Railway Technology Museum, Railway museum in Paranapiacaba, Brazil.
The Railway Technology Museum occupies former workshop buildings within the Paranapiacaba Station complex and displays extensive collections of railway equipment and machinery. The exhibition halls contain preserved steam locomotives, mechanical components, and explanations of how the mountain cable system operated.
The museum was established in 1980 and preserves artifacts from the São Paulo Railway Company, which operated the mountain railway system connecting inland plantations to Santos port. This collection documents the key developments of this mountain transport line, which began operations in the 19th century.
The exhibits reflect how British railway engineering shaped Brazilian transport through technical drawings, tools, and maintenance equipment on display. These objects show the technical partnership that made mountain railway operations possible in this region.
The museum is easy to navigate with several connected exhibition halls within the station district. The site is compact and manageable, allowing visitors to see all areas in a single visit while remaining well-oriented between buildings.
The museum preserves original maintenance equipment from the Serra do Mar mountain railway system, which transported trains up steep slopes using an innovative cable mechanism. This clever method allowed heavy cargo to move uphill without straining steam locomotives.
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