Ethiopia: The Massawa-Asmara Tramway
Introduction /
System Description /
What Happened /
Home page
What Happened?
So what happened to the route? During their occupation of Eritrea
from 1941 to 1952, the English used the route less and less.
Ultimately they cannibalized the motors and other parts for
equipment in other parts of their empire.
Above Nefasit in early 1960s |
Above Nefasit in 1969 |
The first picture from the early 1960s shows a couple towers
and the cable above Nefasit at that time. The Nefasit station is
at the upper left. In 1963, after standing unused for several
years, the tramway was torn down and sold for scrap. The second
picture shows more or less the same scene without the tramway in
1969. The base in this picture is the base of the multiple tower
above Nefasit shown in the illustration with that title earlier in
this chapter. An inglorious
end for a rather impressive engineering accomplishment.
Looking southwest from above Nefasit towards Asmara in
1969
Here you can clearly see two bases, one in the cut out and one
far beyond.
The lines on top and bottom point out the route.
Another base is just above the bottom line.
What I saw when I walked the highways and byways of Eritrea were
those curious pits, cement
boxes, and cuts in ridges, all luring me to discover the great
story told here.
The black and white pictures (except for the 1960 one) and bulk of the resources for the content in this chapter are from a
glossy publication La
Teleferica Massaua-Asmara[Click here to view it.] by the
general contractor, Ceretti and Tanfani S. A. of Milan, published
in 1937. Some content material came from a 1952 book on Eritrean economic
accomplishments, 200 Pagine sull'Eritrea, Stabilimento
Tipolitografico Precotto, Asmara, 1952, pp 119-120. The color pictures are slides I took while there.
Introduction /
System Description /
What Happened /
Home page
Copyright © 2000 Mike Metras, www.WorksAndWords.com
