BRAZIL-TROLLEY Rio de Janeiro tram line partially reopens four years after deadly accident

Record ID: 146230

  • Title: BRAZIL-TROLLEY Rio de Janeiro tram line partially reopens four years after deadly accident
  • Date: 27th July 2015
  • Summary: RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL (JULY 27, 2015) (REUTERS) THE RIO DE JANEIRO TROLLEY, KNOWN AS THE BONDE OF SANTA TERESA, GOING OVER THE LAPA ARCHES ON ITS INITIAL RUN AFTER BEING CLOSED FOR FOUR YEARS MORE OF THE TROLLEY CARRYING PASSENGERS OVER THE ARCHES OF LAPA VIEW FROM THE TROLLEY AS IT PASSES OVER THE LAPA NEIGHBOURHOOD THE TROLLEY PASSING OVER THE LANDMARK ARCHES OF LAPA TR
  • Embargoed: 11th August 2015 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Brazil
  • Country: Brazil
  • Topics: General
  • Reuters ID: LVA39VUX9CYCIFRVE50YR9B1876S
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text: A small stretch of Rio de Janeiro's "bonde" trolley system reopened for test runs in the Santa Teresa neighbourhood on Monday (July 27), four years after six people were killed and 50 others were injured in a deadly accident on the line.
    That light rail system, known locally as the 'bonde' or 'bondinho' was decommissioned after the deadly accident on August 27, 2011 which was blamed at the time on brake failure due to a lack of maintenance.
    The bonde was slated to reopen before the 2014 World Cup was hosted in Brazil, but work to update the system suffered a series of setbacks frustrating neighbours who once relied on the system to bring them up and down the hillside neighbourhood.
    Rio de Janeiro's state Secretary for Transportation, Carlos Osorio, recognized the delays in reopening the trolley while speaking to journalists on Monday.
    "Look, first of all the state needs to recognize that we've had a lot of problems with this project. We've caused inconveniences for the residents of the Santa Teresa neighbourhood. We consider this opening, this start of service as a form of asking for forgiveness to the residents of the neighbourhood," Osorio said.
    Passengers will be able to use just 900 meters (980 yards) of the newly laid magnetic tracks of the 10 kilometre (6.2 mile) system between the hours of 11 a.m. and 4 p.m. local time.
    The stretch of track opened on Monday runs from downtown, over the landmark arches of Lapa to the Curvelo square in Santa Teresa.
    Up to 32 passengers can take ride the trolley free of charge on each of its runs during the initial test phase.
    Osorio said the new trolleys were fitted with an emergency brake system to prevent an accident similar to that which killed six people almost four years ago.
    "This new trolley has four brake systems, the fourth is an emergency magnetic brake that can stop the trolley in any circumstance. It's like a magnet connecting the trolley to the tracks. And this emergency brake is only to be used at the last minute," Osorio said.
    The bonde is part of the charm that makes the Santa Teresa neighbourhood a favourite of tourists visiting Rio.
    The return of the bondinho will serve both tourists and locals who once heavily relied on the trolley system to take them up the steep hills of the picturesque neighbourhood.
    "Well, we learned this morning that it was on, we came here and we'll part of the second round so that's very exciting. This is really something that is really special in Rio and I'm very glad that we will be able, all together, to enjoy that again. So yeah, very good," Belgian tourist Philippe Beguine, who took the trolley with his son said.
    "The city is for all tourists and the residents, right? Because it was a big loss for the residents (of the Santa Teresa neighbourhood). And it will be better when the whole line is completed," a resident of Santa Teresa, Augusto Smith said.
    Other stretches of track are also being tested without passengers while construction in ongoing on much of the system.
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