato Preto on our visit.

No.10, originally a Baldwin 2-6-2 tank, came to Perus in 1957, where the tender for oil and water was added. Apparently the side tanks are filled with sand, to increase adhesion. It was built in 1913 for the Paulista Railway, where it was No.911 and worked on that railway's 60cm branches. No.10 displays the full title of the CBCPP, though by this date, 1981, the name of the Perus operation had changed. Also ex-Paulista,and a sister to No.10, we saw 2-6-2 No.14 under repair, now a tender loco with tanks removed.

At Gato Preto workshops displaying the company initials and looking ex-works is 2-6-2ST No.18, which arrived on the Perus system in 1961 from a sugar concern, Usina Monte Alegre.The latter is credited as the builder of this loco, in 1933, presumably utilising parts supplied by traditional loco builders and/or cannibalised from other locos - it is said to incorporate frame and wheels from an ex-Feldbahn 0-8-0T.

Out on the line working a p-way train was No.11, a venerable Baldwin 2-6-0 built in 1891 and starting out as an 0-6-0 at Dumont Coffee Farms Co, before coming to Perus in 1943.

Showing the purpose of the railway, No.16 is making up a train of limestone to haul to the cement plant. The carriage seen below will be attached at the rear. In busy times the railway took 12 trains of 18 full limestone trucks from the quarry near Cajamar to the plant every day.

On our 1981 visit, the company kindly laid on a special for us, hauled by No.16, using the same carriage in which I rode in 1973. The railway had time to spare, due to the crusher at the cement plant having broken down.

Earlier, I mentioned a listing of 23 locos, including some very derelict ones. On our 1981 visit, we saw 22, we seem to have missed the 23rd, a preserved 0-4-0T, which I believe I saw in 1973.

The cement plant and railway closed in 1983, when there were said to be 12 locos more or less intact; there is now a preservation setup here.

The map, with distances in kilometres, shows the full extent of the EFPP. Early plans indicated a branch from Entroncamento ('Junction' in English) to a holy shrine in Pirapora, but it never was constructed.

Much information came from 'Brazilian Steam Album Volume 1 Plus & Minus Two Footers' by Carlheinz Hahmann and Charles S Small; also the loco rosters compiled by Nilson Rodrigues and Sergio Martire.

Look on YouTube for numerous films about the railway, both in its working days and in the preservation era. One taken in 1976 with footage of limestone trains going to the cement plant is https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AkxMNGbNJUc