TRAINS ON ARGENTINE REVENUES

Casey Jones Rail Road Unit of the ATA

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Trains on Argentine Revenues

TRAINS ON ARGENTINE REVENUES
Catalogue

Our goal was to compile a catalogue of all Argentine Revenue stamps with a rail theme. Forbin's 1915 catalogue of Argentine Revenues is a useful starting point in compiling a list such as this, but it is neither complete, nor completely accurate. The catalogue below is based on stamps actually seen, and can be considered reliable, though not necessarily complete. In accordance with accepted practice for listings of this sort, the issues are sorted with Federal issues first, then by province, then municipality.

Enlargements are available for most of the stamps - click on the image, and a larger version will pop up in a separate window.

FEDERAL ISSUES (not in Forbin) No dates on the stamps, designs all similar (same vignette) Steam train (note smoke trail) with passenger cars, at bottom left. (Odd that they would still use steam for this illustration as Diesel and Electric had just about taken over by then.) All have control number and letter denoting year Various papers and watermarks depending on years Some stamps were issued in multiple shades Not all denominations issued for all years.
1960's - pre-currency reform
	1957 1958	Group 1 - cross hatched background 1957 (R) $100, $500 (smaller numerals) *(new find, March 2012)* 1958 (S) $100 (large numerals on this issue only) 1959 (T) $100, 200 (smaller numerals) 1960 (U) $100, 200 (smaller numerals)
	1961	Group 2 - blank background 1960 (U) 400 1961 (V) $100, 200, $500 1962 (W) $100, $200, $300, $400, $500 (W with serif) ; $100, $300 (W without serif) 1963 (X) $100, 200 1964 (Y) $100, $200 1965 (Z) $100, $200, $300, $400, $500 1966 (A) none seen 1967 (B) $100, $200, $300, $500 1968 (C) $100, $200, 300, $500 (small C) $100, $200, $300, $400, $500 (large C) 1969 (D) $100, $200, $300, $400, $500
1970's - post-currency reform - 1/100 Our expert source is fairly confident that the "missing" denominations were not issued (e.g., there was no $1 stamp issued in 1972).
	1970	Group 3 - currency reform 1/100 1970 (E) $1, $2, $3, $4, $5
	1971	1971 (F) modified design, $1, $2, $3, $4, $5 1972 (G) $2, $5 1973 (H) $1, $2, $3, $4, $5
	1974	1974 (I) modified design, $1, $2, $3, $4, $5 1975 (J) $1, $2, $5

PROVINCIAL ISSUES

BUENOS AIRES PROVINCE - MUNICIPAL ISSUES

Avellaneda (formerly Barracas al Sud - Forbin p. 93)

Avellaneda 1904
(Overprint on issues of Barracas al Sud)

1902 stamp of Barracas al Sud overprinted "Avellaneda" in purple
1904 - 50c blue, Series D
Overprint may be either up or down (see lower scan)
Ore cars on dock, tiny steam locomotive at left.
No year in design
(Forbin does not list series D, but series B, which I doubt exists.)
NOTE - these are quite scarce

Avellaneda 1908

Avellaneda 1909

Redrawn, with Avellaneda in place of Barracas al Sud, year added
1905 - 50c blue, series B (listed in Forbin, not seen, but may exist)
1905 - 50c orange, series B (listed in Forbin, not seen, existence dubious)
1906 - 50c series E (Reported, but not seen - not in Forbin)
1907 - 50c series F (Reported, but not seen - not in Forbin)
1908 - 50c orange, series G (Forbin does not list Series G, but series B, which I doubt exists)
1908 - 1P red-brown, series A (Forbin lists but with wrong date, 1906)
1909 - 50c red, series H
1909 - 1P blue, series B
NOTE - these are all quite scarce

Bahia Blanca (Forbin p 94)

Bahia Blanca 1903/4
1903/4 - no date, 10c, 50c, 1P, 2P, 10P; 10c, 50c, 1P exist imperf
1905 - same design, 5c violet, 5c gray, 30c, 50c
Tiny steam locomotive pulling two passenger cars on dock behind two-stack, center-masted battleship (note cannons!). The locomotive faces left, and sits just below the rays of the sun at left center of vignette.

Bahia Blanca 1909
1909 - modified design with date added and panel for control number, 5c, 10c, 30c, 1P
1910 - same design, 5c (blue), 5c (violet), 10c, 30c, 50c, 1P (All exist both with and without watermark)
1911 - same design, 5c, 10c, 20c, 30c, 1P (All exist both with and without watermark)

Bahia Blanca 1913
1913 - new design, 50c, 1P, 2P, 3P, 4P, 5P, 10P, 25P, 40P, 50P.

Steam locomotive on left side of central vignette
(The 1913 stamps are common mint, never seen used, may not have been issued.)

Barracas al Sud (Name changed to Avellaneda, 1904, Forbin p 94.)

Barracas al Sud 1900

1900 - 50c blue and ultramarine, series C, control numbers
Exists perf, imperf, imperf between horiz., inverted control on imperf, inverted control on imperf between
Seven ore cars on dock behind ships (interesting ship - both smokestack and sails - many of the early steamships had sails both for economy and for emergency use.)

Barracas al Sud 1902

1902 – redrawn, 50c, series D, control numbers
The ore cars are clearer, and the leftmost one has been changed into a steam locomotive.

ENTRE RIOS PROVINCE - MUNICIPAL ISSUES

Diamante (not in Forbin)

Diamante
circa 1920

circa 1920 (??) - 5c Orange, 30c Green and 1P Blue
Steam locomotive entering station at bottom right corner of image

Gualeguay (Forbin p 123)

Gualeguay
1883
1883 - 50c
The illustration in Forbin is the only example known, and may be a cut square, from a documentary issue.
Early steam locomotive in profile

Gualaguaychu (Forbin p 123)

(no image available)
1883 - 50c - same design as Gualeguay

FORMOSA PROVINCE - MUNICIPAL ISSUES

Formosa (not in Forbin)

Formosa
1915-16
No date in design
1915-16 - 5c olive, 10c red, 20c brown, 50c green
Classic steam locomotive and part of tender

Formosa
1917

1917 - same design, new values and colors -
5c violet, 20c orange, 1P blue, 5P brown, 10P blue
Classic steam locomotive and part of tender

Formosa
1921-22 1922-23 1923-24

1925-26

1927-28 1929-30 1931-32

1938-42 see note at right

1940-44

1945-46

1946

1921-46, 15 different known, all with same basic design as the 1915-17 stamps, most with date in design.

1921-1922 10c red, "Años"
1922-1923 20c green
1922-1923 1P chocolate
1923-1924 10c rose
1925-1926 50c rust
1927-1928 10c deep blue
1929-1930 20c red
1929-1930 50c brown
1930-1931 10c deep blue
1931-1932 10c red
1934-1935 1P red
1938-1942 10P violet with red dates
1940-1944 1P yellow-orange, rouletted, "Año"

1945-46 1P yellow-orange, rouletted, issue of 1940-44
overprinted "HABILITADO Año 1945-46" ("Habilitado" means "qualified")
1946 1P red - 1 known, same basic design as previous stamps, but there is no date, and the denomination is printed separately.
The 1938-42 stamp is strange for several reasons:
1) It is a redrawn design of the train etc,
2) No serial number although there clearly is a space for it.
3) The stamps were issued starting in 1921 for a 2 year period. All years are recorded from 1921 to 1932. Then there is a gap and then this stamp which is for 4 years-- but it overlaps the 1 Peso for 1940/4, and is a very high denomination for the period
My conclusion is that this may be a proof for a stamp that was never issued.

SANTA CRUZ PROVINCE - MUNICIPAL ISSUES

Santa Cruz (not in Forbin)
The following data about Argentine currency helps to date the stamps of this section:

The "peso ley 18.188" was the currency of Argentina between January 1, 1970 and May 5, 1983. It was subdivided into 100 centavos. Its symbol was $. Its name comes from the law number 18188, effective April 5, 1969. ( one of the stamps is dated 1972)
The "peso argentino" was the currency of Argentina between June 6, 1983 and June 14, 1985. It was subdivided into 100 centavos. The symbol was $
The "austral" was the currency of Argentina between June 15, 1985 and December 31, 1991. It was subdivided into 100 centavos. The symbol was an uppercase A with an extra horizontal line.

Santa Cruz
circa 1969
circa 1969 (with mine car) - $100 (???), $800 (red), $4,000 (olive)
(It seems likely there are other denominations in this set, but our source has not seen them, and observes that they would not necessarily have the same design)

Santa Cruz
post currency reform
post 1970 (currency reform ) - 3c gray, 5c blue

Santa Cruz
"Austral" currency period
2,000 A red

SANTA FE PROVINCE - PROVINCIAL ISSUES

Many of the Santa Fe stamps are relatively common because they saw heavy use; however, the higher denominations of all sets were issued in small quantities and can be considered scarce to rare. In one instance there was only one sheet of 50 issued and in añother only two sheets. The survival rate of these cannot be known. Except for the 1898 issue we do not think any were remaindered.

Documentary Issues (Forbin, p. 148)

1896
1896 - 5c, 10c, 20c, 30c, 40c, 50c, 60c, 75c, 1P, 2P, 3P, 4P, 5P, 6P, 7P, 8P, 9P, 10P, 20P, 50P, 100P, 200P, 500P
There is a unique 3225P proof
10c & 30c exist with red or black control
Classic steam locomotive pulling passenger train

1896
1896 Issue on Stamped Paper (not in Forbin) - 75c, 5P, 40P
The "stamps" are printed directly onto the paper, not glued on, though the images include drawn "perforations".
The three shown are the only ones known, but other denominations must exist.

1897
1897 - 5c, 10c, 20c, 30c, 40c, 50c, 60c, 1P, 2P, 3P, 4P, 5P, 6P, 7P, 8P, 9P, 10P, 20P, 50P, 100P, 200P, 500P
Same design as 1896 with date changed by scratching out the 6 in 1896 and inserting 7 (!); and differing in colors
There is a unique 9110P proof
40c and 500 Peso exist with denomination inverted.

Documentary Issues - imperforate, no control number (Not in Forbin)

1896
1896 - 1P, 2P (other denominations probably exist)
Classic steam locomotive pulling passenger train

"Request" Issues - imperforate(?), no control number (Not in Forbin)

1896
1896 - 25c (other denominations probably exist)
"SOLICITUD" translates "request" - We presume it to mean a fee for a copy of a court document
Classic steam locomotive pulling passenger train

Patents - Receipt Issues (Forbin, pp. 155 - 159)

1898
1898 – undated, issued in pairs, both parts same design except for text RECIBO or PATENTE
Most often seen intact, as they were remaindered.
1P, 2P, 3P, 4P, 5P, 10P, 20P, 30P, 40P, 50P, 60P, 80P, 100P, 200P, 300P, 1000P
Tiny crude steam locomotive and 2 cars at right center of vignette, beneath outstretched hand of central figure of Mercury (note caduceus). Train is running uphill straight towards the 8-petalled flower.

1905

1905 - new design, with year
2c, 3c, 4c, 5c, 6c, 8c, 10c, 20c, 30c, 50c, 1P, 2P, 3P, 4P, 5P, 6P, 7P, 8P, 9P, 10P, 12P, 15P, 20P, 30P, 40P, 50P, 60P, 70P, 80P, 100P, 200P, 300P, 500P, 1000P, 2000P, 5000P
Issued in pairs with a talon ("talon" = text-only stamp, kept for records)
Classic 4-4-0 steam locomotive pulling passenger train

1908

1908 - revised design, with year
2c, 3c, 4c, 5c, 6c, 8c, 10c, 20c, 30c, 50c, 1P, 2P, 3P, 4P, 5P, 6P, 7P, 8P, 9P, 10P, 12P, 15P, 20P, 30P, 40P, 50P, 60P, 70P, 80P, 100P, 200P, 300P, 500P, 1000P, 2000P, 5000P
Issued in pairs with a talon ("talon" = text-only stamp, kept for records)
Classic 4-4-0 steam locomotive pulling passenger train

Flour Tax (Forbin p 161)

1910 - large 8c stamp for sacks of flour

(The train is tiny, traveling across the horizon above the cows' heads. Steam locomotive and three passenger or freight cars.)

SANTA CRUZ PROVINCE - MUNICIPAL ISSUES

Casilda (Forbin pp. 166-67)

All the following have the same basic design plus year of issue, colors differing from year to year, with or without control number as noted.

1910 1911

1912 1913

1914 1915

1917
(note faint overprint "1917"
at bottom of stamp)

1908 30c, 50c, 1P, 2P, 3P; with control numbers, very scarce set
1909 30c, 50c, 1P, 2P, 3P; without control, scarce set
1910 30c, 50c, 1P, 2P, 3P; without control, scarce set
1911 30c, 50c, 1P, 2P, 3P; without control, common set
30c, 50c, 1P, 2P, 3P with control, scarce
1912 30c, 50c, 1P, 2P, 3P; without control, common set
50c, 1P and 2P with control, scarce (30c and 3P likely exist)
1913 30c, 50c, 1P, 2P, 3P; with control, common set
1914 30c, 50c, 1P, 2P, 3P; without control, common set
1915 1P ultramarine seen, crude design, with control, very scarce
1916 none seen (2P green is found overprinted 1917 in red)
1917 2P 1916 stamp overprinted "1917" in red, and with control, very scarce

Classic 4-4-0 steam locomotive, part of tender visible behind.
Note letters on nose of locomotive (clearest on 1914 stamp), "F.C.O.S" = "FerroCarril Oeste Santafecino." (also Santafesino)

Many thanks to Bill Weinberger, without whose invaluable assistance this listing would not have been possible.

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Created -- 01/06/2005
Revised -- 06/24/2017

PROVINCIAL ISSUES
BUENOS AIRES PROVINCE - MUNICIPAL ISSUES
	Avellaneda (formerly Barracas al Sud - Forbin p. 93)
		Avellaneda 1904 (Overprint on issues of Barracas al Sud)	1902 stamp of Barracas al Sud overprinted "Avellaneda" in purple 1904 - 50c blue, Series D Overprint may be either up or down (see lower scan) Ore cars on dock, tiny steam locomotive at left. No year in design (Forbin does not list series D, but series B, which I doubt exists.) NOTE - these are quite scarce
		Avellaneda 1908 Avellaneda 1909	Redrawn, with Avellaneda in place of Barracas al Sud, year added 1905 - 50c blue, series B (listed in Forbin, not seen, but may exist) 1905 - 50c orange, series B (listed in Forbin, not seen, existence dubious) 1906 - 50c series E (Reported, but not seen - not in Forbin) 1907 - 50c series F (Reported, but not seen - not in Forbin) 1908 - 50c orange, series G (Forbin does not list Series G, but series B, which I doubt exists) 1908 - 1P red-brown, series A (Forbin lists but with wrong date, 1906) 1909 - 50c red, series H 1909 - 1P blue, series B NOTE - these are all quite scarce
	Bahia Blanca (Forbin p 94)
		Bahia Blanca 1903/4	1903/4 - no date, 10c, 50c, 1P, 2P, 10P; 10c, 50c, 1P exist imperf 1905 - same design, 5c violet, 5c gray, 30c, 50c Tiny steam locomotive pulling two passenger cars on dock behind two-stack, center-masted battleship (note cannons!). The locomotive faces left, and sits just below the rays of the sun at left center of vignette.
		Bahia Blanca 1909	1909 - modified design with date added and panel for control number, 5c, 10c, 30c, 1P 1910 - same design, 5c (blue), 5c (violet), 10c, 30c, 50c, 1P (All exist both with and without watermark) 1911 - same design, 5c, 10c, 20c, 30c, 1P (All exist both with and without watermark)
		Bahia Blanca 1913	1913 - new design, 50c, 1P, 2P, 3P, 4P, 5P, 10P, 25P, 40P, 50P. Steam locomotive on left side of central vignette (The 1913 stamps are common mint, never seen used, may not have been issued.)
	Barracas al Sud (Name changed to Avellaneda, 1904, Forbin p 94.)
		Barracas al Sud 1900	1900 - 50c blue and ultramarine, series C, control numbers Exists perf, imperf, imperf between horiz., inverted control on imperf, inverted control on imperf between Seven ore cars on dock behind ships (interesting ship - both smokestack and sails - many of the early steamships had sails both for economy and for emergency use.)
		Barracas al Sud 1902	1902 – redrawn, 50c, series D, control numbers The ore cars are clearer, and the leftmost one has been changed into a steam locomotive.
ENTRE RIOS PROVINCE - MUNICIPAL ISSUES
	Diamante (not in Forbin)
		Diamante circa 1920	circa 1920 (??) - 5c Orange, 30c Green and 1P Blue Steam locomotive entering station at bottom right corner of image
	Gualeguay (Forbin p 123)
		Gualeguay 1883	1883 - 50c The illustration in Forbin is the only example known, and may be a cut square, from a documentary issue. Early steam locomotive in profile
	Gualaguaychu (Forbin p 123)
		(no image available)	1883 - 50c - same design as Gualeguay
FORMOSA PROVINCE - MUNICIPAL ISSUES
	Formosa (not in Forbin)
		Formosa 1915-16	No date in design 1915-16 - 5c olive, 10c red, 20c brown, 50c green Classic steam locomotive and part of tender
		Formosa 1917	1917 - same design, new values and colors - 5c violet, 20c orange, 1P blue, 5P brown, 10P blue Classic steam locomotive and part of tender
		Formosa 1921-22 1922-23 1923-24 1925-26 1927-28 1929-30 1931-32 1938-42 see note at right 1940-44 1945-46 1946	1921-46, 15 different known, all with same basic design as the 1915-17 stamps, most with date in design. 1921-1922 10c red, "Años" 1922-1923 20c green 1922-1923 1P chocolate 1923-1924 10c rose 1925-1926 50c rust 1927-1928 10c deep blue 1929-1930 20c red 1929-1930 50c brown 1930-1931 10c deep blue 1931-1932 10c red 1934-1935 1P red 1938-1942 10P violet with red dates 1940-1944 1P yellow-orange, rouletted, "Año" 1945-46 1P yellow-orange, rouletted, issue of 1940-44 overprinted "HABILITADO Año 1945-46" ("Habilitado" means "qualified") 1946 1P red - 1 known, same basic design as previous stamps, but there is no date, and the denomination is printed separately. The 1938-42 stamp is strange for several reasons: 1) It is a redrawn design of the train etc, 2) No serial number although there clearly is a space for it. 3) The stamps were issued starting in 1921 for a 2 year period. All years are recorded from 1921 to 1932. Then there is a gap and then this stamp which is for 4 years-- but it overlaps the 1 Peso for 1940/4, and is a very high denomination for the period My conclusion is that this may be a proof for a stamp that was never issued.
SANTA CRUZ PROVINCE - MUNICIPAL ISSUES
	Santa Cruz (not in Forbin) The following data about Argentine currency helps to date the stamps of this section: The "peso ley 18.188" was the currency of Argentina between January 1, 1970 and May 5, 1983. It was subdivided into 100 centavos. Its symbol was $. Its name comes from the law number 18188, effective April 5, 1969. ( one of the stamps is dated 1972) The "peso argentino" was the currency of Argentina between June 6, 1983 and June 14, 1985. It was subdivided into 100 centavos. The symbol was $ The "austral" was the currency of Argentina between June 15, 1985 and December 31, 1991. It was subdivided into 100 centavos. The symbol was an uppercase A with an extra horizontal line.
		Santa Cruz circa 1969	circa 1969 (with mine car) - $100 (???), $800 (red), $4,000 (olive) (It seems likely there are other denominations in this set, but our source has not seen them, and observes that they would not necessarily have the same design)
		Santa Cruz post currency reform	post 1970 (currency reform ) - 3c gray, 5c blue
		Santa Cruz "Austral" currency period	2,000 A red
SANTA FE PROVINCE - PROVINCIAL ISSUES Many of the Santa Fe stamps are relatively common because they saw heavy use; however, the higher denominations of all sets were issued in small quantities and can be considered scarce to rare. In one instance there was only one sheet of 50 issued and in añother only two sheets. The survival rate of these cannot be known. Except for the 1898 issue we do not think any were remaindered.
	Documentary Issues (Forbin, p. 148)
		1896	1896 - 5c, 10c, 20c, 30c, 40c, 50c, 60c, 75c, 1P, 2P, 3P, 4P, 5P, 6P, 7P, 8P, 9P, 10P, 20P, 50P, 100P, 200P, 500P There is a unique 3225P proof 10c & 30c exist with red or black control Classic steam locomotive pulling passenger train
		1896	1896 Issue on Stamped Paper (not in Forbin) - 75c, 5P, 40P The "stamps" are printed directly onto the paper, not glued on, though the images include drawn "perforations". The three shown are the only ones known, but other denominations must exist.
		1897	1897 - 5c, 10c, 20c, 30c, 40c, 50c, 60c, 1P, 2P, 3P, 4P, 5P, 6P, 7P, 8P, 9P, 10P, 20P, 50P, 100P, 200P, 500P Same design as 1896 with date changed by scratching out the 6 in 1896 and inserting 7 (!); and differing in colors There is a unique 9110P proof 40c and 500 Peso exist with denomination inverted.
	Documentary Issues - imperforate, no control number (Not in Forbin)
		1896	1896 - 1P, 2P (other denominations probably exist) Classic steam locomotive pulling passenger train
	"Request" Issues - imperforate(?), no control number (Not in Forbin)
		1896	1896 - 25c (other denominations probably exist) "SOLICITUD" translates "request" - We presume it to mean a fee for a copy of a court document Classic steam locomotive pulling passenger train
	Patents - Receipt Issues (Forbin, pp. 155 - 159)
		1898	1898 – undated, issued in pairs, both parts same design except for text RECIBO or PATENTE Most often seen intact, as they were remaindered. 1P, 2P, 3P, 4P, 5P, 10P, 20P, 30P, 40P, 50P, 60P, 80P, 100P, 200P, 300P, 1000P Tiny crude steam locomotive and 2 cars at right center of vignette, beneath outstretched hand of central figure of Mercury (note caduceus). Train is running uphill straight towards the 8-petalled flower.
		1905	1905 - new design, with year 2c, 3c, 4c, 5c, 6c, 8c, 10c, 20c, 30c, 50c, 1P, 2P, 3P, 4P, 5P, 6P, 7P, 8P, 9P, 10P, 12P, 15P, 20P, 30P, 40P, 50P, 60P, 70P, 80P, 100P, 200P, 300P, 500P, 1000P, 2000P, 5000P Issued in pairs with a talon ("talon" = text-only stamp, kept for records) Classic 4-4-0 steam locomotive pulling passenger train
		1908	1908 - revised design, with year 2c, 3c, 4c, 5c, 6c, 8c, 10c, 20c, 30c, 50c, 1P, 2P, 3P, 4P, 5P, 6P, 7P, 8P, 9P, 10P, 12P, 15P, 20P, 30P, 40P, 50P, 60P, 70P, 80P, 100P, 200P, 300P, 500P, 1000P, 2000P, 5000P Issued in pairs with a talon ("talon" = text-only stamp, kept for records) Classic 4-4-0 steam locomotive pulling passenger train
	Flour Tax (Forbin p 161)
			1910 - large 8c stamp for sacks of flour (The train is tiny, traveling across the horizon above the cows' heads. Steam locomotive and three passenger or freight cars.)
SANTA CRUZ PROVINCE - MUNICIPAL ISSUES
	Casilda (Forbin pp. 166-67) All the following have the same basic design plus year of issue, colors differing from year to year, with or without control number as noted.
		1910 1911 1912 1913 1914 1915 1917 (note faint overprint "1917" at bottom of stamp)	1908 30c, 50c, 1P, 2P, 3P; with control numbers, very scarce set 1909 30c, 50c, 1P, 2P, 3P; without control, scarce set 1910 30c, 50c, 1P, 2P, 3P; without control, scarce set 1911 30c, 50c, 1P, 2P, 3P; without control, common set 30c, 50c, 1P, 2P, 3P with control, scarce 1912 30c, 50c, 1P, 2P, 3P; without control, common set 50c, 1P and 2P with control, scarce (30c and 3P likely exist) 1913 30c, 50c, 1P, 2P, 3P; with control, common set 1914 30c, 50c, 1P, 2P, 3P; without control, common set 1915 1P ultramarine seen, crude design, with control, very scarce 1916 none seen (2P green is found overprinted 1917 in red) 1917 2P 1916 stamp overprinted "1917" in red, and with control, very scarce Classic 4-4-0 steam locomotive, part of tender visible behind. Note letters on nose of locomotive (clearest on 1914 stamp), "F.C.O.S" = "FerroCarril Oeste Santafecino." (also Santafesino)

Casey Jones Rail Road Unit of the ATA

TRAINS ON ARGENTINE REVENUES Catalogue

TRAINS ON ARGENTINE REVENUES
Catalogue