Accidentsandtrafficjams

Accidents have always been part of the history of cities; in Rio, it was never any different. To this day, accidents and similar misfortunes attract the public, drawing crowds that are not always sympathetic, just as they take up a prominent space in the spoken, written and televised press, on social media, and in casual conversation. But this is not a trait of the Carioca; it is a trait of humanity. More than a century ago, however, witnessing a tram accident could represent the opportunity to have your image immortalized on a photographic plate. This photograph sought to give a broader, more comprehensive view of what happened – and the curious onlookers did not shy away from becoming part of it.

Image description: This is an old black-and-white photograph showing a railway accident. On the left, we see part of a building with several people watching the incident. In the center, a train is tilted on a track, with its driver's cab visible. On the right, more people are present, some appearing to be discussing what happened. On the roof of the train, "SÃO FRANCISCO" is written. At the bottom of the image, there is a dated inscription reading "JULY 7-1910" and mentioning "LEOPOLDINA RAILWAY".

The following images belong to the genre of forensic photography, produced with the aim of documenting the accident, as well as providing evidence regarding the damage caused to the vehicle. It should be noted that at Light, every accident involving the trams was carefully documented in albums containing all the information of interest to the company – costs involved in the repair, the amount of time the vehicle was out of service, etc. Most of the time, it was trucks that were involved in accidents with the trams, resulting in extensive damage.

Image description: The image is a black-and-white photograph of an accident involving a public transportation vehicle, marked "IPANEMA" at the top. The scene is set in a green space, with well-trimmed shrubs and a paved road. In the center of the image, the vehicle is damaged, with broken and displaced parts. In the background, there is a building and some trees. At the top of the image, there is black text on a white background, providing information about the accident, including the date and the cost of the repair.

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Imagem 1 de 2: Bonde avariado por encontro com o caminhão 6-8418 na Avenida Nossa Senhora de Copacabana – Linha: Ipanema – Carro N 2059 – 20/08/1946 – C. A. Barton

It's worth remembering that apart from the damages recorded here, which we call "material damages," there were also "personal damages" involving passengers and others. This is without considering the frequent accidents involving the "pingentes" (streetcar riders who hung on the footboards), who traveled on the streetcars' running boards.

Image description: The image is a black-and-white photograph of an abandoned train in an outdoor location. From the left toward the center, we see the rear of the train with metal grates installed on the windows and doors. On the right, the passenger compartment is open, revealing empty seats. In the background, there is a metal structure that appears to be part of the transportation system. At the top of the image, there is text in Portuguese mentioning "Linha Tijuca" and "Carro N° 2072." Below the photo, there is more text detailing information about the accident, including the date, entry, exit, cost of damage, and days out of service.

The accidents already revealed a growing problem for the circulation of trams: the dispute for space with automobiles, buses, and trucks – vehicles whose production was increasing in the country and which were progressively becoming more present in Rio's day-to-day life. In early 1950, Light prepared a detailed study titled "The problem of traffic congestion in Rio de Janeiro – suggestions for improving the situation," which detailed the daily circulation of trains, trams, jitneys (buses), and taxis, and paid special attention to the numbers of vehicles that traveled along the same routes as the trams.

Image description: This is a black-and-white photograph of an urban scene, likely from the early twentieth century. On the left side, we see an old car with a man inside, looking at the camera. In the background, there is a stopped streetcar with the number "323" and the sign "BARCAS E FERRO." To the right of the streetcar, there is another old car. In the background, there are trees and buildings.

In 1949, 66,000 new vehicles had been licensed in the city. There were almost 200,000 vehicles circulating per day, and the congestion hurt streetcar traffic, causing constant trip cancellations. In November of that year alone, one million three hundred thousand seats were cut due to traffic congestion. But its numbers were still impressive: in 1949, the sum of passengers carried by trains, automobiles, and buses did not reach the numbers of those carried by streetcars, which accounted for 53% of all the city's means of transport.

Image description: This is a black-and-white photograph showing an urban traffic jam. On the left, we see a raised platform with a traffic sign. In the center, several buses are stopped, occupying most of the roadway. On the right, vintage cars are driving among the buses. The background features tall buildings with balconies and windows.

Vehicle parking on the city's main roads also contributed to traffic congestion. The proposal was to ban it on heavy tram-traffic arteries – which would be indicated by a yellow stripe, to be painted on lighting posts to mark parking as prohibited. New parking locations would be needed. Despite all the awareness efforts and some measures taken, the problems piled up. The business had stopped being profitable, the quality of services had declined, the fare amounts were a frequent subject of complaints from users, and there was pressure for nationalization, but also from bus operators.

Image description: This is a black-and-white photograph showing an urban scene with heavy traffic of vehicles and people. On the left side, a series of cars and buses are stopped in a traffic jam. In front, a passenger train is stopped at an elevated platform, with people boarding and disembarking. In the background, there are tall buildings and a row of trees. On the right, more vehicles are parked in an open area. In the foreground, boxes of goods are stacked.

The 1960s marked the end of the streetcar era. In 1963, a decree by Carlos Lacerda, governor of the then-state of Guanabara, abolished the lines in the city. The Zona Sul streetcars soon stopped running, and two hundred Italian electric buses began operating, connecting that region to Centro. They were run by the newly created CTC - Companhia de Transportes Coletivos. They were short-lived and were replaced by diesel vehicles. In 1964 the CTC absorbed the remaining streetcar lines to the Zona Norte. Between 1965 and 1967, only two lines remained in operation, Santa Teresa and Tijuca - Alto da Boa Vista, the latter shut down in 1967. Even so, the neighborhood of Santa Teresa held on and continues to run its service to this day, which has become one of Rio's attractions.

Image description: This is a black-and-white photograph showing the scene of a traffic accident in a city. On the left side, two buses are stopped, with people gathered near them. In front, a large bus is stopped in the middle of the street, with more people walking around it. In the background, there is a row of cars parked in a parking lot. On the right, more people are walking along the street. The context suggests a traffic jam caused by an accident.