Hey Ray
I'm pretty sure you are thinking of Charlie Smallwood.
In a safe place, I have a paperbound by Chas S Small regarding the Serra Do Mar incline on the RR from Santos to near Sao Paulo.
The original was built in 1868, duplicated/rebuilt ca 1898 and replaced by a third electrically driven rack RR. The opening trial of that one resulted in stripping the rack, a runaway and death, which kept the first two ropeways operating for an additional decade. The electric one still operates. The first two still kind of exist, mouldering away, and they were awesome.
Google will reveal.
If I find the book there is probably a short thing about the author. He wrote articles for Model Railroader and probly Model Trains , and perhaps he was the author of the article in Trains in the 50s that captivated my imagination- wish I hadn't lost that issue.
The Locobreques had a bench seat across the front/downhill end that would have been very cool to ride.
All I think I can remember is that Small traveled the world working in the petroleum industry.
Take Care