The Corcovado Railway was the first eletricfied Brazilian railroad. Inaugurated in October 9th, 1884, it’s even older than the monument of Christ. Besides, it was this same train that carried for a period of four years the parts of the statue to be mounted at the top of the hill.

The trip starts at Cosme Velho Station, so pretty and old that it is now part of the Brazilian Historical Patrimony.

The first renowned passenger to climb the Corcovado hill by train was Dom Pedro II, emperor of Brazil, who inaugurated the railway in October 9th, 1884. The train, steam powered at that time, was considered a miracle of engineering for its capacity of performing 3.824 meters of very steep railways.

Today, to accomplish the ride with maximum safety, the railroad uses the Riggenbach system, in which a turning wheel runs over a third rail, thus moving the train.

In 1910, steam trains were substituted for electric ones. The railroad was modernized and new models of trains, safer and more modern were brought from Switzerland in 1979. Five years later, in 1984, Esfeco took charge of the Corcovado Train.

After Dom Pedro II, many renowned visitors rode to the statue of Christ, like Vatican’s Secretary of Estate, Eugênio Pacelli, in 1934, who later became Pope Pio XII.

Santos Dumont, Father of Aviation, was a frequent visitor of the Corcovado Train. According to the old train operators, he used to appear with his characteristic hat falling to one side, would give good tips and, from time to time, would ask to drive the train. Ex-presidents Getúlio Vargas and Epitácio Pessoa were also frequent passengers.