PERUS-PIRAPORA RAILROAD

A tribute to Charles S. Small

 Text by Nilson Rodrigues

 The history of the EFPP and other 2 foot railroads in Brazil, has a direct connection with the name of Mr. Charles S. Small, an american hystorian and photografer, died in 1988.

Mr. Small came in the first time to Brazil in 1943, to work in the Belem (North Brazil) harbour system. During his first visit, he got a great interest in our railroads, for he was an specialist in narrow gauge railroads in the world.

His second visit to Brazil, during the end of the sixties, gave Small the chance to meet the Perus-Pirapora, and this railroad has caught his attention, just for the variety of the rolling stock of 60cm gauge.

As a dedicated hystorian, he started to elaborate the all-time roster of the EFPP, which was the starting-point to other interested railfans.

His encounter with Carlheinz Hahmann, brought brazilians the most complete publication about our railroads in the steam age: The “Brazilian Steam Album” vol. 1, 2, 3, and 4. This is a very valuable publication, with photos from Hahmann’s collection plus the knowledgement of mr. Small.

His great collaboration to the EFPP, was his association with a group of japanese students, that came to a pos-graduation trip to Brazil in 1970. His assistency to these university members, resulted in the best publication about the EFPP ever: The “Steam Locomotives” nr.7, published in Japan in 1972, by Koyusha Publications.

The collection of fotos by this group, and the collaboration of mr. Small in the hystoric part and more, the data included in the roster of locomotives, gave us a valuable documment, altough published in japanese linguage. It is really the treasure of Perus-Pirapora.

My last correspondences with mr. Small were changed in 1987, when he was suffering  a series of illnesses, turning difficult even his signature on the letters...

In that time, mr. Small was very interested to send back to Brazil all material used to publish the “Brazilian Steam Album”, mainly the fotos of mr. Carlheinz Hahmann. The time was too short, for mr. Small died next year. We have no more notices about his collection of fotos...

Anyway, his collaboration to brazilians and so with Perus-Pirapora fans, was incredible. Many of the informations we have about EFPP, came from the appointments of Mr. Small.

Our tanks to mr. Small, forever...

Nilson Rodrigues