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Trailers

Now the use of the trailers is very limited, just some morning run from Limbiate to Milano, or special trips like this, with the trailer Carovana 177 pulled by Reggio 85 just arrived in Limbiate Ospedale on May 28th 2000. Photo © Alessio Pedretti.

Index

In this page I deals with only the four types of interurban trailers still in ATM roster.

• Carovana
• Costamasnaga
• "Porte al centro"
• OEFT

Carovana

These cars were built by Costamasnaga in 40 units divided into three batches. A first group of ten units, numbers from 140 to 149, was delivered to STEL in 1918. Other ten units (150-159) followed in 1920, then a year later 20 more cars (160-179). In 1963 these cars were rebuilt with a new metal body and the classic light and dark green colours were replaced by the new yellow/white livery. Finally in early '80s the surviving units were repainted in orange with black strips. Today just six Carovana are existing all hosted in Deposito Varedo and three of them (161, 177 and 179) are still used on the morning and evening heavy trains on the Limbiate line.

Another view of the trailer Carovana 177 in Cascina Amata on May 28th 2000. Photo © Alessio Pedretti.

Trailer Carovana in the '70s and today

Costamasnaga

Similar to the Carovana trailers but longer, the 38 Costamasnaga cars, series 180-197 and 240-269, were built by the ononymous company in five batches: 180-189 delivered in 1925-26, 190-197 in 1924, 240-254 in 1926, 255-259 in 1927, 260-269 in 1928. In the first half of the '60s, all these trailers were rebuilt with a metal body or transformed into the new type "Porte al centro" and the colours were consequently changed from light and dark green to the yellow/white livery. Only car 254 remained with the old wooden body painted in light and dark green: this unique unit was scrapped in 1973. Like the Carovana, in early '80s they were repainted in orange with black strips. Nine units are still in ATM roster: one of them, the number 181, is used together with the three Carovana on the Limbiate line. Althought Costamasnaga and Carovana are very similar, there is an easy way to distinguish them: Costamasnaga has ten side windows, Carovana only nine.

Trailer Costamasnaga in the '70s and today

"Porte al centro"

This type of trailers was created in the first half of the '60s with the transformation of 55 old wooden trailers from the types Costamasnaga, Carminati (series 212-226, Carminati e Toselli 1925) and OEFT (series 270-279, Officine Elettroferroviarie Tallero 1929). The wooden bodies were replaced with metal ones with only a door per side, thus the name "Porte al centro" (in English: doors at the centre); all the cars were painted with the yellow/white livery.

In early '80s the livery was changed to the classic orange with a black strip. "Porte al centro" were used only on the Desio line until 2000 when the 18 surviving units were set aside because the present terminus at Niguarda Dazio hasn't points so it is impossible for a motor car to run around them.

"Porte al centro" 220 (ex type Carminati) in Deposito Desio. October 7th 2001.

Trailer "Porte al centro" in the '70s and today

OEFT

Together with the six Littorine 116-123, the Officine Elettroferroviarie Tallero delivered to STEL in 1935 a series of four trailers numbered from 307 to 310 with the same design of the motor cars. They were set aside in early '80s. Units 307 and 310 were scrapped in July 1992, but luckily the other two cars 308 and 309 are still alive in Deposito Desio but in a bad condition.

Trailer OEFT

© 2003 Ivan Furlanis
Last changes: December 2003