Corgo line

Portuguese closed railway line

3 ft 3+3⁄8 in) metre gauge

Route map

Legend

					L. M. C. C. → Ourense
					L. M. C. C. → M. Campo
					Portugal⇄ Spain (cancelled proj.)
				96.167	Chaves (museum)
				94.343	Fonte Nova
				89.489	Tâmega
					L. T. → Livr. (cancelled proj.)
					Tâmega Bridge × Tâmega R.
				87.027	Vilela do Tâmega
				84.601	Peneda
				80.993	Paranheiras
				77.515	Campilho
					L. Tâmega → Livr. (cancelled proj.)
				76.535	Vidago
				75.788	Sálus
				74.827	Oura
				70.557	Loivos
				64.382	Sabroso
					L. Tâmega → Livr. (cancelled proj.)
				61.268	Pedras Salgadas
					T. Valpaços → Mirandela (cancelled proj.)
				57.770	Nuzedo
				54.187	Vila Pouca de Aguiar
					T. Valpaços → Mirandela (cancelled proj.)
				50.443	P. Aguiar (formerly Parada)
					Ponte da Parada
				48.121	Zimão
				45.134	Tourencinho
					P. Tourencinho × R. Reboredo
				38.883	Samardã
				34.958	Fortunho
				32.228	Cigarrosa (dem.)

				28.787	Abambres

				25.069	Vila Real
				17.960	Cruzeiro
				14.362	Desvio de Carrazedo
				14.269	Carrazedo
				11.422	Povoação
				07.188	Alvações
					Tanha Bridge × Tanha River
				03.401	Tanha
				01.183	Corgo
					Workshops
					B. Corgo L. D. → Pocinho
					Corgo Bridge × Corgo
					× A24
					× EN2 (Portugal)
					L. L. → Lamego (cancelled proj.)
				00.000	Régua
					L. Douro → Ermesinde

Location on the network

+ Régua × Chaves (🔎)

The Corgo line (Portuguese: Linha do Corgo) was a 1,000 mm (3 ft 3+3⁄8 in) metre gauge 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.

Early years

The section from Régua (also known as Peso da Régua) to Vila Real was 1,000 mm (3 ft 3+3⁄8 in) metre gauge 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.^[1]

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).^[1]

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.^[2] 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

References

^ ^a ^b Organ, John (2010). Portugal Narrow Gauge. Midhurst, England: Middleton Press. ISBN 978-1-906008-67-3.
^ Comboios de Portugal, CP press release confirming the closure of the line

Railway lines⁺ in Portugal
including trolleybuses, cable cars and elevators

IP
Iberian-gauge
railwaysᴮ^#

Wyes	Agualva Águas de Moura Bombel Ermidas Funcheira Nine† Norte Setil Poceirão São Gemil Sete Rios Tunes† Verride Xabregas

IP
metre-gauge
railways¹^#

Linha do Douro branch lines	Ave/Basto‡† Côa‡† Corgo† Lamego‡† Sabor† Tâmega† Tua†‡ Metro de Mirandela†° Transversal do Minho‡† Chacim‡† Valpaços‡† Vinhais‡† Crestuma‡†
Porto-Minho network	Alto Minho‡† Braga-Chaves‡† Braga-Guimarães‡† Guimarães↑ Lima‡†° Matosinhos† Póvoa e Famalicão↑ São Pedro da Cova‡† Litoral do Minho‡† Lanhoso‡† Transversal do Minho‡† Famalicão‡† Cávado‡†
Vouga/Viseu network	Aveiro Aveiro-Mar† Dão† Vouga
Other	Chamusca‡† Penafiel† Avis‡† Cacilhas‡† Pedreiras de Caxias†

Other
heavy-rail
lines^#

High-speed linesⁱ	Aveiro-Salamancaⁱ‡† Évora-Faro-Huelvaⁱ‡† Lisboa-Madridⁱ‡† Lisboa-Portoⁱ‡† Porto-Vigoⁱ‡†
Isolated port railways	Horta²†° Lena¹⁶†° Monges⁶†° Pego do Altar⁶†° Pejão⁶†° Ponta Delgada²†° Pomarão¹†° Funchal¹†° Aljustrel (mines)³†° Alfeite† São Pedro da Cova mine† Leixões (port)† Panasqueira† Lousal†

Tourist, urban,
industrial and
military lines

Metros

Lisbon Metroⁱ	Blue Yellow Green Red
Porto Metroⁱ	A B C D E F G‡

Trams

Braga⁹†
Coimbra¹†
Faro¹‡†
Lisbon⁹
Portoⁱ
Sintra¹††

Trolleybuses

Amadora‡
Braga†
Coimbra
Porto†

Beach railways

Caparica⁶
Barril⁶

Other mechanical
non-electric systems

Larmanjat⁴⁺†
Braga⁹↑
Póvoa de Varzim†
Mira†
Torres Novas†
Pinhal de Leiria†
Escola de Engenharia in Tancos†
Ponta Delgada a Furnas e RibeirA Grande‡†
Palácio de Cristal†

Horsecars

Aveiro†
Braçal†
Braga⁹↑
Coimbra↑
Linha do Corgo↑
Elvas†
Figueira da Foz†
Funchal⁶†
Lisbon↑
Portoⁱ↑
Póvoa de Varzim↑
S. Jacinto†
S. Pedro Muel†
Torreira†
Campo Entrincheirado de Lisboa†
Fort of Trafaria†
Fort of São Julião da Barra†
Polígono de Tancos†
Funchal - Câmara Lobos‡†
São Martinho de Porto†
Fábrica de Pólvora†
Companhia das Lezírias†
São Vicente - Santana‡†

Funiculars

Bica⁹
Bom Jesusⁱ
Castelo Branco‡
Freiras†
Glória⁹
Guindais††
Lavra⁹
Nazaré
Ourém‡
Santa Luzia††
Sintra‡†
Tomar‡†
Viseu

Cable cars and
rack railways
(including aerial lifts
and people movers)

Surface	Estrela↑ Graça↑ Monte¹†‡ S. J. Malta‡ São Sebastião† SATUOeiras†
Gondola lifts	Achadas da Cruz Aroeira‡† Botânico Cabo Girão Cântaro Covão Expo Fajã dos Padres Funchal-Monte Gaia Garajau Lagoa Penha Rocha do Navio Sete Fontes‡ Skiparque Torre Viriato Zoo