Atlas Model Railroad

Last updated
Atlas Model Railroad Co.
Type Private
IndustryHobbies
Founded1924
FounderStephan Schaffan, Sr.
Headquarters Hillside, New Jersey, United States
ProductsModel trains and accessories
Website https://shop.atlasrr.com/

Atlas Model Railroad Company, Inc. makes scale models in N scale, HO scale, and O scale. The company is based in Hillside, New Jersey, United States. They produce a wide variety of locomotives, rolling stock, and vehicles. Atlas is well known for their flex track and codes 55, 80, 83 and 100 track. Atlas also produces a line of compatible structures and bridges.

Contents

History

Stephan Schaffan, Sr., an immigrant of Czechoslovakia founded the Atlas Tool Company in the garage of his home in Newark, New Jersey, in 1924. In 1933 his son, Stephan Schaffan, Jr., came to work for his father at the age of sixteen. Steve Jr. built model airplanes and frequented a local hobby shop. He would often ask the owner if there was anything he could do to earn some extra spending money. Not taking his inquiries seriously, the store owner challenged Schaffan to come up with better track components using the materials available in the shop. [1] In those days, railroad modelers had to assemble and build everything from scratch. Steve Jr. created a "switch kit" which sold so well, that the entire family worked on them in the basement at night, while doing business as usual in the machine shop during the day.

Subsequently, Steve Jr. engineered the stapling of rail to fiber track, along with inventing the first practical rail joiner and pre-assembled turnouts and flexible track. All of these products, and more, helped to popularize model railroading and assisted in the creation of a mass-market hobby. The growing company quickly outgrew the garage and basement of the family home. Realizing they could actually make a living selling track and related products, the first factory was built in nearby Hillside, New Jersey, at 413 Florence Avenue in 1947. On September 30, 1949, the Atlas Tool Company was incorporated.

Expanding into Rolling Stock

Atlas’ days as a track and plastic building kit manufacturer began shifting in 1968, when Atlas delved into the N scale locomotives market, starting with USRA Pacifics in 1968 [2] and USRA light and heavy Mikados in 1969, [3] all made by Rivarossi in Italy.

In 1970, Atlas ventured more deeply into the growing N scale market with two locomotives made for the company by Rivarossi: the Baltimore & Ohio C-16 0-4-0T saddletank switcher commonly known as the Docksider or Little Joe and its converted cousin, the C-16a 0-4-0 with coal tender. [4] Those offerings were followed by EMD diesels, the F9, GP9 and GP30, made by Roco in Austria, in 1973 and 1974. [5] [6]

Atlas would continue its N scale line with a wide range of freight cars, made at their Hillside factory, in the 1970s and 1980s.

Also, beginning in 1971, Atlas began importing a line of O scale locomotives and rolling stock produced by Roco in Austria. New items were not advertised after 1973, though some pieces remained catalogued through the 1980s. [7]

Atlas entered the market for ready-to-run HO scale diesel locomotives in 1975, importing models produced in Austria by Roco. Six models of various EMD diesels made up the base of this initial offering through the 1980s. [8] Complete train sets were first offered by Atlas in the 1970s, using the Roco-produced diesels and freight cars supplied by Athearn. [9] Atlas later forged a partnership with Japanese manufacturer Kato Precision Railroad Models to release an Alco RS-3 in N scale in 1983 [10] that raised standards in the hobby for fine scale fidelity. [11]

Stephan Schaffan, Jr. died in 1983. In 1985, he was honored posthumously for his inventions by the Model Railroad Industry Association (now known as the Hobby Manufacturers Association) and was inducted into the Industry Hall of Fame in Baltimore, Maryland. He was also nominated and entered into the National Model Railroad Association Pioneers of Model Railroading in 1995.

Atlas Model Railroad Co. Era

In the early 1990s, the Atlas Tool Co. changed its name to Atlas Model Railroad Company, Inc.

In 1997 Atlas O, LLC was established as a separate business entity dedicated to producing multiple lines of O scale model railroad products including track, freight cars, locomotives and accessories, co-founded and led by James J. Weaver. After spending many years developing a number of products across many price points, including a successful line of O scale sectional track, Weaver died in 2011. [12] Atlas O, LLC became a wholly owned subsidiary and was merged into Atlas Model Railroad Co. Inc. effective January 1, 2012.

Expanding their O scale product line, Atlas purchased certain assets of Industrial Rail from Hobbico in 2006. In 2011, Atlas purchased the tooling and inventory of Branchline Trains, including their line of HO scale "Blueprint Series" and "Yardmaster" freight cars and passenger cars. [13]

In 2021, Atlas acquired some of the O scale tooling from MTH Trains. [14] They also acquired some River Point Station tooling for N scale vehicles in 2021. [15]

Stephan Schaffan's daughter Diane and her husband Tom Haedrich continued to lead Atlas until 2013. Paul Graf was named chief executive officer, while Jarrett Schaffan Haedrich, great-grandson of Atlas founder Stephan J. Schaffan Sr., was promoted from vice president of marketing to chief operating officer. [16]

Product Lines

Atlas offers the following tiers of their products

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rail transport modelling</span> Modeling trains hobby

Railway modelling or model railroading is a hobby in which rail transport systems are modelled at a reduced scale.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">O scale</span> Model railroad gauge

O scale is a scale commonly used for toy trains and rail transport modelling. Introduced by German toy manufacturer Märklin around 1900, by the 1930s three-rail alternating current O gauge was the most common model railroad scale in the United States and remained so until the early 1960s. In Europe, its popularity declined before World War II due to the introduction of smaller scales.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">HO scale</span> Model railroad scale of 1:87

HO or H0 is a rail transport modelling scale using a 1:87 scale. It is the most popular scale of model railway in the world. The rails are spaced 16.5 millimetres (0.650 in) apart for modelling 1,435 mm standard gauge tracks and trains in HO.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">TT scale</span> Model railway scale

TT scale is a model railroading scale using 1:120 scale with a gauge of 12 mm between the rails. It is roughly halfway between HO scale (1:87) and N scale (1:160). Its original purpose, like the name suggests, was to make a train set small enough to assemble and operate on a tabletop.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bachmann Industries</span>

Bachmann Industries is a Bermuda-registered, Chinese-owned company, globally headquartered in Hong Kong; specialising in model railroading.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">EMD GP30</span> Model of American 2250 hp diesel locomotive

The EMD GP30 is a 2,250 hp (1,680 kW) four-axle diesel-electric locomotive built by General Motors Electro-Motive Division of La Grange, Illinois between July 1961 and November 1963. A total of 948 units were built for railroads in the United States and Canada, including 40 cabless B units for the Union Pacific Railroad.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">FM Consolidation Line</span>

The Consolidation Line was a series of diesel-electric railway locomotive designs produced by Fairbanks-Morse and its Canadian licensee, the Canadian Locomotive Company. Railfans have dubbed these locomotives “C-liners”, however F-M referred to the models collectively as the C-Line. A combined total of 165 units were produced by F-M and the CLC between 1950 and 1955.

Roco, based in Salzburg, Austria, is a manufacturer of model railway equipment.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">EMD GP7</span> Diesel-electric locomotive

The EMD GP7 is a four-axle (B-B) diesel-electric locomotive built by General Motors Electro-Motive Division and General Motors Diesel between October 1949 and May 1954.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Athearn</span> American model railroad company

Athearn is a United States manufacturer of model railroad equipment, produced and distributed by American hobby manufacturer Horizon Hobby, Inc. of Champaign, Illinois.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wm. K. Walthers</span>

Wm. K. Walthers, Inc. is a manufacturer and distributor of model railroad supplies and tools.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Colorado Railroad Museum</span> Railroad museum in Golden, Colorado

The Colorado Railroad Museum is a non-profit railroad museum. The museum is located on 15 acres (6.1 ha) at a point where Clear Creek flows between North and South Table Mountains in Golden, Colorado.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">ALCO RS-2</span>

The ALCO RS-2 is a 1,500–1,600 horsepower (1,100–1,200 kW) B-B diesel-electric locomotive built by the American Locomotive Company (ALCO) from 1946 to 1950. ALCO introduced the model after World War II as an improvement on the ALCO RS-1. Between 1946 and 1950, 377 examples of the RS-2 were built, primarily for American and Canadian customers.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Life-Like</span>

Life-Like was a manufacturer of model trains and accessories. In 1960, the company purchased the assets of the defunct Varney Scale Models and began manufacturing model trains and accessories under the name Life-Like in 1970. In 2005 the parent company, Lifoam Industries, LLC, chose to concentrate on their core products and sold their model railroad operations to hobby distributor Wm. K. Walthers. Today, the Life-Like trademark is used by Walthers for HO Scale Buildings.

HOn30 gauge is the modelling of narrow-gauge railways in HO on N gauge track in 1:87 scale ratio.

Lima S.p.A. is an Italian brand and former manufacturing company of model railways. The company was headquartered in Vicenza for almost 50 years, from the early 1950s until the company ceased trading in 2004. Lima was a popular, affordable brand of 00 gauge and N gauge model railway material in the UK, more detailed H0 and N gauge models in France, Germany, Italy, Switzerland, and the United States as well as South Africa, Scandinavia and Australia. Lima also produced a small range of 0 gauge models. Lima partnered with various distributors and manufacturers, selling under brands such as A.H.M., Model Power, and Minitrain. Market pressures from superior Far Eastern produce in the mid-1990s led to Lima merging with Rivarossi, Arnold, and Jouef. Ultimately, these consolidations failed and operations ceased in 2004.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Virginia Museum of Transportation</span> Transport museum in Roanoke, Virginia

The Virginia Museum of Transportation is a museum devoted to the topic of transportation located in Downtown Roanoke, Virginia, US.

Varney Scale Models was founded in 1936 by Gordon Varney, an early pioneer in manufacturing HO scale model trains. The development of a reliable 6-volt motor made it possible to produce model locomotives capable of pulling long trains. The company relocated from Chicago, Illinois, to Miami, Florida, in 1955. Varney sold his company to Sol Kramer in 1960, which became the basis for launching his own line of Life-Like Trains in 1970. Varney models were above average in quality and detail and are still quite popular with collectors and model railroad enthusiasts.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gold Coast Railroad Museum</span>

The Gold Coast Railroad Museum is a railroad museum located in Miami, Florida, adjacent to Zoo Miami.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Renfe Class 319 (later versions)</span> Class of Spanish diesel-electric locomotive

The Renfe classes 319.2, 319.3 and 319.4 are six axle Co'Co' medium power mainline diesel-electric locomotives manufactured by Macosa using General Motors Electromotive division components under license.

References

  1. ↑ "Atlas Model Railroads & Trains". Invaluable. Retrieved 12 January 2017.
  2. ↑ "Rivarossi (Italy) 4-6-2 USRA Light & Heavy Pacifics". www.spookshow.net. Retrieved 2022-05-26.
  3. ↑ "Rivarossi (Italy) 2-8-2 USRA Light & Heavy Mikados". www.spookshow.net. Retrieved 2022-05-26.
  4. ↑ "Rivarossi (Italy) 0-4-0". www.spookshow.net. Retrieved 2022-05-26.
  5. ↑ "Atlas/Roco (Austria) EMD F9A". www.spookshow.net. Retrieved 2022-05-26.
  6. ↑ "Atlas/Roco (Austria) EMD GP9 & GP30". www.spookshow.net. Retrieved 2022-05-26.
  7. ↑ Tony Cook. "Atlas 1970s O Scale". HO-Scale Trains Resource. Retrieved 17 January 2017.
  8. ↑ Tony Cook. "Atlas 1970s". HO-Scale Trains Resource. Retrieved 17 January 2017.
  9. ↑ Tony Cook. "Athearn OEM". HO-Scale Trains Resource. Retrieved 17 January 2017.
  10. ↑ "Atlas Alco RS-3 / RSD-4/5". www.spookshow.net. Retrieved 2022-05-26.
  11. ↑ Tony Cook. "Atlas 1980s". HO-Scale Trains Resource. Retrieved 17 January 2017.
  12. ↑ Thomas Haedrich (2011). "James J. Weaver (1950-2011)". Atlas Model Railroad Co. Archived from the original on 2 February 2017. Retrieved 22 January 2017.
  13. ↑ "Atlas Trains". Train Collectors Association, Western Division. Retrieved 12 January 2017.
  14. ↑ "Atlas Acquires Select M.T.H Locomotive and Rolling Stock Molds". Atlas Model Railroad Co. Blog. March 17, 2021.
  15. ↑ "Atlas Acquires Select River Point Station Vehicle Tooling". Atlas Model Railroad Co. Blog. April 19, 2021.
  16. ↑ Nick Bullock (18 December 2013). "Tom Haedrich steps down as Atlas CEO". Model Retailer Magazine. Archived from the original on 16 January 2017. Retrieved 12 January 2017. CEO Tom Haedrich announced Dec. 17 that he will step down as CEO and become the executive chairman of the Atlas board of directors. Taking his place as CEO will be Paul Graf, the company's current chief operating officer, according to an Atlas press release.

40°42′07″N74°14′01″W / 40.7020°N 74.2335°W / 40.7020; -74.2335

This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.