Atlas - 50 006 760 - Gondola, Steel Coil, Greenbrier 42 Foot - Arkansas-Oklahoma - 494507

Model Information: This model was introduced by Atlas in 2012 with 5 road names, 6 paint schemes and an undecorated model. They feature prototypical painting and lettering, see-through walks, removable hood, and inside floor detail.

Prototype History: The increased volume of coiled steel transportation gave rise to a new purpose-built freight car. Previously rolls of coiled-steel had generally traveled in specially equipped gondola cars. In the 1960s a lighter type of car emerged specifically for hauling coils of steel in an integral trough. The car type gained popularity and eventually over 17,000 cars were built. One common model was the 42 foot design with a distinctive fishbelly side sill.

The Greenbrier 42’ gondola car is specifically designed for transporting steel coils. The inside trough and top cords ensure the steel is secure during transit. Our steel coil gondola design is capable of shipping coils ranging from 30” to 84” in diameter. They also provide a custom fit, reliable cover to protect your steel until it is unloaded at its destination.

Road Name History: This company was launched in 1996 by the Donoley family to operate a 73 mile line from McAlester to Howe and a 36 mile line from Oklahoma City to Shawnee, all in Oklahoma. Howe is just 7 miles from the Arkansas border so having Arkansas in their name isn't too much of a stretch. Both lines had been segments of Rock Island's Choctaw Route from Memphis to Tucumcari. Shortly after the Rock Island closed in 1980, MKT took over operation of these lines, followed by Union Pacific after their merger. In addition to these routes, AOK provides switching services to an automobile logistics facility in Midwest City, Oklahoma. You might get the impression that AOK owns many thousands of freight cars due to the ubiquity of those reporting marks but in fact Arkansas-Oklahoma leases their AOK reporting marks to Greenbrier Leasing. This is done because there are differences in how cars with railroad reporting marks and cars with private owner reporting marks (which end in X) are billed for movement when empty.

Read more on the company website.

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.