The railroad which link Curitiba, the capital of Paraná, and Paranaguá, across Serra do Mar (Brazil's coastal mountains range), has a length of 110 km and initially was the only way that products from southern states arrived to the Paranaguá port, and from there to the rest of Brazil or anywhere in the world. It was, at the time of inauguration (1885), one of the world's boldest engineering works. Some sources say that in the five years as it took to build the railway, over 50% of the more than 9,000 workers hired for the job, died.
Currently there are no more passenger trains on the stretch Curitiba Paranaguá, but however, a major Brazilian tourist trains is maintained by the company Serra Verde Express. The railway goes through 13 tunnels and 30 bridges, one of them - the Ponte Sao Joao - 55m high, and another - the Viaduto do Carvalho - which sits on five pillars of masonry on rock slope. It's a three-hour, unique trip to appreciate some of what's left of Brazil's Atlantic Forest, designated an UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1999.
About the stamps
The first stamp, depicting a mail bag, was issued on 9 October, 2009. The second is part of a definitive series representing Profissões (Professions), about which I wrote here. The last stamp, depicting a trumpet, is part of a series of ten, issued in 2002.
References
The Exciting Train Tour from Curitiba to Morretes and Paranaguá - Travel to Parana
Riding the Serra Verde Express: World's Only Train to Cross the Atlantic Forest - treehugger.com
Sender: Genesio Wagner (direct swap)
Sent from Nova Trento (Santa Catarina / Brazil), on 06.11.2015
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