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Railroad 118 stands out as a landmark in the country's transportation and infrastructure, with strategic connections and significant economic impact
Brazil, a country with a vast territory, still faces challenges in developing its railway network. With an infrastructure of only about 30 thousand km of railways — a low number when compared to countries with similar areas — “railway construction in Brazil” is a growing demand.
Within this context, the audacious “Railway 118” emerges, a project that promises to transform logistics and boost economic growth in strategic regions.
Railway construction in Brazil has been showing essential for sustainability and logistical efficiency. Railway 118 aims to connect the Port of Açu, in Rio de Janeiro, to a national railway network of 577,4 km in length.
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In addition to its importance as a new transport corridor, the project will include cutting-edge infrastructure, such as tunnels, viaducts, bridges, walkways and underpasses, with the aim of reducing environmental impact and meeting the growing needs for product transportation.
Economic and social impact
The construction of Railway 118 is expected to have a direct impact on the region's Gross Domestic Product (GDP), adding R$2,5 billion to the local economy, in addition to creating 68 direct and indirect jobs in the municipalities involved.
In fiscal terms, it is estimated that around R$457 million will be collected in state and federal taxes along the route, which will cross 25 municipalities.
These figures highlight the relevance of this new railway construction in Brazil, consolidating it as a crucial tool for sustainable development and the integration of important economic regions.
Strategic connections and cutting-edge infrastructure
Railway 118 will be integrated into the MRS Logística railway network in Nova Iguaçu, RJ, and the Vitória a Minas Railway, managed by Vale in Cariacica, ES.
These connections will facilitate the transport of goods between the southwest and other parts of the country. Among the connection points are important port terminals, such as the Port of Ubu and Anchieta in Espírito Santo and the Central Port in Presidente Kennedy.
In Rio de Janeiro, the railway will connect to the Port of Açu and the Industrial District of São João da Barra, consolidating a new logistics corridor.
This railway construction project in Brazil also considers the use advanced engineering techniques, such as TBMs, which are already widely used in other countries for complex underground constructions, and the successive cantilever method for viaducts and bridges, ensuring durability and structural safety.
Historical importance and the need for modernization
The Railroad 118 project is an attempt to revive the national railway infrastructure, which was once one of the largest in Latin America.
However, Brazil's railway network has suffered decline in recent decades, with sections deactivated and lack of maintenance, especially in the state of Rio de Janeiro.
Today, railway construction in Brazil aims to resume this development, with a focus on logistical improvements and meeting the export demands of the Port of Açu, one of the largest export centers in the country.
Brazil's first railway line, the Mauá Railway, was opened in 1854 in Rio de Janeiro, symbolizing the country's pioneering railway industry. Railway 118, therefore, emerges as an extension of this legacy, updating the country's railway sector with innovations and new sustainability standards.
Comparisons with international megaprojects
Although smaller than other mega railway projects, such as the Trans-Siberian Railway, which is over 9 km long, or the North South Railway, which crosses Saudi Arabia from north to south, Railway 118 aims to achieve similar goals: increasing transport efficiency and promoting economic growth. Its importance, despite being regional, places Brazil on a new level of development of logistics infrastructure.
Prospects for the future of railway construction in Brazil
The implementation of Railway 118 strengthens Brazil's transportation infrastructure and promotes balanced and sustainable development.
With a positive impact on logistics, the economy and the environment, this work symbolizes progress in railway construction in Brazil and can serve as a reference for future infrastructure initiatives.
We now wait for this project to take shape and bring all the expected benefits, placing Brazil in a prominent position in Latin America and, in the future, in the world.
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