Typologies of the historical-urbanistic effect of the railway station on the growth and urban structure of some medium-sized Brazilian cities

Abstract

The repercussions of the railway installation in cities are diverse. This work presents the results of studies on the spatialized historical effects of the stations on the urban structure of four intermediary cities in different Brazilian states. The aim is to present some situations or case typologies. Bibliographical and documentary research were adopted as a methodological tool. In most cases researched, the city tended to expand relatively more towards the station than towards other locations, increasing centrality, but not in all cases. The tracks acted as a limit to urban expansion, later revealing, when urban expansion crossed the railway line, as a barrier and a differentiating element: on the side of the city or on the other side. The station was of considerable urban importance, where there were repair shops, as these technical facilities attracted a large working population. Subsequent transfers of stations to peripheral variants provided a new urban focus, but with much less effect.