The Brazilian Ministry of Environment, through the Institute for Biodiversity "Instituto Chico Mendes de Conservação da Biodiversidade" has announced that it plans to launch a tender process for the operation and management of the Corcovado Train in Rio de Janeiro.

The project will also includes the upgrade of the trains, stations and platform. The contract is for a period of 20 years. 

The winning bidder will be the one that offers the highest payment to the Government, which must not be less than Rs5.3 million (US$2.4 million).

The Corcovado Train is a rack railway in Rio de Janeiro from Cosme Velho to the summit of the Corcovado Mountain at an altitude of 710m. The summit is known for its statue of Christ the Redeemer and its views over the city and beaches of Rio.

The line is 3.8 km long. It is a 1,000 mm gauge rack railway using the Riggenbach rack system. The line was the first railway to be electrified in Brazil in 1910. There are four trains, each of two cars. Three of them are used simultaneously. The trip takes approximately 20 minutes and departs every 20 minutes, giving a capacity of 540 passengers per hour.

See Tender documents: http://www.icmbio.gov.br/portal/servicos/licitacoes/uaaf/uaaf-rio-de-janeiro