Tua line

The Tua line was a metre gauge railway line in northern Portugal. It was opened in 1887 and (partially) closed in 2008.HistoryThis highly scenic line ran north from a junction with the main Douro line at Tua Station, closely following the banks of the Tua River to the towns of Mirandela and Bragança. The railway opened in 1887. It was the first and longest (at 133.8 km) of all the narrow gauge railways built to serve the area north of the River Douro. It was originally operated by Companhia Nacional de Caminhos de Ferro (CN). From 1947 onwards, until closure, the line was operated by CP.Trains on the line were hauled by steam locomotives for much of the line's existence. From the 1970s onwards trains on the line were hauled by CP Class 9020 diesel locomotives, which were withdrawn when the line closed. Diesel railbuses, such as the Série 9300 and finally the Série 9500, were also used on some passenger trains.Part of the route of the Tua line will be submerged under water when the Foz Tua Dam project on the Tua River is completed.Other narrow gauge railways in northern Portugal included the Corgo line and the Tâmega line (both of which closed in 2009) and the Sabor line (which closed in 1988).