Atlas - 43872 - Gondola, Bathtub, ACF Coalveyor - Sullivan Scrap Metal - 451

Prototype History: Built in the 1980's by ACF®, the Coalveyor Bathtub Gondola operated in unit train service to deliver coal to power plants. These cars were most often lettered for the utility companies that leased and purchased them. Many are still in service today.

C&D cars were usually run in blocks of 4-12 cars. They were used for construction and demolition debris/refuse hauling.

Road Name History: Since 1952, the William F. Sullivan Co. has made a business out of taking care of the environment, recycling scrap metal purchased from some of the area's largest manufacturers, down to local individuals in and around Holyoke. We have created a business which focuses on providing customers with the fairest pricing for their scrap in addition to the most effective, convenient solutions for handling their waste metal challenges.

For 60 years, Sullivan Metals has been operating at both ends of the steel and metal industries. Sullivan Scrap, our recycling division, provides customers with the most convenient, effective service for addressing their scrap metal challenges. Our sales division, Sullivan Metals, recognizes our customers’ construction needs, keeping the materials you are looking for on hand or available for delivery quickly. Sullivan Metals has offices in both Holyoke and Worcester, Massachusetts. 68 Jackson Street, Holyoke, MA 01040

Brand/Importer Information: In 1924 Stephan Schaffan, Sr. founded the Atlas Tool Company in Newark, New Jersey. In 1933 his son, Stephan Schaffan, Jr., came to work for his father at the age of sixteen. Steve Jr. built model airplanes as a hobby and frequented a local hobby shop. Being an enterprising young man, 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.

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 budding entrepreneur quickly outgrew the limitations of a basement and small garage operation. Realizing they could actually make a living selling track and related products, Steve and his father had the first factory built in Hillside, New Jersey at 413 Florence Avenue in 1947. On September 30, 1949, the Atlas Tool Company was officially incorporated as a New Jersey company.

In 1985, Steve was honored posthumously for his inventions by the Model Railroad Industry Association and was inducted into the Model Railroad Industry Hall of Fame in Baltimore, Maryland. In addition, Steve was nominated and entered into the National Model Railroad Association Pioneers of Model Railroading in 1995.

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