News & Reviews Product Reviews Staff Reviews Atlas HO scale Middlesex Manufacturing Co.

Atlas HO scale Middlesex Manufacturing Co.

By Angela Cotey | March 20, 2009

| Last updated on November 3, 2020

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Atlas HO scale Middlesex Manufacturing Co.
Price: $39.95

Manufacturer
Atlas Model Railroad Co.
378 Florence Ave.
Hillside, NJ 07205
www.atlasrr.com

Comments: This new warehouse kit (no. 0721) is the latest addition to the Atlas Master Line of buildings. The kit has a footprint of
51/2″ x 15″ and features separately applied windows, eight chimneys, a loading dock, and window blanks. A 13/8″ x 17/16″ x 79/16″ elevator machine room is located at one end of the building.

The parts are crisply molded and have little flash. The dentils are especially well done. Some minor filing and sanding is necessary to clean up the rough spots where the parts are attached to
the sprues.

Overall, the kit is easy to assemble. However, take your time when cementing the long corner joints. I had a few corners that didn’t align properly, and in the process of fixing them, damaged some of the brick detail.

If you plan on handling the model frequently, I’d recommend adding interior bracing to give the structure extra strength. I cemented lengths of .188″ x .250″ styrene strip above the windows and doors on the first, second, and third floors.

Atlas has captured the look of a typical American manufacturing plant from the late 19th century.

16 thoughts on “Atlas HO scale Middlesex Manufacturing Co.

  1. It should be easy to create a low relief/background building group just by simply using a sharp hobby knife or fine saw. Cut vertically from top to bottom on the centre line of the end walls, thus creating two seperate building fronts. I have used this system on some of the Walthers kits with total success.

  2. This building looks like it would be a good addition on any HO Railroad. Could we get the Product Review photo's in 360 degrees? It would be nice to see all 4 sides of a building, engine, or rolling stock.

  3. i'm originaly from New Jersey, an this new building is typical of the factories that were popular when I grew up. Should make a great addition to any industrial area

  4. I haven't been able to find any old prison kits anywhere, and this building looks like it could double as one…with a few minor changes in detail. I may have to give it a try unless someone knows where I can find a prison.

  5. I am thinking about using this building for my new layout. I would use it to model a textile mill in North Carolina or South Carolina and it would be ideal for that purpose. It would be nice to see all four sides of this structure. I am thinking of taking two of these kits and kitbashing them to make a big, standalone building as the centerpiece for my layout. A mill village would be located across the street, just like the ones in my hometown. A spur would come off the mainline to service the textile mill, just like they did here many years ago.

  6. This is a model of an existing building in Helmetta NJ. It's one of the buildings left from the Helm Tobacco Company complex. This company was in business to produce snuff. One of their brands was Railroad Avenue Brand Snuff. I only wish all of the buildings were available.

  7. This building looks like it would be a great addition to my Penn Valley Railroad. The tip about the interior bracing seems very important since the walls are 15" long.

  8. I am thinking that one should plan on adding floors to this model along with a view block by adding interior walls. Then you will probably want to add a few interior details if it is near the edge of ones layout where a visitor can see it up close.

  9. Until I read that this was an Atlas kit, I thought it looked like a Walther's Modulars project update. I saw the Modulars line deeply discounted in the latest Walthers "Flyer", does that mean they're phasing the line out?

  10. You can use this kit to make two backdrop or background buildings. I have done this with several Walthers kits. Two for the price of one. Just cut the end walls in half vertically. The long sides usually have railroad docks and/or doors. If not you could cut doors into the side without them and insert doors from Tichy, Walthers, DPM, Grandt Line, etc. This is especially good with taller buildings where the roof is not easily seen as it touches the backdrop.

  11. At 5 1/2" width, this is just a bit bigger than a background building as-is. Ah, but with two kits melded together, now you'd have a very impressive building. Add rotating roof vents, water tank, pallets piles & 55-gal drums. Great for 1900's to WWII era. For 1950's – 1970's, with chain-link fence, it's Old-School Industry for the "wrong side of the tracks".

  12. I agree, a great looking building. I plan to get extra use from the 'interior bracing,' by also using them to support the floors. I will use the cardboard from the boxes in my Walthers orders, as they are always arrive like new. I hope the roof can be left unglued to change a few lights I plan on each floor.

  13. I bought two kits and hope to be able to tie them to gether to make a long mill like some of the textile mills in MA & NH. I am modeling the B&M any where in New England. Will detail them a little bit inside,lites ,etc.

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