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 3⁄8 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 was submerged in 2016 after the concluison of Foz Tua Dam.^[2]

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

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