“Jurubatuba”. The name itself whispers tales of transformation. Ramal de Jurubatuba also known as Linha Sul da Fepasa was once a vital railway line. It aimed to shorten the distance between S\u00e3o Paulo’s heart and the port of Santos.
Let’s step back to the mid-20th century. The Estrada de Ferro Sorocabana envisioned this railway in the early 1950s. Construction spanned from 1952 to 1957. Finally, in January 1957, the Ramal de Jurubatuba was inaugurated. However, Jurubatuba station wasn’t quite ready. Passengers were greeted by a humble freight car bearing the station’s name.
Later in September 1957 the line stretched to Evangelista de Souza completing the ramal. The Jurubatuba station became the largest station on the line. It featured several diversions and staff.
In 1971, Fepasa took over. The government initiated a project to remodel the suburban train system. The Ramal de Jurubatuba underwent extensive renovations starting in 1974. Suburban services were interrupted in 1979. Services restarted on April 4, 1981 after station renovations. The renovations were delayed by a year and a half. Fepasa prioritized the restructuring of the Linha Oeste. The line’s starting point shifted from J\u00falio Prestes to Osasco Station. The reformed ramal served only a few stations. Those stations included Osasco, Presidente Altino, Ceasa, Jaguar\u00e9, Cidade Universit\u00e1ria and Pinheiros. Freight transport continued from Pinheiros towards Evangelista de Souza.
New trains with twelve cars each were introduced. They ran 42 times a day from 4:30 a.m. to 10:30 p.m.. There were three trains per hour during peak times. Two trains ran per hour at other times. The Fepasa intended to use an automated control system. However, the line initially operated with a licensing system. The frequency of trains was low. The track gauge widened to 1.6 meters. The line was doubled. All original stations except Jurubatuba were demolished because of this. The reformulation cost a total of 1.3 billion cruzeiros.
The line initially saw low passenger numbers due to the few stations. About ten thousand passengers used the line daily over a year after the reopening. This contrasted with 190 thousand on the Linha Oeste. The Fepasa seemed unsure about the demand.
Although Fepasa promised completion to Jurubatuba Station by 1985, it only happened later. Largo 13 Station, now Santo Amaro, was added to the system on January 25, 1986. Jurubatuba was only reopened on March 14, 1987. It had been inactive for almost a decade.
In the late 1970s, the station was abandoned. Vegetation covered it. In 1987, the original building was renovated and expanded. It adapted to the new passenger demands.
Until December 2001, passengers transferred at Jurubatuba to Japanese trains. These trains traveled to Varginha. This line was discontinued that month.
Jurubatuba station sits behind the former Caterpillar factory now the SP Market mall.
The station’s platforms were renovated in April 2006. The new train to Graja\u00fa would depart from there. On October 17, 2007, the remodeled Jurubatuba station was inaugurated.
Today, the Ramal de Jurubatuba continues its journey. It connects communities and carries echoes of its vibrant past.