Atlas - 50 003 313 - Covered Hopper, 3-Bay, PS-2-CD 4000 - Chessie System - 2462

Model Information: BLMA first released this model in October of 2009. This was the first appearance of this prototype in N Scale. This model is an excellent example of the company's willingness to push the boundaries of N Scale rolling stock. The brake detail, metal roofwalk and body-mount couplers along with the metal wheels helped set a new standard for N Scale when this model came out. The early BLMA releases feature MTL body-mount couplers whereas the Atlas releases use Accumate couplers. See a video of this model here on YouTube.

Features: Injection-molded plastic body; Fine-scale detail; Checmically etched roof walk and brake platform; Prototypical ride height; Accurately painted and printed; BLMA 100-ton trucks; BLMA 36" metal wheels; Brown knuckle couplers (MTL or Accumate - depending on Brand).

Prototype History: The PS-2CD 4000 cubic foot covered hopper was produced by Pullman-Standard between 1962 and 1964 in the company’s Butler PA shops. These cars led a very long service life, with some remaining in revenue service throughout the US, Canada, and Mexico until the early 2000s. One of the most distinctive Pullman covered hoppers, this common 90/100-ton car was mostly used in grain, malt, fertilizer, and similar bulk services. Here is a Pullman builder photo of a B&O PS4000.

These cars were built during a transitional period for covered hopper design. It was a time when customers were regularly using 40-foot boxcars for bulk commodity movements, and the inefficiencies of hand-loading and unloading boxcars were becoming issues for customers and railroads alike. Customers wanted faster loading and unloading processes, and railroads wanted the cars back sooner. The PS4000 was one of the first successful bulk commodity designs. The most common production version of these cars featured distinctive round hatches on the roof of the car.

Road Name History: Chessie System, Inc. was a holding company that owned the Chesapeake & Ohio Railway (C&O), the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad (B&O), the Western Maryland Railway (WM), and several smaller carriers. It was incorporated in Virginia on February 26, 1973, and it acquired the C&O (which controlled the other companies) on June 15. C&O had been popularly known as "Chessie System" since the 1930s.

The three railroads had been closely related since the 1960s. C&O had acquired controlling interest in B&O in 1962, and the two had jointly controlled WM since 1967.

On November 1, 1980, Chessie System merged with Seaboard Coast Line Industries to form CSX Corporation. However, the Chessie image continued to be applied to new and re-painted equipment until mid-1986, when CSX introduced its own paint scheme. The B&O and C&O were not legally merged out of existence until 1987, when the company's official successor, CSX Transportation was founded.

Headquartered in Cleveland, Ohio, the Chessie System was the creation of Cyrus S. Eaton and his prot?g? Hays T. Watkins, Jr., then president and chief executive officer of C&O. A chief source of revenue for the Chessie System was coal mined in West Virginia. Another was the transport of auto parts and finished motor vehicles.

The signature symbol of the Chessie System was its "Ches-C", a large emblem incorporating the outline of the C&O's famous "Chessie" the kitten logo. The Ches-C was emblazoned on the front of all Chessie System locomotives, and also served as the "C" in "Chessie System" on the locomotive's flanks, and on other rolling stock. The Chessie System itself did not own any locomotives or other rolling stock; rather, equipment would be placed on the roster of one of the three component railroads. While all three companies shared a common paint scheme of yellow, vermillion, and blue, actual ownership of the equipment was denoted by the reporting marks C&O, B&O, or WM.

From Wikipedia

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.