Corgo line
{{short description|Portuguese closed railway line}}
{{Infobox rail line
| box_width =
| name = Linha do Corgo
| color =
| image = Bf_Vila_Real.jpg
| image_width = 300px
| caption = Vila Real railway station.
| type =
| status = Closed
| locale =
| start = Régua
| end = Chaves
| stations =
| daily_ridership =
| open =
| owner =
| operator = Comboios de Portugal
| character =
| depot =
| stock =
| linelength = {{convert|71.4|km|abbr=on}}
| tracks =
| gauge = {{Track gauge|1000mm|allk=on}}
| old_gauge =
| minradius =
| electrification =
| speed =
| signalling =
| map =
{{routemap|inline=1
|title = Linha do Corgo
|title-bg = #BE2D2C
|title-color = #FFF
|legend = 1
|map-title =
|map =
CONTgq\STR+r\~~ ~~{{tooltip|2=Línea de Medina del Campo a Coruña|L. M. C. C.}}~~→ Ourense
\exLSTR!~STRl\CONTfq~~ ~~{{tooltip|2=Línea de Medina del Campo a Coruña|L. M. C. C.}}~~→ M. Campo
exLSTR!~GRZq~~ ~~{{Flag|Portugal}}⇄{{Flag|Spain}}~~(cancelled proj.)
ARCH\exLSTR!~exKBHFa\~~96.167~~Chaves~~(museum)
exHST~~94.343~~Fonte Nova
exBHF~~89.489~~Tâmega
exCONTgq\exABZgr\~~ ~~L. T.~~→ Livr. (cancelled proj.)
exhKRZWae~~ ~~ ~~Tâmega Bridge × Tâmega R.
exHST~~87.027~~Vilela do Tâmega
exHST~~84.601~~Peneda
exHST~~80.993~~Paranheiras
exHST~~77.515~~Campilho
exCONTgq\exABZg+r\~~ ~~L. Tâmega~~→ Livr. (cancelled proj.)
exBHF~~76.535~~Vidago
exHST~~75.788~~Sálus
exHST~~74.827~~Oura
exHST~~70.557~~Loivos
exHST~~64.382~~Sabroso
exCONTgq\exABZg+r\~~ ~~L. Tâmega~~→ Livr. (cancelled proj.)
exBHF~~61.268~~Pedras Salgadas
\exABZgl\exCONTfq~~ ~~T. Valpaços~~→ Mirandela (cancelled proj.)
exHST~~57.770~~Nuzedo
exBHF~~54.187~~Vila Pouca de Aguiar
\exABZgl\exCONTfq~~ ~~{{tooltip|2=Transversal de Valpaços|T. Valpaços}}~~→ Mirandela (cancelled proj.)
exHST~~50.443~~P. Aguiar~~(formerly Parada)
exhKRZWae~~ ~~ ~~Ponte da Parada
exBHF~~48.121~~Zimão
exHST~~45.134~~Tourencinho
exhKRZWae~~ ~~ ~~P. Tourencinho × R. Reboredo
exBHF~~38.883~~Samardã
exHST~~34.958~~Fortunho
exHST~~32.228~~Cigarrosa~~(dem.)
exBUE
exBHF~~28.787~~Abambres
exBUE
exBHF~~25.069~~Vila Real
exHST~~17.960~~Cruzeiro
exKBSTaq\exABZgr\~~14.362~~ ~~Desvio de Carrazedo
exBHF~~14.269~~Carrazedo
exBHF~~11.422~~Povoação
exBHF~~{{0}}7.188~~Alvações
exhKRZWae~~ ~~ ~~Tanha Bridge × Tanha River
exHST~~{{0}}3.401~~Tanha
exHST~~{{0}}1.183~~Corgo
\exABZg+l\exKBSTeq~~ ~~ ~~Workshops
\STR+l!~exSTR!~tSTR+l\CONTfq~~ ~~{{tooltip|2=Bifurcação do Corgo|B. Corgo}} L. D.~~→ Pocinho
WASSERq\exhKRZWae!~tSTR\WABZq+r~~ ~~ ~~Corgo Bridge × Corgo
\exSKRZ-G4hl!~tSKRZ-G4hl\hRP4oWeq~~ ~~ ~~× A24
\exSTR!~tSTR!~lhSTRaeq!~RP2q\~~ ~~ ~~× EN2 (Portugal)
\SHI1l!~exSHI1r!~tSHI1l!~exvSTR+l-\exCONTfq~~ ~~L. L.~~→ Lamego (cancelled proj.)
vexKBHFe-BHF~~{{0}}0.000~~Régua
v-CONTf~~ ~~L. Douro~~→ Ermesinde
|map2-title=Location on the network
|map2=
-colspan
{{Superimpose2
| border =
| collapse =
| base = Pt ferv.png
| base_style =
| base_width = 190px
| base_alt = Railway map Portugal
| base_caption = Railway map Portugal
| base_link =
| float = PlusCM128_(009900).svg
| float_width = 17px
| float_alt =
| float_caption = Régua
| link = Régua railway station
| x = 97
| y = 64
| float2 = MarkeKreuzBlau.svg
| float2_width = 13px
| float2_alt =
| float2_caption = Chaves
| link2 =Chaves railway station
| x2 = 113
| y2 = 24
}}
-colspan-end
| map2-collapsible = yes
| map2-collapse = yes
}}
}}
The Corgo line ({{langx|pt|Linha do Corgo}}) was a {{Track gauge|1000mm|allk=on}} railway line in northern Portugal. It closed in 2009. It ran north from Régua (a junction station on the main Douro railway line running along the Douro Valley) to Vila Real and Chaves. The line was latterly operated by Comboios de Portugal.
{{stack|
Image:Bf Vila Real, VT ex Bosnabahn.jpg at Vila Real station]]
}}
Early years
The section from Régua (also known as Peso da Régua) to Vila Real was {{Track gauge|1000mm|allk=on}} opened in 1906. The extension to Chaves was built in stages, but not completed until 1921. The distance from Regua to Chaves was 97 kilometres. The first short section of track north from Regua was dual gauged (including a large metal girder bridge over the Corgo River), shared with the main Iberian gauge Douro railway line.{{cite book|title=Portugal Narrow Gauge|first=John|last=Organ|publisher=Middleton Press|location=Midhurst, England|year=2010|isbn=978-1-906008-67-3}}
In its early years the line was operated by the CF do Estado (State Railways). Following privatisation of the CF do Estado in 1928, the line came under the Companhia Nacional (CN) until taken over by the CP in 1947. CP introduced economy measures, such as diesel railcars and eventually diesel locomotives in place of steam traction (notably a small fleet of Mallet locomotives built by Henschel).
Final years and closure
The Corgo line was steam operated until the 1970s, with steam shunting engines continuing in limited use until the 1980s. The introduction of the Série 9000 and later the Série 9020 diesel locomotives replaced steam working on the line. In 1982 the line featured in an episode of the BBC television series Great Little Railways.
Due to road improvements and falling passenger numbers, the northern section of the line between Vila Real and Chaves was closed in 1990.
On 25 March 2009 the remaining service on the line (between Regua and Vila Real) was suspended due to the condition of the track. Repairs were promised and the line was expected to reopen by 2011. In practice, due to budgetary constraints, the repairs have not been forthcoming and the replacement bus service was itself withdrawn with effect from 1 January 2012.Comboios de Portugal, [http://www.cp.pt/cp/displayPage.do?vgnextoid=4e5eab3226ea4010VgnVCM1000007b01a8c0RCRD&contentId=eba8d896d4844310VgnVCM100000be01a8c0RCRD CP press release confirming the closure of the line] The tracks were lifted from Vila Real station by 2011.
Other narrow gauge railways in the Douro Valley
- Sabor line - closed 1988
- Tâmega line - closed 2009
- Tua line - closed 2018
See also
References
{{Reflist}}
{{coord missing|Portugal}}
{{Railway lines in Portugal}}
Category:Railway lines in Portugal
Category:Metre-gauge railways in Portugal
Category:Railway lines closed in 2009
Category:Railway lines opened in 1906
Category:1906 establishments in Portugal
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{{Portugal-transport-stub}}