EFSJ Mafersa 4 Doors Goods Van

For some time now, Marumbi has been challenged to create a two-axle goods van for the São Paulo Railway (SPR). We've taken these requests to heart, so much so that we're launching not just one, but two two-axle closed boxcars. Joined together.

The ventilated "4-door" Goods Van is a wagon rebuilt by Mafersa, but it originally (or rather, they originally) consisted of two 12-ton fruit boxcars acquired by the São Paulo Railway from Hurst, Nelson and Company Ltd. in July 1936.

Hurst, Nelson and Company Ltd was a rolling stock manufacturer based in Motherwell, Scotland. Originally known as Glasgow Rolling Stock and Plant Works, the company was renamed in 1893 by John J. Hurst and Andrew S. Nelson. Charles de Neuville Forman acquired Hurst's shares in 1896, and the company was relocated to Motherwell in 1893, while maintaining offices in Glasgow. It became a limited company in 1909 and was restructured under the same name. Alexander Grahame became the managing director in 1913 after Nelson's death. The company produced railway wagons, electric trams, passenger cars, and truck bodies, and worked on the Glasgow Subway and Metropolitan District Railway. Over time, the business expanded to include wagon repairs and leasing services. After World War II, the company faced financial difficulties and was acquired by Charles Roberts Co. Ltd. in 1959, ceasing operations in 1960.

In 1936, the wagons arrived in Brazil following the standard practices of the SPR at the time, which included hook and buffer couplings, vacuum brakes, and the typical British configuration of two-axle wagons. These wagons dominated the SPR landscape throughout its existence. With the end of the British era and the nationalization of the company in 1946, a period of change, modernization, and mass electrification of the railway began, which also brought about a shift in operational practices. During this period, the slow and gradual transition to Janney couplers and the "Westinghouse" compressed air brake system began. The landscape, once dominated by early 20th-century two-axle wagons, quickly began to transform.

During the period of intense growth resulting from the peak of industrialization in São Paulo, there was an increasing demand for heavier trains. To meet this need, the railway underwent a dieselization process, and new 3000 hp English Electric locomotives were introduced. The Estrada de Ferro Santos-Jundiaí, which enjoyed a favorable strategic position, showed good financial results compared to most other railways. Additionally, the pipeline, later transferred to Petrobrás, also contributed to the railway's resources.

This positive scenario encouraged the railway to renew its rolling stock. One of the measures adopted was the adaptation of the Hurst fruit boxcars, which, despite being relatively new with only 18 years of use in 1954, were modified to form larger wagons. These wagons were joined in pairs and supported on two-axle bogies. Although this practice may seem curious today, it was common among railways that were transitioning from the two-axle to the four-axle system, reflecting a shift from the British or Franco-Belgian railway tradition to the North American one.

The work was entrusted to Material Ferroviário S/A (Mafersa), a company based in Belo Horizonte at the time, which gained national recognition by localizing railway materials and supplies during the importation difficulties caused by World War II. Mafersa was responsible for carrying out renovations, maintenance, and reconstructions of various EFSJ wagons. Additionally, it was tasked with supplying 30 electric trains to modernize suburban services between Santos and Jundiaí, demonstrating the technical capability of the Brazilian railway industry and its contribution to foreign exchange savings for Brazil. The partnership between EFSJ, later RFFSA, and Mafersa was long-lasting, with several purchases and supplies occurring in the following years. Although the fact that an EFSJ director, who later became president of RFFSA, was also a shareholder in Mafersa may have influenced these choices and caused discomfort with other companies in the sector, such as FNV, Cobrasma, and Santa Matilde, this article focuses on the practical outcomes of these choices, especially regarding the wagon in question.

Manchete Magazine, Issue 0094, 1954

Once reconstructed between 1954 and 1956, the resulting 50 wagons featured the following characteristics: semi-metallic body supported on cast trucks, friction bearings with 4-1/4” x 8” journals for the fruit boxcars and 5” x 10” for the mail wagons, Alliance couplers, Peerless draft gear and buffers, and Westinghouse automatic brakes equipped with 10” cylinders. The numbering was changed to WR-5 class, from 14453 to 14495, later renumbered to FB 770 to 803 and FVD 810 to 825. Finally, they were renumbered again to FB or FVB 41080 to 41113.

It is in this last phase, during the 1970s, that this wagon has its most striking photos, both on the Santos-Jundiaí Railway network, in general freight services, and on Fepasa, where it was involved in the fast trains transporting orange juice to Santos.

In this wonderful photo by Guido Motta in Bebedouro, we can observe an orange juice train with two Mafersa 4-Door boxcars and several fruit boxcars from CP, already marked as Fepasa. Some of these are produced in brass by Mascarini, and soon we will have one from Marumbi Modelismo. On the right, you can see an Alco RSC3, a Frateschi release, and to its right, a gondola similar to those produced by Taison Hobbys. Behind it, there’s a Pressed Steel CP, also produced by Marumbi. Essentially, you can recreate a large part of what’s in this photo on your layout.

A train of the same flow, at the other end of the service. In Santos, unloading took place. Note the Cutrale sign. Finally, with the arrival of new, higher-capacity wagons like the FE (FRS) on the EFSJ and the changing economic characteristics of the railway and the state of São Paulo, these vehicles eventually lost their significance, being considered obsolete and downgraded to non-revenue uses, where they provided good service for several years to SR-4.

Currently, one preserved example exists at the ABPF in Campinas, on meter-gauge trucks, which was rescued from this situation.

The Marumbi Modelismo EFSJ Mafersa 4 Doors Goods Van model feature:

Design based on the original manufacturer's mechanical drawings and measurements taken in the remaining example in Campinas/SP.
Faithful chassis, fully detailed, including wagon systems and brakes.
Plug-and-play coupling box for Kadee “scale” #158.
Trucks that accommodate 33" wheelsets or any other NMRA standards.
Accurate decals designed from photos and graphic projects of the original types.