ALCos of the Companhia Paulista

CP 906 has a passenger train assignment on this photo taken in Trabiju City. Alberto H. Del Bianco photo

This Railroad came to some fame because of its three ALCo PA-2's. It is told that two are still exisiting but both are in bad shape. One of them, the 7601 (former no. 600, ALCo 80440/1953) has (or better had) museum status but was withdrawn from the Fepasa museum at Jundiai during the rebuild of the museum in 1995 (or so). It is since stored in a storage shed in the road's Jundiai shops. The unit is reported to have severe corrosion damage which it suffered during it's time as a static display. The other one is told to be only the body rusting somewhere...

Cid Jose Beraldo tells about this photo: I took this pic. on September 21, 1977 at the Jundiaí shops, a few months after this and the other two units were retired of service. Notice the grille pilot, most usual in steam engines, ordered by Paulista due to unknow reasons, with terrible consequences to PA's elegant design. Today, only the derelict shell of one of these beautiful beasts survived, with no hope to be preserved, sitting at one corner of the Jundiaí shops, which is also abandoned. Sad news.

The second PA #7602 was retired of service a brief time before #7601 and when this picture was taken, on 1977, it was sitting in the Jundiaí deadline. Cid Jose Beraldo photo

Companhia Paulista #600, Fepasa no. 7601 on display at the museum at Jundiai, 1981. Henrique Coelho photo

Note: the Paulista is broadgauge (5" 1', 1600 mm). If you want to salvage one of the PA's you'll need a pair of standard gauge trucks... FM / CLC used nearly the same type, but these are rarities itself ...

Cid José Beraldo tells about this photo: This is a view of the Jundiaí shops of the former Paulista Railway, showing one of the RSC-3's, at that time owned by FEPASA, which is the state railway formed after the various former private railways ceased operations. The picture was taken on March 23, 1977. No one of these engines stays with FEPASA today, the Jundiaí shops are now closed and FEPASA itself, is to be privatised.

Two Fepasa RSC-3 units are still existing. # 7653 was sold to the cement company CIMINAS in Pedro Leopoldo (Minas Gerais state), where it is still used for daily switching jobs, numbered 044-4T3. A 244 engine is part of the loco! The 2nd one, number yet unknown with me, was sent to Villares engineering works (Sao Paulo state) for rebuild. Though work on the unit was ceased meanwhile, it may await (minus prime mover) possible preservation.

The picture of Paulista RSD8 # 907was taken at the Campinas workshops of Mogiana in the mid sixties Sergio Martire photo

Thanks to Cid José Beraldo and Nicholas Burman.

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Last update 09.05.03