The Tramways of
[translation] IN THIS PLACE ON 10/6/1984 THE TRAMWAY SERVICE OF THE CITY OF SANTOS WAS RESTORED, THANKS TO THE EFFORT OF MAYOR PAULO GOMES BARBOSA, THE DIRECTORS MILTON MORAES, HAROLDO DAMATO, TÁRSIO JORDÃO AND EMPLOYEES OF THE C.S.T.C., WITH THE INESTIMABLE COLLABORATION OF THE NEWSPAPER 'A TRIBUNA'.
(B) In 1984 the Companhia Santista de Transportes Coletivos dug up 900 m of double track on Av. Bartolomeu de Gusmão along Embaré Beach [see aerial photo], restrung wire and placed restored tram 46 back in service. "13" was the tram route that once ran the entire length of the beach. (Despite the double bays, car 46 has only a single truck.) The photograph was taken at the line's western terminus, near Av. Conselheiro Nébias, on 2 November 1985. [AM]
(C) Here is the eastern end of the line, not far from Ponta da Praia [see aerial photo]. At this point the line went to single track and the tram reversed ends for the return. [AM]
(D) Residents of these apartment buildings must have been startled to see a bonde running again along the beach. [AM]
(E) This photograph, taken in 1985 from the 16th floor of an apartment building, shows half of the tramway line. View is west. The city of São Vicente lies beyond the little island upper left [see aerial photo]. Note the passengers waiting to board the tram at the bottom of the picture. [AM]
(F) Unfortunately, tram 46 had no shelter, security was a problem and maintenance was difficult. A new Santos mayor, Oswaldo Justo, closed the tramway in October 1986, after only two years of operation. The cartoon above appeared shortly afterward in the Santos newspaper, A Tribuna. "RECOLHE" (retire) is how Brazilian trams are marked when they go out of service. Some Santistas wanted the mayor to do the same. Overhead wire was removed, the rails were covered again, and today tram 46 serves as a ticket office for doubledeck bus tours of the city. |
