A while back I posted about  my layout plans, and the period I'm modeling, the late 60s and early 70s of the RFFSA, PSC division, in Brazil. Recently I've made some progress and I've got some proper rolling stock for it. To start, trains around that time used to mostly haul soy beans in box hopper cars. One of the modern cars by then was the FD, a 54ton capacity (80ton max total weight), manufactured by MAFERSA, a now extinct car shop.

FD-55438, pictured above in the MAFERSA shop, right before being delivered to the RFFSA-PSC in Curitiba, Brazil. The car at MAFERSA still doesn't bear the actual division inscription (PSC), as it was part of a larger order delivered to several RFFSA divisions. Once it got to Curitiba, it was painted the "SR5 - Curitiba - PSC" inscription, which it beared until the late 70s, when RFFSA changed the division splits and the norm user to name and number cars (FD was rename FHD).

The car itself is a resin cast model made by Hobbytec, one of the small manufacturers in Brazil, doing proper HO scale rolling stock - the only major manufacturer is kind of spotty in terms of precise scale. I've painted it with Tamiya Hull Red and white, 2:1 proportion. The decals were custom printed using a Citizen Printiva and an Alps white ink cartridge (fooling the printer to do it deserves an article on its own). For trucks I used ExactRail's "lowboy" 70ton trucks, though I'm fighting with the trucks not being free rolling. Other details were a photo-etched brake, brake chain and grab irons.

Next is the engine of choice, a GL8 EMD export series, which is a very small engine (picture smaller than an SW1200), using an 8 cylinders 567 engine. This engine ran until the early 70s, and was used to pull both freight and passenger cars in the sea range mountains, with grades as steep as 3%. Below, the one I took for reference, numbered 802, pulling a tanker train back in the day.

The model I used is also a resin cast shell manufacured by Hobbytec. I used a Proto 2000 S1 as a donor for the trucks and motor. For DCC, I used a Loksound 4 decoder with a matching prime mover from an Australian T class engine, made by DCC Sound, at the time the only option to get the 8cyl-567 engine sound (ESU is coming up with their version soon). I painted it with the RFFSA colors and made the grab irons using copper wire.

And, finally, a small train running around my layout. GL8 802 leading a soy bean train in what should be the early 70s in Brazil. The concession is that FD cars were introduced as GL8 were being phased out in favor of G22 units, which is my next project. However, it's very enjoyable and a good eyesight to keep motivation up.

In front of the Barigui station.

Crossing a bridge.

Arriving at the Barigui station, a different perspective.

So, this is the current update of my layout and rolling stock. Looking forward to share my next developments.