History

1996 - The Centro-Atlântica Railroad begins operating, following the privatization of the central-eastern part of the Federal Railroad Network (RFFSA). A 30-year concession, renewable for a further 30 years, is awarded. The FCA has 7,840 km of track, covering seven states (Minas Gerais, Espírito Santo, Rio de Janeiro, Sergipe, Goiás, Bahia and São Paulo), as well as the Federal District. In 1996, it operates with 322 locomotives and 7,816 train cars. Originally, FCA’s concession is awarded to a consortium composed of Mineração Tacumã Ltda. (controlled by Vale), Ralph Partners, Railtex International Holdings Inc., Interférrea S.A., Judori – Administração, Empreendimento e Participações S.A., Companhia Siderurgia Nacional (CSN), Gruçai Participações S.A., Tupinambarana S.A., and Varbra S.A. A payment of around R$316 million is made for the concession. Focused exclusively on rail freight operations, FCA carries a range of goods including petroleum products, ethanol and grains such as soy.
1997 - A satellite-based signaling and authorization system (AUTOTRAC) comes into operation.
1998 - TFCA begins operating the Araguari-Valefertil (FERROBAN) stretch, through a contract with the São Paulo railroad network.
1999 - Vale takes over as the lead member of the FCA consortium. FCA’s operational control center is inaugurated.
2000 - A new cycle of investment begins, to increase the railroad’s capacity and improve operational safety, rolling stock maintenance and technical staff training. FCA starts using end-of-train (EOT) devices, boosting operational safety and productivity.
2001 - The “Express Train” operation begins – a door-to-door road-rail multimodal service operating daily scheduled trains, offering safe and highly reliable freight transportation.
Vale opens the Railroad Research and Training Center, the most advanced railroad training center in the country.
2002 - The railroad starts using LOCOTROL electronic distributed power systems, enabling larger trains and higher transportation capacities.
A customer service helpline is launched.
2003 - Vale takes full control (99.9%) of FCA, through subsidiary Mineração Tucumã, in a deal authorized by the national land transport regulator, ANTT.
The process of splitting up FERROBAN is concluded: FCA definitively acquires the right to operate the Boa Vista-Valefertil stretch.
2004 - Between 1997 and 2004, FCA invests R$1.4 billion. In 2004, the railroad invests R$485.6 million, against R$102.6 million in 1997, the first year of the concession.
FCA transports 10.2 billion metric ton-kilometers over the course of 2004, 52% more than the average annual figure for RFFSA between 1989 and 1995. Since the concession began, the railroad has transported 2.4 million metric tons of bauxite (accumulated total).
The “Cinema on the Tracks” program is launched, improving access to movies among people living in cities along the railroad. The program covers 20 municipalities and reaches an estimated audience of 65,000 people.
Vale and PUC-Minas Gerais, a university, start offering a postgraduate course in railroad engineering.
2005 - A system for standardizing and auditing the identification of hazardous products is installed.
FCA’a accident rate falls to 30 per million train-kilometers, the lowest in its history. In 1997, the first year of the concession, the corresponding figure was 117.5.
2006 - Authorization is given to construct the 160-km Litorânea Sul (“South Coast”) branch line connecting Vitória to Cachoeiro de Itapemirim, in Espírito Santo. The new track will increase annual transportation capacity for iron ore and other freight by 13 million metric tons.
The “Vale Train” is inaugurated, a R$48.5-million project to reestablish a steam train line between the historic cities of Ouro Preto and Mariana in Minas Gerais.
The 18.7-km track has been rebuilt and the four stations along the way have been restored and adapted. The train can carry 300 seated passengers.
The Centro-Atlântica Railroad enters into a R$16.7 million contract to acquire 400 onboard computers for its locomotives. The objective is to detect acts of vandalism on the trains.
2008 - Vale imports two state-of-the-art locomotives from China to operate on the Rota do Calcário (“Limestone Route”) between Arcos in Minas Gerais and Volta Redonda in Rio de Janeiro, on FCA’s track.
2009 - FCA announces a new contract with Multigrain to transport grains. Through the agreement, the railroad will raise the amount transported for the company per year by 50%.
2010 - FCA signs the biggest sugar transportation contract in its history with Copersucar. 500,000 metric tons of sugar will be carried every year from Ribeirão Preto to the Port of Santos, both in the state of São Paulo.
2011 - Over the next four years, Vale plans to invest R$3.5 billion in raising the transportation capacity of two important group assets: the Centro-Atlântica Railroad and Ultrafertil Maritime Terminal in Santos, São Paulo.