Brazil – ATMA Paulista
Written by P.G.
Already at the beginning of the 50s ATMA PAULISTA SA company located at No. 434 Via Cortume in Sรฃo Paulo
offers the market a range of toys.
In addition to reinterpret the story of Alice, it is “recommended” also by Santa Claus …
… as a dolls’ manufacturerย …
… Pickup trucks …
… Aircraft, like this “Dakota” …
ย then prevalent in Latin America.
Aircraft production is vast and includes the old biplanes …
… to the then-modern Comet
Men key of the company are Josรฉ Pinto de Oliveira, Josรฉ Pfeiffer and Israel Milstein.
The human melting pot made up of the Brazil
finds itself in this company where these three characters, origin, respectively Iberian, Teutonic and Hebrew, represent the eclectic flexibility, producing, for example also slot car
However the main activity of ATMA PAULISTA in the 50s and 60s is the electric train.
Brazil is the only manufacturer of electric trains in South America so much in those years with Atma, because, after the disappearance of this brand in the 80s, with Frateschi.
The only other South American production train in which I’ve come across is this little mechanical tramway produced in Argentina by Caparrini in the 40s.
And I know the 50s the single catalog ATMA ….
… in which they appear one electric locomotive in two different liveries
Four passenger carriages carsย and five cargo tanks.
In this catalog are proposed rails and accessories
..and many spare parts.
The electric locomotive produced by ATMA PAULISTA is a “shortened version” of the project of General Electric locomotives in service on Brazilian railways.
Sisters Minor of the EF-4 / EP 4 called “Little Joe” provided by GE to Milwaukee Road, the Baltimore & Ohio and the Russian railways …
… .those used by the Brazilian companies
could have the running gear 2′-C-C – 2 ‘….
… or there- C ‘….
The ATMA locomotive is instead a B’- B ‘.
This complete package consists of a box with lid illustrated …
… with the locomotive,
in blue livery,
four cars, oval track with three rails, transformer and reverse device.
All this is accompanied by testing and warranty certificate.
The convoy is definitely very nice
with material with harmonious shapes
and attractive colors.
The locomotive …
… Running at AC 16 V, is, as all the material, all-metal case with zinc alloy,
draws power from the central rail through a copper cylinder, the pantographs are not functional.
The structure of the cars reminiscent of Maerklin material of the era, but the plate has an almost double thickness and painting, as for the locomotive, is enamel, re-cooked and polished by hand.
Strangely the convoy has three cars first class ….
… With internal lighting system with the power outlet from the third rail similar to that of the locomotive, while on unique mixed vehicle, second-class and the trunk, miniature passengers must remain in the dark …
The rails are made of sheet metal bent rails …
… joined by four large bars
for each item.
All early 60s ATMA PAULISTA also offers the market a set with the same cars but with no lighting and with passengers “shady” opaque glass on celluloid …
…drivened by a diesel locomotive ….
which it is produced in the livery of “Paulista”
and later also with the colors of Santa Fe and sold in a set with five freight wagons.
(AP32)
And, finally, this brand produce in the 60’s also a nice little steam locomotive with two axles with metal frame and plastic case.
The ATMA PAULISTA trains are hard to find even in Brazil, where today’s assessments often reach quite high and, unfortunately, a few of them have arrived in Europe.
But we still remain in Brazil and visit the Pantanal
(May 30, 2016)