Gustavo

Gustavo is a large electric engine who works on the Brazilian Railway.

Thomas & Friends
While Thomas was working in Brazil, he came across Gustavo pulling his express coaches on his express line. Upon first meeting him, Thomas thought he reminded him of another engine back on Sodor. Through their second encounter, Thomas concluded that the electric engine reminded him of Gordon, though not in a good way. This assumption continued when Gustavo insensibly (albeit unintentionally) instructed Thomas not to travel down the express line.

However, Thomas ignored his warning and eventually ran out of coal and water in front of a tunnel. After Gustavo nearly crashed into him, he confessed that it was only to help him. Gustavo then pushed Thomas back down the line so he could be refuelled, during which the two engines made a fresh start with reintroducing each other and Thomas told Gustavo all about Gordon.

Personality
Gustavo takes great pride in pulling the express in Brazil. At first glance, he may seem like a pompous express engine like Gordon, but he is actually a very caring and cautious engine who only wants his fellow engine friends to do a good job and does his best to keep them out of harm's way.

Gustavo is also proud of being different to the other engines in Brazil. He especially loves to toot his special-sounding horn, to ensure that everyone knows when he is coming.

Basis
Gustavo is based on the Little Joe, a class of 4-8-8-4 electric engines. These engines were originally built by General Electric for the Soviet Union, but the company was prohibited from delivering them due to relations between the United States and the Soviet Union deteriorating into what became the Cold War. Five of these engines were sent to Brazil and worked for the Companhia Paulista de Estradas de Ferro, the remainder being sold to the Milwaukee Road and South Shore Line; on the Milwaukee Road, the engines were designated as either "EP-4" or "EF-4", with the second letter designating the engine's primary use ("P" for passenger, "F" for freight). The term "Little Joe" originated from Milwaukee Road employees jokingly calling them "Little Joe Stalin's locomotives", referencing the Soviet dictator at the time, Joseph Stalin. Two of the Brazilian Little Joes have been preserved, along with three others in the United States, one of which, South Shore #803, is in operating condition at the Illinois Railway Museum in Union, Illinois.

Livery
Gustavo is painted royal blue, grey and black with yellow handrails and lining. He has a blue and yellow nameplate on his sides with his name painted on them in yellow and his number 4 is painted on the sides of his front cab, also in yellow.

Appearances
Television Series=

Thomas & Friends

 * Series 23 - The Other Big Engine
 * Series 24 - Thomas and the Forest Engines

Videos

 * 2019 - Meet Gabriela and Cassia of Brazil! and Meet Gustavo of Brazil!

Trivia

 * Gustavo is the first engine character in the franchise not to be modified for work on British railways, as he lacks buffers and has knuckle couplers instead of chain couplings. He is also the second electric locomotive in the television series after Etienne to be catenary powered.
 * Gustavo is the first international character in the show whose coaches have a unique basis as opposed to being a repaint of existing coaches, the second being Kenji.
 * Gustavo's TrackMaster model incorrectly has coupling rods, and his wheels are black instead of blue. He also has two buffer like circles on the pilot that are present on his basis.
 * When he is at Tidmouth Sheds during the fantasy sequence in the twenty-third series episode, "The Other Big Engine", Gustavo is shown to be too tall to fit into conventional British sheds due to the pantographs on his roof. As a result, it is unknown if he has a unique shed built to accommodate his size or not.
 * Gustavo has been modified from his basis:
 * His body is slightly thinner and taller.
 * His front end has been flattened and lacks the downward curve to accommodate his face.
 * Gustavo's horn is Diesel 10's at three steps lower-pitched.

Merchandise

 * TrackMaster
 * Motorized

Video
Gustavo Gustavo גוסטבו Gustavo Густаво