This is one of the most interesting photos I ever seen about the E.F. Perus-Pirapora.

Nílson Rodrigues says: "This photo shows the start-up of the operations of the E.F. Perus-Pirapora, with a train arriving to the Gato Preto (Black Cat!) switching yards, passing exactly below the viaduct that linked the first quarry to be explored there - the Bocaina quarry - with the limestone furnaces. The switch in front of the steam locomotive lead to the quarry, in the same level of the switching yards. The place in the photo where is being built a new furnace is the exact point where nowadays the Anhanguera highway passes transversally to the photo. The construction of that highway forced the removal of the furnace, the demolishment of the viaduct and the construction of railroad lines below the highway, as it was built over a 6 m height embankment."

"It is interesting to note that the train that is carrying limestone to the furnaces is headed by a small steam locomotive, Orenstein & Koppel, 0-4-0T, and composed of several small bucket cars, that tilted to the front. That kind of car eased the load dumping into the furnace. Some of these small buckets still exist today. The locomotive below is headed by the steam locomotive #3, a very charming Baldwin 2-4-0, which has the name of the project idealizer, Dr. Sylvio de Campos. Regrettably, such locomotive and her sister, #4, disappeared without leaving traces. This was very strange because, given their size and use, their scrapping or selling were not justified. One can also note the open passenger cars, very similar to those used in the tramway systems. The box cars still exist. The men at right must be the bosses of that time..."

"As I see this photo, I wonder how it would be so interesting to reactivate the E.F. Perus-Pirapora. The equipment still is just there, we need just the determination to do it..."

This photo belongs to the A.B.P.F. collection; its author is unknown. A copy of it and the comments above were kindly sent by Nílson Rodrigues, from Franco da Rocha SP, to the E.F. Brasil site.