Atlas - 3552 - Stock Car, 50 Foot, Steel - Esskay Meats - 15

Model Information: Atlas started production of this model in their New Jersey Factory in either 1976 or 1977. The initial release consisted of six road names, and was followed up by a second release in 1978 consisting of six more road names. These models featured Rapido couplers with nickel-silver plated wheels.

This model was not run again until 2002 when the tooling was moved to China and new road numbers were created for the CB&Q, PRR and N&W as well as an undecorated version. The initial Chinese version used plastic wheels but also used Rapido couplers. Later Chinese releases switched to Accumates and the model became part of the Trainman product lineup.

Prototype History: Steel stock cars were in general use after the Second World War when steel became readily available.

Road Name History: The company was founded in 1858 by German immigrant William Schluderberg. William and his brothers Conrad and George all purchased land in Highlandtown to open butcher shops. Several years later, he and three brothers began their pork butchering business son old ‘Butcher’s Hill’ in Canton. As business increased he founded the Schluderberg Meatpacking Co. at Bank and Third Street. Esskay was a result of a merger in 1919 between his meatpacking company and that of Thomas J. Kurdle. The plant moved to Fifth and Philadelphia Rd. It was one of the largest in Baltimore. It was incorporated as Schluderberg-Kurdle Co., but soon became known as Esskay…which was a result of the combination of the first part of the principals last names (S and K).

Esskay joined the Smithfield family of brands in 1985 and continues its commitment to providing quality products for the whole family.

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.

Manufacturer Information: 'Atlas Model Railroad' represents the New Jersey manufacturing facility for Atlas brand model railroad products. Atlas also imported European made models in their early years and those items will be noted as having manufacturers set appropriately. In the 1990s Atlas moved all their toolings to China.