Motormen,conductors,inspectors,andpassengersofthetrams

It's worth remembering how the division of tasks worked among the professionals who operated the streetcars. The motorman drove the car; he was the pilot, always watchful of traffic and passengers getting on and off. As for the conductor, he had to have a lot of energy! He kept an eye on the ‘pingentes’ – those who stayed on the running boards and were skilled at jumping off the moving streetcar – and collected the fares. Then, he pulled a cord connected to the display at the front of the cab, above the motorman, where the number of paid fares was shown. Sometimes a third character would board the streetcar, the inspector, to check that ‘fare counter’ and record the charges. Gossips said that, even so, some conductors would still keep part of the fares for themselves. The conductors moved around to collect fares; even with the streetcar in motion, moving along the running boards – even when there were passengers ‘hanging’ there. They held onto the balusters, sometimes carrying bills and coins in their hands. It was an activity that demanded great skill, patience, and courage. And the passengers? Those who traveled seated were safer, but when seats ran out, many people would ride hanging from the running boards anyway. In this photo, one of those more-than-special group portraits, taken on Senador Eusébio street, in 1924.

Image description: This is an old photograph of a tram stopped on the street. On the left, there are tall trees and people walking along the sidewalk. In the center, a tram numbered "218" is stopped, with several people inside and standing by the platform. On the right, there is a large building with windows and balconies. In the bottom right corner, there is a handwritten date: "Rio-22-5-924".

As you can see, our Augusto Malta enjoyed the prestige of the passengers, who apparently welcomed the idea of posing for a ‘click.’ The streetcar stopped for the photo! That little piece of the city stopped in time, literally. An iconic moment, immortalized in this plate. And here we might ask ourselves, as an exercise in imagination: can you picture these people as one of your ancestors? Imagine that your parents, grandparents, great-grandparents, and even great-great-grandparents resemble these figures in the photograph?

Image description: This is a black and white photograph of a group of people around a streetcar. The spatial layout begins with a wide, paved street in the foreground, where several people are walking or posing. To the right, there is an old streetcar with the number "218" on the front. People are spread out along the streetcar, some inside it, others outside, near it. In the background, there are tall, old buildings, possibly residences or public buildings.

Now we can better appreciate those portrayed in the tram's front cabin. Worth highlighting is the focused motorman with a firm, serene gaze, never taking his hands off the controls; surrounded by other citizens, all of them, without exception, staring at the camera lens. What photographic direction! And a question remains: how many pairs of eyes do you see in this detail?

Image description: This is a black-and-white photograph of a group of people on a tram. On the left side, there is a man in a suit and hat, holding onto the tram. In the center is the driver, wearing a uniform with a short-brimmed cap. On the right, another man in a suit and hat is pulling the tram's cable. In the background, other passengers are seated, some wearing hats. On the lower part of the tram, there is a sign with the number "218" and another sign reading "SEN. EUZEBIO PREFEITURA."

In this posed photograph, the inspector hands the conductor – who has the bills folded lengthwise and clasped between his fingers – a small clipboard. Three aspects of this 1958 record are worth noting: the curiosity of the passengers, who all turn around, as if posing for the picture; the female presence, right in the middle of the image, something rarer in previous decades; and the advertisements along the streetcar's ceiling – notably the pair of eyes, a classic of long standing, whose look and text were adapted over the decades: "Just as you see me, so are seen all the advertisements on this vehicle." It was an ad for the streetcar advertising company.

Image description: This is a black and white photograph of the interior of a streetcar. On the left side, we see two men wearing military uniforms, holding a device between them. They are standing, apparently interacting with the passengers seated on the streetcar benches. In the background, other passengers are seated throughout, some looking forward while others talk among themselves. At the top of the image, there is a large poster featuring images of eyes and prominent text.

It had rained a little while before, and the tram had just stopped at Praça da República. The photographer's presence drew the attention of some of those present. It's the “Praça XV Nov.” tram, with two cars, first and second class. Right behind it comes another one, the “Barcas.” In the background, at the top of the façade, almost at the center of the frame, there's a sign for the “Confeitaria Estrada de Ferro.” This was always a prominent business, from the “Café Braguinha” of 1824 and the Confeitaria Carceller, of 1847, up to our own “Casa Cavé” and Confeitaria Colombo, which remain going strong. So many delights have been made and enjoyed with great pleasure in this city, and who hasn't had, or doesn't have, their favorite confectionery? In the photograph, besides the architecture, we see the trees and a lighting post displaying fine decorative ironwork, which also holds up the cables that carry electric power to the trams. And the people, so many people, each one with their own story and their own destiny.

Image description: This is a black-and-white photograph of a tram stopped in a square. On the left, we see motormen and conductors in formal attire, some wearing hats. In the central part, tram number 216 is stopped, with people boarding and alighting. On the right, other trams are waiting for passengers. In the background, there are trees and old buildings. The tram's sign reads "PRAÇA 15 NOV."

In detail, two particularities can be observed. The photograph was taken from the left side of the tram – opposite the side used for passenger circulation. Because of this, we see the "lowered crossbar," that bar at the height of the seats, and the "folded footboard," which made it – somewhat – harder for the "pingentes" (passengers who rode standing on the footboard) to do their job... The motorman is at his post in the cab, focused on driving, and the three citizens who pose for the photographer, quite gladly, are members of the team that worked on the trams.

Image description: The image is a black-and-white photograph of a tram. On the left side, we can see the number "216" on the front of the tram. In front of it, there is a sign with the word "TENNIS" and other characters that are not fully legible. On the right side, three men are getting off the tram. The first one is at the door, wearing a black suit and white pants. The second one is standing on the platform, also wearing a black suit and white pants. The third one is near the ground, wearing a uniform similar to the first two. All of them appear to be getting off the tram.

This photograph is a masterpiece, worthy of a place in any gallery of photographers' self-portraits. Augusto César Malta de Campos, an alagoano from Mata Grande born on May 14, 1864, was one of the nineteen children of Claudino Dias de Campos and Blandina Vieira Malta de Campos. Although his parents intended for him to become a priest, he went on to Recife, where he enlisted in the Army. Imbued with republican ideals, he arrived in Rio de Janeiro in 1888 to work in commerce. In 1900 he traded his bicycle for a camera, and in 1903, through a municipal decree issued by Mayor Pereira Passos, he became the first photographer of the Prefecture of the Federal District, assigned to the General Directorate of Public Works and Roads. At the same time, he served other clients; for Light he produced extensive documentation extending to the regions where hydroelectric power plants were built. Now, on to the self-portrait: the sun was setting behind the photographer and cast his shadow on the ground, along with his camera on its tripod, next to the streetcar. An unusual scene, which the photographer took on and captured. It's two portraits in one!

Image description: This is an old photograph of a crowded tram in a square. The image shows several people standing inside the vehicle, occupying practically the entire interior space. On the left, a few individuals are standing on the sidewalk, looking at the tram. In the background, there are old buildings with balconies and windows. The tram has a sign with the names "S. Pompeu," "America," and "R. Alves." In the upper right, there is a sign reading "Pra Palmeiras." The people are wearing clothing typical of the period, with hats and suits.

What if we bring our gaze closer to the feet of those citizens riding on the streetcar's footboard? Each one of them wears a different style of footwear; what diversity! And as was always the case in those days, there's a barefoot boy.

Image description: This is a black-and-white photograph of people on a public transportation vehicle, possibly a streetcar. From left to right, we see the legs and feet of several people. The first person is wearing black pants and leather shoes. Next to them, there is a child wearing shorts and sandals. Further to the right, we see a person wearing white pants and leather shoes. The last figure on the right is wearing light-colored pants and leather shoes. Everyone is standing on a wooden platform that appears to be fixed to the floor of the vehicle.

Rio was entering the 1950s in this photograph. Streetcar transportation was already in decline, facing the rise of buses and automobiles. But this means of transportation still enjoyed the preference of many cariocas, who did not shy away from riding 'hanging' on the running boards.

Image description: The image is a black-and-white photograph showing a tram packed with passengers on an urban street. On the left, a tree is partially visible. In the center, the tram is full of people clinging to the doors and railings, trying to get on. The tram has the number "1961" on the front and "Eng. Dentro" on the top. In the background, there is a large building with many windows and overhead power lines. On the right, there are other vehicles and trees.

It took nerves of steel to face that adventure! For most people, though, it was something natural, even inevitable. And so the citizens of Rio went along, completely mixed together on the footboards – although still separated between first and second class cars. In detail, there's everything from a worker in his clogs and work overalls, to an officer in his impeccable uniform, complete with a kepi!

Image description: This is a black-and-white photograph showing a group of people on a streetcar. The image is divided into two main parts: the streetcar and the passengers. In the front, we see several people standing on the streetcar, some with raised arms, while others hold objects such as bags. On the left, there is a driver wearing a uniform and cap, apparently interacting with the passengers. In the background, the streetcar is stopped, with open doors and closed windows.