Eduardo Coelho photo
The Estrada de Ferro Central do Brazil (in 1957 changed into Rede Ferroviária Federal S.A., RFFSA) started the dieselization in earnest after WWII with mainly ALCo-powered locomotives for both standard and meter gauge. They later switched over to EMD and GE products however.
Standard gauge locos:
| EFCB class | RFFSA class | builder / type | year | no. of units |
| 3001 | 7001 | ALCo S-1 | 1943 | 5 |
| 3100 | 7031 | ALCo RS-1 | 1945 / 1948 | 42 |
| 3201 | ALCo FA-1 | 1948 | 12 | |
| 3301 | 7101 | MLW RS-3 | 1952 | 58 |
| 3501 | 7151 | MLW RSD-12 | 1962 | 11 |
Three RSD-12 were rebuilt by GE-Brazil in 1986 with new Bombardier 251 motors. These are now owned by M.R.S. Logistica which took over the franchise for the former RFFSA SR3 and SR4 divisions, which is the area between Sao Paulo and Rio de Janeiro. The MRS roster includes also four RS-3 (three operable).The RSD-12's now work mainly between Raiz da Serra and Santos port. At Raiz da Serra begins a rack line which has three rack diesels serving as a back-up which are 251-powered.
From October 1997 to March 1998 Nick Lawford has seen 7152 and 7156 (both RSD-12) in regular use tripping freight between Lapa , running though Barra Funda and Luz passenger stations and heading towards Paranapiacaba [top of the rack line to Santos]. These units have low short hoods and single piece windscreens. Look much like the original version of a GE U25. Both are still in old RFFSA red-maroon livery but owned by MRS Logistica. MRS has started painting U20 and U23 in dark blue with yellow markings. 7156 is very good at making a lot of black smoke when ever it moves off. [[ if you stand in the right place on Bras / Roosevelt station , you should be able to take a picture of an RSD-12 on a freight passing two stabled RS-3 ]]
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RFFSA RSD-12 # 7152 (MLW 83947/1962) with leading EMD
power through Lafaiete in 1987. The unit was rebuilt the same year by
GE-Brazil. Eduardo Coelho photo |
| RFFSA RSD-12 # 7156 (MLW 1962) at Piacaguera, November 1st, 1992. Doug E. Cummings photo |
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MLW-built RS-3 # 7138 (MLW 77697/1953) leads a freight
through Barra do Pirat, 1988. Eduardo Coelho photo |
Some RS-3's now owned by FLUMITRENS, the Rio de Janeiro suburban train network company, were rebuilt by GEVISA (fomerly GE-Brazil) with Cooper-Bessemer 7FDL-12 engines. FLUMITRENS has also rebuilt RS-3's which retained their 244 under the hood. CPTM, the Sao Paulo suburban network owns some RS-3, too.
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ALCo RS1 #7036 at Sao Diogo depot, near downtown Rio
de Janeiro, 1990, then operated by FLUMITRENS but still in the old RFFSA
livery. Eduardo Coelho photo |
| FLUMITRENS S1 # 3002 at Sao Diogo depot, near downtown Rio de
Janeiro, 1990 Eduardo Coelho photo |
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Both pictures above show first generation ALCos in Brazil. They were former state railway (RFFSA) units and were rostered at the Cia. Bras. de Trens Urbanos (CBTU) as of 1990. This company is now called "Flumitrens". Both units were since retired.
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Cid Jose Beraldo reports: The FA-1, once owned by Estrada de Ferro Central do Brasil, which bought 12 in 1948, hauled passenger trains between Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo and Belo Horizonte. I took this picture in April 25, 1981 at the Barra do Piraí depot, which is near Rio de Janeiro and at this occasion, # 3207 was the last operable FA-1on the roster and was retired of commercial service. Today, only the hulk of this unit is around, rusting at the Engenho de Dentro shops in Rio de Janeiro. Cid Jose Beraldo photo |
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Cid Jose Beraldo reports: This was the status of the last FA in existence in Brasil, when this picture was taken on May 27, 1994. Nr. 3207 was spotted at RFFSA's Engenho de Dentro workshops and this was in fact the last time I saw her, surrounded by high grass and with few chances of surviving. At last notice, the engine is still sitting around but, with the years more of exposure to the elements, I believe it is now beyond salvation. Photo by Eduardo Beraldo (my son, then only 11 years old). |
Meter gauge locos:
| EFCB class | RFFSA class | builder / type | year | no. |
| 4101 | 6077 | ALCo RSD-8 | 1958 | 2 |
| 4111 | 6001 | ALCo RS-8 | 1959 | 20 |
| 4301 | 2487 | GE 244 | 1953 / 1954 | 45 |
| EMAQ MX620 |
The narrow gauge ALCos can be found in the northeast region, mainly around Recife in Pernambuco state. This network is now being privatized, too.
The RFFSA MX620's were built under license of Bombardier by a joint venture of CAF (Spain) and EMAQ (Brazil). The MX620 can be found on the newly privatized Ferrovia Centro-Atlantico (former "Centro-Oueste" lines spanning Rio de Janeiro, Minas Gerais, Goias and the southern Bahia states). The main shops are at Divinopolis. The MX620's are mostly restricted to the flat country.
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RFFSA # 6173 (EMAQ-CAF-Bomabardier 1973/1982) at
Divinopolis, November 1989 Eduardo Coelho photo |
More vintage RFFSA pictures here!
Thanks to Eduardo Coelho and Nick Lawford for their help with this page.
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Last update 09.05.03