PERUS-PIRAPORA

HISTORY

 Text by Nilson Rodrigues

 ORIGIN

In the 1890’s, the limestone mining industry was very busy in the region that comprises the cities of Caieiras, Cajamar, Sant’ana do Parnaiba, and the north-northwest part of São Paulo.

In those times, that kind of industry was growing due to the civil industry in São Paulo, hungry for this product.

A group of entrepeneurs decided to create a company to explore the limestone in the region of Gato Preto (Cajamar)and transport the final product to São Paulo, using a siding at the Perus station of the SPR (São Paulo Railway Co), the broad gauge railway linking São Paulo to Jundiai.

It would be a composite company, formed by a mining/railway system. It’s name was CIEFPP, brazilian initials of “Perus- Pirapora Mining and Railroad Company”.

NAME

 The name Perus-Pirapora was choosen due to the original project. The main purpose of the railroad was   to link the rails of the SPR at Perus with the holly village of Pirapora, distant 40 km from Perus. Pirapora at those times, was an important village with thousand of visitors by month, searching for miracles...

The real goal of the project was really the transportation of finisned lime packets to Perus station. The project and respective name, was just a way to get the government permission to construct the railway.

 OPERATIONS  

The innauguration of the company operations was at august, 5, 1914. Rolling stock was acquired from Baldwin (locos) and Belgium products  (passenger and freight cars). The gauge selected was 60cm, due to space restrictions. Total extension between Perus and Gato Preto was 20 kilometres.

At Gato Preto, 5 lime kilns were erected, in order to increase the existing mining activities of those times. From the mines to the kilns, small Decauville locos and mining cars were employed.

THE CEMENT INDUSTRY

 In 1926, the great lime mines attracted the attention of a canadian company of Montreal. The quantity of lime in the underground was significant, signaling with a good future for the company. So, the “Brazilian Portland Cement Co” was founded, the first cement company in Brazil.

The place for the mining was Cajamar village, very close to Gato Preto. The cement mill would be at Perus, due to the proximity with SPR rails.

The railroad functions had increased, and an extension of the rails was constructed to reach Cajamar, for the transportation of the lime stones between mines and the mill. 

CHANGES IN THE NAME

 In 1940, the company was split in two, the mining and the railroad. So, the railroad became “Estrada de Ferro Perus-Pirapora”, acting as a separate entity, transporting finished lime and stones for the cement mill. The granted passenger service was between Perus and km.16, according to the terms of the original concession. The original CIEFPP was extinct.

END OF CANADIAN PROPERTY 

By the end of the forties, the brazilian government was in  a “nationalization process” with all industries that still were under foreign control. The Brazilian Portland Cement Co. was sold by the canadians in 1951 to João José Abdalla, then secretary of the São Paulo state government. Also included in the negotiations, the railroad and the mines at Cajamar. The name of the new company was also nationalized to “Companhia de Cimento Portland Perus”. The railroad was kept as a separate company, retaining her name, “Estrada de Ferro Perus-Pirapora”.

INTERVENTION

 In 1974, the complex went under federal intervention, due to lack of tribute payments. Great land areas were also taken by the government, in order to cover all delayed tributes. At this time, the mill was suffering with pollution, due to bad maintenance in the equipments. The production was at its  apex, but losses to the atmosphere were also high, causing protests of the population against the pollution.

During those times, the rolling stock was adorned with the herald “CEIPN” what means “Company under Government Control”.

In 1981, the government was not satisfied with the company results, and the popular movements against pollution were strong. So, the complex was sold back to the Abdallas. The name changed to “Fabrica Nacional de Cimento Perus”, and the railroad name changed to “Ferrovia Perus-Pirapora Ltda”.

END OF OPERATIONS

 In 1983, the pollution caused by the mill was of no concern, and the gains were low, due to the bad condition of equipment. The mill went bankrupt, and the railroad with no more things to transport, stopped its operations, after practically 70 years of operation. The passenger service was no longer available, for Abdalla had ended it in 1972. In the last days of operation, the basic consist of the train was a fleet of gondolas with lime stone, and a passenger car at the end of the train, to ensure the transport of employees.

By this time, nothing less than 10 locomotives were active. Some were stored in good conditions, some no. One can assume that two or three engines could run with minor maintenance jobs.