Atlas Marks 100 Years with the Unveiling of NJ TRANSIT 4503 Wrapped in an Anniversary Paint Scheme
For Immediate Release
November 17, 2023
Hillside, NJ- To commemorate the 100th anniversary of Atlas in 2024, we have partnered with NJ TRANSIT to wrap a prototype locomotive with a brand new paint scheme celebrating 100 years of Atlas. NJ TRANSIT #4503 has been wrapped with commemorative 100th anniversary artwork that was designed in-house at Atlas and will be placed in service on the NJ TRANSIT Raritan Valley Line effective November 17th, 2023. An official unveiling and press event will be held in New Jersey’s Newark Penn Station on Friday, December 1st at 12:30 PM. Atlas company officers, employees and NJ TRANSIT leadership will be present for this momentous occasion.
When the newly wrapped NJ TRANSIT #4503 enters service, Atlas will be holding a photography contest for eagle-eyed train enthusiasts who spot and photograph this locomotive traversing the NJ TRANSIT rails. Details of the contest will be announced soon, so stay tuned to the Atlas website and social media sites for more information.
Last month, Atlas announced a replica model of this commemorative ALP-45DP locomotive along with Bombardier passenger car models decorated in special 100th anniversary paint schemes that celebrate our company’s long history. The offering includes ALP-45DP locomotives, cab cars, multi-level trailers and multi-level trailers with toilets. The Founders Car multilevel trailer features the years Atlas has been in operation and the names of the founders, Stephan J. Schaffan Sr. and Stephan J. Schaffan Jr. The cab car features a thank you to our loyal customers and the toilet car is adorned with a cartoon drawing from the Atlas archives of Steve Jr. Locomotives are available for separate sale and in 3-packs while the cab car and trailers are only sold in 3-packs. While these models are no longer offered for guaranteed pre-order, orders can still be placed and will be fulfilled while supplies remain.
A copy of the announcements can be downloaded by using the link below:
http://download.atlasrr.com/1023MCPDF/ASMC_100AnniversaryMSRPOnly.pdf
Atlas Tool Company was founded by Stephan Schaffan Sr. in 1924 as a general machine shop in a small garage at 330 Waverly Avenue in Newark, New Jersey. His son, Stephan Schaffan Jr. joined him in the business in 1933. As a frequent visitor to the local hobby shop, he would often ask the owner if there was anything he could do to earn some extra spending money. Tired of listening to his requests, the hobby-store owner threw some model railroad track parts his way and said, “Here, see if you can improve on this”. 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.
Steve Jr.’s accomplishments include engineering the stapling of rail to fiber track, inventing the first practical rail joiner and pre-assembled turnouts and flexible track—all of which helped to popularize model railroading and assisted in the creation of a mass-market hobby. As the business grew, their manufacturing needs went beyond what the small garage could provide, so in 1947 Steve and his father had the first factory built in Hillside, New Jersey at 413 Florence Avenue. On September 30th, 1949, Atlas Tool Company Inc. was officially incorporated as a New Jersey company.
Over time, Atlas has expanded their product line to include more than just track. At your local hobby store you can pick up Atlas track, locomotives, freight cars, signals, lighting and more in HO, N, O and even Z scale.
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