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Hoje, a locomotiva puxa mais vagões do que ontem.

Hoje, a locomotiva puxa mais vagões do que ontem.
Today, the locomotive pulls more wagons than yesterday.
From Lesson 416:Comparing quantities before numbers (mais de, menos de)·Portuguese (Portugal)

Questions & Answers about Hoje, a locomotiva puxa mais vagões do que ontem.

Why is it mais vagões do que ontem instead of using mais de?
We use the comparative mais do que to compare two things, actions, or times (in this case, today versus yesterday). You only use mais de when it comes directly before a number, such as in mais de dez vagões (more than ten wagons).
Can I drop the word do and just say mais vagões que ontem?
Yes! In comparisons like this, mais do que and mais que are interchangeable. Both are completely correct, but mais do que is usually preferred in spoken European Portuguese.
What is the singular form of vagões?
The singular is vagão (wagon or train car). Most Portuguese nouns ending in -ão form their plural by changing to -ões. While there are other plural patterns like -ãos and -ães, -ões is by far the most common.
Could I include the past tense verb at the end and say do que puxou ontem?
Yes, adding the verb puxou (pulled) is grammatically correct. However, just like in English, omitting the second verb is much more natural and avoids unnecessary repetition.

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