There is Still a Lot to Do

FCA U20C 2512 and 2507 at Corinto station.
Photo by Alexandre Almeida



The current opening of the extension of Pirapora for FCA understands, then, it leaves of an old project of connection of the southeast area with the north area of the country. The works of the North and South Railroad are to full steam and it is foreseen for 2012 the arrival of EF Carajás trains in Anápolis. Maybe, when that happens, Vale introduces the third rail in the FNS so that the trains of the metric gage arrive to the port of Itaqui, in the Maranhão state, without needing of change for gage it releases.
For the time being FCA is just transporting soy on Pirapora branch. But there is possibility to extend their services to the industries of the area, what would enlarge the range of products to be transported by railroad. But that will still demand improvements in the road. The works of reopening of the extension were too shy. Basically the railway sleepers were changed that were very damaged. The great majority is original of the line that was paralyzed in the middle of the eighties, therefore with more than 20 years of abandonment and at least 30 years of use. The rails are of light profile, varying from 37 to 45kg. The change of the ballast was not accomplished and this is very dirty and polluted for earth in most of the points visited by us. The bridges are the original of the old Central, with at least 80 years of use. To conclude, the terminal of change of the soy in Pirapora is very small. That is a project that was not sized to what was waited of that line. Its capacity would not hold a larger flow of trains that what there sees today. All this contrasts with the merchandise made by Vale that says that it invested 300 million in the recovery of that line. Then it resulted that in less than a month of opening of the line there was a derailment that stopped the branch for two days.
What is waited of FCA and Vale is that not just the Pirapora branch is remodeled in fact, but its connection with the line of modern profile placed below Sete Lagoas is contemplated also with significant improvements. It does not advance to just remodel that branch if between Corinto and Sete Lagoas there is a bad line as the one that exists there now. Vale and FCA need to understand that it is necessary to invest really of the own pocket to obtain results satisfactory. To hope the government invests in the line that they own will use is not to believe in their own capacity to manage their resources. It is necessary to dare more and to believe that the project will meet the expectations. We will only like this have railroads really competitive in Brazil.
Now (set/2009) the extension is with the activities paralyzed because of the end of the harvest of the soy in that area. For the that we heard from the personnel of FCA, the project it was under dimensioned and the soy turned before the expected out right.