Reuters is reporting that bondinho which runs from the station behind the iconic Petrobras tower and the new Metropolitan Cathedral up over the Arcos de Lapa through the Santa Teresa neighborhood has derailed this afternoon. Five passengers died and more than 30 others were wounded. The little trolley, the last vestige of a once enormous citywide trolley system is a popular tourist attraction. It's always been great fun when I've taken visitors for a ride. A treat to watch people hanging off the sides as the conductor only charges fares to those actually sitting down. Hang off the side and you have a freebie.

A spokesman for the fire department could not say what had caused the accident and gave no further details. Pictures in the local media showed the lower platform of the trolley off its tracks and on its side with the entire upper carriage in rubble near a power pole on the steep, winding, cobblestone streets of the Santa Teresa neighborhood.

There has been a replacement program to replace and rebuild the rail beds but has been going quite slowly. And they still use the original trams with the overhead cables. Those had not been replaced.

Here is a link to the history of the system:

http://www.tramz.com/br/rj/st/st.html

Yesterday as I watched a news program regarding "Irene" and the havoc that she caused, across the bottom of the screen was a statement regarding the derailment of the bondie and the loss of five lives. I wondered if this was what was being addressed, for I know Rio de janeiro has this type trolley system!!