Atlas - 50 006 927 - Boxcar, 60 Foot, Gunderson, 7550 Double Door - Ferromex - 874558

Model Information: In 2012, BNSF acquired close to 600 Gunderson 7538 High Capacity box cars. Four years later, TTX Corporation placed orders for a similar 7550 box car. At this time, they have over 4,000 cars in their fleet with more cars ordered. With a gross rail load capacity of 286,000, these cars can carry a wide variety of products such as paper and bulk items. While they look similar in appearance, the 7550 and 7538 have a few unique differences. The 7550 features “grid sides” and double plug doors. The 7538 has a single plug door and a unique door step, just below the left side of the door opening. With both companies operating large fleets, these cars are sure to be seen in large manifests, short lines and on sidings throughout North America.

Road Name History: Ferromex was launched in 1989 to take over the largest of the concessions from the privatization of FNM. This 5,375 mile line (between C&O and B&O in relative size,) has three main north-south routes: Mexicali and Nogales down along the Pacific Coast to Guadalajara and on to Mexico City; Ciudad Juarez (just across the border from El Paso) south to Mexico City; and Pedras Negras (across from Eagle Pass, TX) south to Mexico City. There is a major intersecting route from Ojinga (Presidio, TX) to the port of Topolobampo. Other braches connect to ports on both the Pacific and the Gulf of Mexico. The company is owned by mining giant Grupo Mexico (Union Pacific has significant holdings in that company.) In 2005, that company bought Ferrosur but it would be six years before the two would be allowed to merge. Many of their operations have been combined but as of this writing, Ferrosur continues to have a separate identity.

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.