The contrast of this postcard is not very good, but with any luck you can make out the dark streetcar in the foreground and the other one on top of the Los Arcos De Lapa aquaduct. And guess what? The Santa Teresa streetcar is still operational, so if you're going to Rio for the Olympics or for some other reason, this is a great opportunity to ride it yourself. It's the oldest remaining tram in South America, and it's been running continuously since its inception. What a great opportunity! Who cares about the Olympics? When your spouse is watching the games, you can go ride the streetcar. I will be very envious. It may not be fast or a smooth ride, but it's cheap, the equivalent of about $0.35. If you go, please send me some pictures.
The City of Rio started horse-drawn streetcar service in 1859. In the following years, they went back and forth between horse-drawn and steam-powered streetcars, and even tried a battery-powered streetcar for a very short period of time. In 1892, they began converting from horse-drawn to electric streetcars. By 1897, they had created the first fully electric streetcar system in South America. Although the routes have been cut back, much of the rolling stock is original, generally 100 years old, with no doors and wooden cross benches. It makes for an exciting ride, and apparently you do have to watch for pickpockets.
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