Linha do Douro
{{more citations needed|date=May 2016}}
{{short description|Portuguese railway line}}
{{Infobox rail line
| box_width = auto
| name = Linha do Douro
| color =
| image = CP 1400 Aregos - Mosteiro.jpg
| image_width = 220px
| caption = A passenger train heading to towards
Porto São Bento crossing the Douro River
| type = Commuter rail
Regional rail
| status = Operational
| locale = Distrito do Porto
Distrito de Vila Real
Distrito de Bragança
Distrito da Guarda
| start = Ermesinde
| end = Pocinho
| stations = 44 (Ermesinde–Pocinho)
| daily_ridership =
| open = Stages between 1875 and 1887
| owner = Infraestruturas de Portugal
| operator = Comboios de Portugal (passenger)
Medway (freight)
| character =
| depot = Porto - Contumil
| stock = CP 1400
CP 592.0 / 592.2
Medway 1400
Medway 1900
Medway 1960
Medway 335.0
Medway 5600
Medway 4700
| linelength = {{convert|160|km|mile|0|abbr=on}}
| tracks = 2 (Ermesinde - Caíde)
1 (Caíde - Pocinho)
| gauge = {{Track gauge|1668mm|allk=on}}
| old_gauge =
| minradius =
| electrification = 25 kV 50 Hz AC OHLE
(Ermesinde to Marco de Canavezes)
| speed = Maximum {{convert|140|km/h|mph|0|abbr=on}}
| signalling = Automatic with Orientable Block
(Ermesinde to Caíde)
Telephonic (Caíde to Pocinho)
| map =
| map_state =
}}
| role="presentation" class="wikitable mw-collapsible mw-collapsed floatright"
| Location on the network |
| {{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 = Ermesinde | link = Ermesinde railway station | x = 56 | y = 60 | float2 = MarkeKreuzBlau.svg | float2_width = 13px | float2_alt = | float2_caption = Pocinho | link2 = Pocinho railway station | x2 = 130 | y2 = 66 }} |
{{Linha do Douro}}
{{CPPorto}}
Image:Flickr - nmorao - Cimento, Valeira, 2008.09.29 (1).jpg
Image:IR 861, Estação do Tua, 2008.06.17.jpg locomotive heading a passenger train (left) passing a freight train headed by a Série 1960 (right)]]
The Douro line (Portuguese: Linha do Douro) is a 99-mile (160 km) railway line in northern Portugal that runs from Ermesinde to the eastern terminus at Pocinho. The line runs close to the Douro River for much of its route, offering scenic views of the river and valley. Passenger trains are operated by Comboios de Portugal (CP) and run between Porto São Bento and Pocinho, taking 3 hours and 20 minutes. Freight trains operated by Medway also run on the line.
Construction
| class=wikitable | ||
| Section
!Length !Opened | ||
|---|---|---|
| Ermesinde–Penafiel | 30.311 km | align=right|{{start date|1875|07|29}} |
| Penafiel–Caíde | {{0}}7.328 km | align=right|{{start date|1875|12|20}} |
| Caíde–Juncal | 18.818 km | align=right|{{start date|1878|09|15}} |
| Juncal–Régua | 38.371 km | align=right|{{start date|1879|07|15}} |
| Régua–Ferrão | 15.813 km | align=right|{{start date|1880|04|04}} |
| Ferrão–Pinhão | {{0}}7.611 km | align=right|{{start date|1880|06|01}} |
| Pinhão–Tua | 12.993 km | align=right|{{start date|1883|09|01}} |
| Tua–Pocinho | 31.678 km | align=right|{{start date|1887|01|10}} |
| Pocinho–Côa | {{0}}9.061 km | align=right|{{start date|1887|05|05}} |
| Côa–Barca d'Alva | 18.882 km | align=right|{{start date|1887|12|09}} |
| Continuation to La Fuente de San Esteban | align=right|{{start date|1887|12|09}} |
Route
From west to east, the line runs from the junction at Ermesinde to Pocinho. The line formerly continued east for a further 28 kilometres to the Spanish border. Until 1984, the track connected to a Spanish line, thus allowing through trains to/from Salamanca.
Passenger trains normally run from São Bento station in Porto to Pocinho, with some not running as far as the eastern terminus. The line is built to the Iberian gauge of {{track gauge|1668mm}}. The line is single track, apart from a double track section between Ermesinde and Caíde (the authorisation for the dualling work was given by CP in 1993).{{cite web| url=http://www.cp.pt/cp/displayPage.do?vgnextoid=d5433cddefcb7010VgnVCM1000007b01a8c0RCRD#5| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141006092545/http://www.cp.pt/cp/displayPage.do?vgnextoid=d5433cddefcb7010VgnVCM1000007b01a8c0RCRD| archive-date=October 6, 2014| title=Cronologia: 1844/1874 - Desde o Projecto até ao Fim do 3º Quartel do Séc. XIX |trans-title=Chronology: 1844/1874 - From the Project to the End of the 3rd Quarter of the 19th Century |publisher=Comboios de Portugal| language=pt}}
In 1984, the Spanish rail operator RENFE announced the closure of its connecting line from La Fuente de San Esteban to the Portuguese border. With the loss of international traffic, CP had to close its line east of Barca d'Alva to Spain. The service was cut back to Pocinho in 1988, which has since remained the eastern terminus of the Douro line.{{cite web| url=http://www.linhadodouro.net/historia.php |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304002329/http://www.linhadodouro.net/historia.php |archive-date=4 March 2016 |title=História da linha do Douro |trans-title=History of the Douro line |website=A linha do Douro| language=pt| date=September 1989}}
As of May 2023, there are intentions to reactivate the extension from Pocinho to the border town of Barca d'Alva, with a preliminary study commissioned on May 10th.{{cite web |url=https://24.sapo.pt/atualidade/artigos/governo-avanca-com-modernizacao-do-troco-ferroviario-marco-e-regua-na-linha-do-douro |title=Governo avança com modernização do troço ferroviário Marco e Régua, na Linha do Douro |trans-title=Government moves ahead with modernization of Marco and Régua railway section on the Douro Line |publisher=Sapo |language=pt |date=30 May 2023}}
Branch lines
There were formerly five metre gauge branch lines connecting with the Douro line, but the last of these closed in 2009. Geographically, from west to east they were:
- The Penafiel to Lixa and Entre-os-Rios Railway, which closed in the 1920s after less than 20 years of operation
- The Tâmega line, which closed in 2009 and ran north from a junction with the Douro line at Livração
- The Corgo line, which closed in 2009 and ran north from a junction with the Douro line at Regua
- The Tua line, which closed in 2008 and ran north from a junction with the Douro line at Tua
- The Sabor line, which closed in 1988 and ran north-east from a junction with the Douro line at Pocinho
See also
- List of railway lines in Portugal
- List of Portuguese locomotives and railcars
- History of rail transport in Portugal
- CP Class 1400 - diesel locomotives frequently used on the line
- National Railway Museum (Portugal)
- Sorefame - builder of most of the rolling stock used on the line
- Barca d'Alva–La Fuente de San Esteban railway
References
{{reflist}}
=Sources=
- {{cite journal |author= |date=7 December 2018 |title=2019 Network Statement |url=http://www.infraestruturasdeportugal.pt/sites/default/files/files/files/network_statement_2019.pdf |access-date=20 January 2019 }}
{{Railway lines in Portugal}}
{{Authority control}}
Category:Railway lines opened in 1875