Atlas - 10 000 315 - Locomotive, Diesel, Alco C-420 - Virginia & Maryland - 202

Body Style Information: With etched metal radiator walkways, fine-scale handrails, see-through step detail on sills, and painted crew members, the Atlas Model Railroad Alco Century 420 diesel locomotives have an array of separately-applied scale detail parts like cab sun shades, coupler cut levers, drop steps, handrails, metal grab irons, multiple-unit hoses, train line hoses, and windshield wipers.

For optimum performance at all speeds, the models are driven by five-pole skewed armature motors, with dual flywheels.

The C420s have directional lighting and golden-white LEDs.

Decoder-Ready, Atlas Master Series Silver models are fitted with an NMRA 8-pin plug for DCC use.

With authentic sounds, Atlas Master Series Gold models are fitted with dual-mode decoders that run on DCC, or traditional DC equipped layouts.

Prototype Information: ALCo built a total of 131 Century 420 locomotives between 1963 and 1969, when the builder ceased all new locomotive production. Powered by a 12-cylinder, turbocharged, 2,000-hp 251-series prime mover, the C420’s direct competitor in 1963 was the EMD GP18. In fact, EMD did not offer a 12-cylinder, 2,000-hp prime mover until the GP39 model was produced in 1969. The shorter 12-cylinder engine block allowed the C420 to have its distinctive set-back cab and extended short hood.

The first road to purchase the C420 was the Lehigh & Hudson River, with its first two units built in 1963. The largest fleet was purchased by the Long Island Railroad, with 30 units built between 1963 and 1968. All were equipped with a high short hood which housed a steam generator for passenger service. Over time, the largest fleet of C420s was amassed by the Louisville & Nashville. While only 26 units were purchased new, their total fleet grew to well over 60 units through mergers and acquisitions. The C420 can still be found in daily service today in the US. Currently the largest fleet of C420s is operated by the Arkansas & Missouri Railroad.

Road/Company Information: A railroad down the Delmarva Peninsula - from Wilmington, Delaware to Cape Charles, Virginia - was completed by Pennsylvania Railroad subsidiary New York, Philadelphia & Norfolk in 1884. This line, coupled with car ferry service across the mouth of Chesapeake Bay to Norfolk, VA, offered a bypass to the congestion and restrictive freight clearances of Baltimore, MD, and Washington, DC. In the late 1960s the line suffered due to Penn Central's neglect. On April 1st, 1977, the Virginia & Maryland Railroad took over operations from Conrail, operating the line between Pocomoke City, MD, and Cape Charles, and extensive track renovation was undertaken. At the end of October 1981, the Eastern Shore Railroad took over from the VAMD.

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".

Atlas has made a ton of wonderful products throughout the years and we often get questions one whether we have run a certain road name on a particular model. It should be noted that Atlas locomotives and rolling stock are greatly appreciated for their superior operating and running characteristics. Atlas products are also well known for their outstanding collectability not only due to their superior prototypical workmanship, details and decoration, but because there are relatively so few of them made. Each and every production run has been carefully built to market demand, meaning almost every piece in any given run is sold out by Atlas on arrival or shortly thereafter, thus creating a built in collectors market.