Tua line

Tua line

Tua line between Foz Tua and Mirandela, along Tua River
Overview
Native name Linha do Tua
Locale  Portugal
Termini Tua
Bragança
Operation
Opened 1887
Closed 2008
Technical
Line length 133.8 km (83.1 mi)
Track gauge 1,000 mm (3 ft 3 38 in) metre gauge
Route map

km
133.768 Bragança Station
former route (before 1960)
Bragança Station Bridge
Coxa Viaduct
former route (before 1960)
Coxa Bridge I
level crossing
Viaduto do IP4 II × IP4
125.529 Mosca Station
level crossing
Rebordãos Bridge
122.198 Rebordãos
level crossing
Remisquedo Bridge
119.960 Apeadeiro de Remisquedo
level crossing
Remisquedo Tunnel
117.032 Sortes
Sortes Tunnel
Arufe Tunnel
110.257 Santa Comba de Rossas
Highest point on the railways of Portugal (850 m)
Viaduto do IP4 I × IP4
104.553 Salsas
102.343 Apeadeiro de Fermentãos
100.873 Paragem de Chãos
099.301 Apeadeiro de Vila Franca
096.834 Sendas
094.630 Valdrez
091.394 Salselas
Ponte do Azibo × Rio Azibo
089.240 Azibo Station
085.280 Castelãos
level crossing
level crossing
082.774 Macedo de Cavaleiros
level crossing
level crossing
078.791 Grijó (Macedo de Cavaleiros)
Ponte de Grijó
Ponte de Carrasqueiros
074.097 Cortiços
067.108 Romeu
level crossing
P.te Assureira × Ribeira da Assureira
065.307 Avantos
061.142 Vilar da Ledra
P.te Carvalhais × Ribeira de Carvalhais
level crossing
058.138 Carvalhais Station
056,446 R. Mirandela-SAPEC
056.390 Jean Monnet Station
level crossing
Ptão de Mirandela
level crossing
level crossing
055.450 São Sebastião
055.121 Jacques Delors
Mirandela Viaduct
Mirandela Tunnel
054.681 Tarana
054.200 Mirandela-Piaget Station
054.092 Mirandela (Est. ant.)
level crossing
048.411 Latadas
Frechas Tunnel
Level crossing
044.967 Frechas
041.866 Cachão
level crossing
Carvalha Bridge
037.778 Vilarinho
033.895 Ribeirinha
029.252 Abreiro
Vieiro Bridge
Cabreira Bridge
025.024 Codeçais
021.189 Brunheda Station
017.768 Tralhão
015.515 São Lourenço
013.375 Santa Luzia (ant. Amieiro)
Paradela Bridge
Falcoeira Tunnel
Fragas Más Tunnel II
Fragas Más Viaduct
Fragas Más Tunnel I
007.590 Castanheiro
Tralhariz Tunnel
004.261 Tralhariz
Presas Tunnel
Presas Viaduct
Douro line Ermesinde Station
000.000 Tua Station
Douro line Pocinho Station
Tunnel on the Tua line

The Tua line was a metre gauge railway line in northern Portugal. It was opened in 1887 and (partially) closed in 2008.

History

This highly scenic line ran north from a junction with the main Douro line at Tua Station, closely following the banks of the Tua River to the towns of Mirandela and Bragança. The railway opened in 1887. It was the first and longest (at 133.8 km) of all the narrow gauge railways built to serve the area north of the River Douro. It was originally operated by Companhia Nacional de Caminhos de Ferro (CN).[1] From 1947 onwards, until closure, the line was operated by CP.

Trains on the line were hauled by steam locomotives for much of the line's existence. From the 1970s onwards trains on the line were hauled by CP Class 9020 diesel locomotives, which were withdrawn when the line closed. Diesel railbuses, such as the Série 9300 and finally the Série 9500, were also used on some passenger trains.

Part of the route of the Tua line will be submerged under water when the Foz Tua Dam project on the Tua River is completed.[2]

Other narrow gauge railways in northern Portugal included the Corgo line and the Tâmega line (both of which closed in 2009) and the Sabor line (which closed in 1988).

Closure

The northern section of the line between Mirandela and Bragança was suddenly closed in December 1991, with the closure being formalised in 1992. The southern section between Tua and Mirandela remained in use.

Most of the remaining 54 km section south of Mirandela was closed abruptly in August 2008 on grounds that emergency track repairs were necessary.[3] This followed the derailment of a railcar near Brunheda, resulting in the death of a passenger and 25 injuries.[4]

A twice-daily taxi service replaced the train service, but was withdrawn on 1 July 2012 thus appearing to mark the final and formal closure of the line.[5] However, the taxi service was restarted on 9 July 2012 for a further initial three-month period, later extended indefinitely.[6] Though actual train services had been withdrawn, it was possible to travel as a passenger with a CP ticket using the replacement road service. In May 2016 the Mirandela local authority decided to withdraw funding for the replacement road service due to financial constraints.[7]

Budget cuts by the Portuguese Government led to a decision to permanently close the line, as announced in the Government's Strategic Transport Plan 2011–2015, published in October 2011. Actual train services were effectively withdrawn in 2008, apart from a short section around Mirandela which is operated as the Metro de Mirandela.

References

  1. Organ, J. (2010). Portugal Narrow Gauge. Middleton Press. ISBN 978-1-906008-67-3.
  2. Somague (18 February 2011). "Foz Tua Dam - Laying of the first stone" (Press release).
  3. "Linha do Tua encerrada por ordem do Governo" [Tua line closed by order of the Government]. Jornal de Notícias (in Portuguese). 22 August 2008.
  4. "Acidente na Linha do Tua faz um morto e 25 feridos" [Accident on the Tua Line leaves one dead and 25 wounded]. Jornal de Notícias (in Portuguese). 22 August 2008.
  5. "Linha do Tua - Supressão Serviço Rodoviário - 1 julho 2012". CP (in Portuguese). Archived from the original on 23 June 2012.
  6. "Linha do Tua - Serviço Rodoviário Alternativo". CP (in Portuguese). Archived from the original on 1 August 2012.
  7. Suspension of the Metro de Mirandela, May 2016

Coordinates: 41°12′14″N 7°25′15″W / 41.203957°N 7.420906°W / 41.203957; -7.420906

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