[PRCo] Porto and Sintra

[Fred Schneider]

In March 1995, Dick (nameless because of what I said about him in the Lisbon note) and I also went to Porto (Oporto) which was then down to only one line.   It has since expanded to three heritage lines, one light rail and four subway (metro) routes.
Can you all imagine my reaction when I climbed onto the back of a four wheel Portguese-built licensed copy of a Brill semi-convertible and found a roving conductor collecting fares?   My God, they got rid of these things in Lancaster (PA) between 1920 and 1926 and replaced them with Birney cars.   Since that there have been two or three generations of buses.   This city is using junk that is almost 100 years old with two-man crews.  Un-f**king-believable.   

And it's still there only today they have gotten rid of the conductors.   Today we have 1905-style Brill SC cars using a proof-of-payment fare system.   If you don't feel like paying, you simply hang on the outside.   Recognizing that Portugal and Greece are the two stumbling blocks in the EU, you can understand why the destitute kids hang on the outside.   And there are no conductors to throw them off.   

http://www.altrinchamfc.co.uk/opotrams.htm
http://www.lusa.u-net.com/opomassa.htm

Metro (the light rail).

http://www.altrinchamfc.co.uk/opometro.htm

This single link brings up about 15 different films of Porto trams.   Remember when you see route 20 that it is all new with cars up to 100 years old!

http://wn.com/Porto_Trams

While on the subject of Portugal, if no one told you ... the tramway to the beach in Sintra was also rebuilt and service was restored.   Can you imagine open bench cars to the beach today?   Officially it is theTramway Sintra - Atlantico.      

http://wn.com/Porto_Trams

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z829mcTszb8&NR=1

I suspect now that the EU money that was flowing into Portugal for all sorts of worthy projects has ceased, things like new light rail lines and restoration of trolley lines will also ceases.   Enjoy them while you can.  

fws