A SINGLE AND SAD RECOLLECTION OF THE LEOPOLDINA RAILWAY

A curious and very sad photo: everything you see here no longer exists. Pictured is a steam locomotive of the old Leopoldina Railroad, a Consolidation 2-8-0 of metric gauge with its little mixed local train. The identification number is impossible to recognize, but the engine is stopped in front of the Leopoldina Station in the city of the same name located in Minas Gerais. The Railroad and Station having the same name is mere coincidence. The photo was taken in 1956 by an unknown photographer. It so happens that the Station is already demolished, the locomotive for sure is scrapped and cutted down by torch, the Engineer and Fireman are deceased, the rails have been pulled out and the Leopoldina Railway does not exist anymore. It lost its identity when it was amalgamated into the now also former RFFSA many decades ago. The photo is presently all that is remaining of this scene besides the memories of a few inhabitants of the small town of Leopoldina.

Horst Wolff
September 1998