Diesel Railcar "Littorina" FS

First production run

Railcar (diesel) type FS with two bogies one of which motorized, with automatic inversion.
 

Length 24cm

Prodotta da Rivarossi dal 1947 al 1950

The Rivarossi Littorina

(by Gabriele Montella)

More than anything else this model  allows me to highlight the improvements in the production of Rivarossi that happened over a spell of a few years.
Things were already looking promising right from the beginning-

Contrary to certain German manufacturers (Eheim in particular) that after the war had replaced celluloid, which turned out to be dangerously flammable, with cellulose acetate, but this on the other hand was easily deformable, Rivarossi thus started his production with the use of Bakelite.
This is material based on a thermosetting resin composed of formaldehyde that is formed by the reaction under heat and pressure of the solid crystal of phenol.
An already appreciated material for its specific proprieties of non conductivity of electricity and resistance to heat.  Making it an already popular material in the production of telephones and radios.
Rivarossi immediately realized that this could be the material that suited him the most, due to its strength and economy (apart from the molds), ideal for bodyworks especially of railcars and locomotives (bodies).
The production of Littorina, even without explicitly invoking the model ALn 772, began in 1947 and lasted until 1950.
He went out in several colors, mostly fantasy liveries, clear indication of the destination of the product to market the toy.
 
In fact, apart from  the version "beige - red - brown" there are also  in production versions in "green - yellow and purple - bluee" and even "bluee - red", "white - bluee" and "white - red ' and other unlikely schemes.
Both AC and Dc versions engine comprised of a horizontal shaft and the motion was transmitted to the wheels of the truck via a gear cascade.
Not being able to exceed the number gears for obvious reasons of space and to keep simple the construction it does therefore result in a train that’s is scale speed even at low power tends to be fast, hence another indication of its intended destination for the toy market.
The electric power pick up was via a steel strip that ran in contact with the rails.
Only a few sold versions were equipped with auto reversing capabilities.
On the part where the motor bogie was placed, the left side of the body had two perforations to allow for the housing of the of the stoppers to contain the brushes, as indeed that was a constant for all models in the first production (2002 Railcar FNM and tram carriages).
The glazing was opaque (painted).
For almost all versions of liveries a dummy unit was also available.

La Littorina Aln 772

(Gabriele Montella)