KEARNY, N.J. — NJ Transit, which has previously wrapped or painted locomotives to honor its railroading predecessors, has now wrapped a locomotive to honor a New Jersey-based model railroading-firm: Atlas Model Railroad Co. of Hillside, N.J., which will celebrate its 100th anniversary in 2024.
The special wrap has been applied to Bombardier ALP-45DP dual-mode diesel-electric No. 4503. The wrap was made possible through a sponsorship from Atlas.
Atlas, which is offering a model of the special unit, has photos of the wrap in progress on its Facebook page.
NJ Transit’s fleet of heritage units includes locomotives wrapped or painted for the Pennsylvania Railroad, Central of New Jersey, Erie Railroad, Erie-Lackawanna, and New Jersey Department of Transportation.
— Updated at 10 a.m. CST to note Atlas sponsorship of wrap.
Too bad they did it so late in the year. Could have seen the train set for under the Christmas Tree with these markings. Maybe a set will be manufactured for next year.
I can see Amtrak doing a “wrap”… for Ives or American Flyer! Maybe Penn Line?
Or how about “Lionel Lines”. 🙂
Great exposure and promotional value for both NJ Transit and Atlas. Now if this can start a trend for other railroads and model manufacturers to do the same thing. Manyrailfans and train buffs are model railroaders too along with railroad workers. Some have the distinction of being railfans, model railroaders and railroaders. This also might encourage folks to break into the model railroading hobby . When I make my trip next week to New York to visit family for Thanksgiving I will be on the lookout for this locomotive when my Amtrak train from Florida Train 92- the Silver Star passes through NJ or maybe on my return trip the following week heading back to Florida on the Silver Star Train 91. I started in N scale many years ago with an Atlas train set. This was back in the early 70s and N scale was still something of a novelty and didn’t have the same quality and durability that today’s N scale trains have today.Now maybe other manufacturers like Kato, Bachmann and Walthers can follow the lead which Atlas has done and work out a marketing and advertising campaign with NJ Transit or other carriers.
Joseph C. Markfelder
Atlas started in Newark NJ as Atlas Tool Co, then built their plant in Hillside. And things that make you say hmmmm: did the proximity of Lioner in Hillside give them thi idea of Snap Track, similar to Lionel’s sectional track.
Two of beloved New Jersey’s treasured sources of train pride.
Dr. Güntürk Üstün
A complete railroading and railfanning cooperation. Well done dear NJ Transit! Well done dear Atlas Model Railroad Co.!
Dr. Güntürk Üstün
I use to buy Atlas N scale equipment when I was starting out in N scale. I did not realize they are a family owned business and have been around 100 years.
According to the Model Retailer Magazine, the founder Stephan Schaffan Sr.’s daughter Diane and her husband Tom Haedrich continued to lead Atlas until 2013. Paul Graf was named chief executive officer, while Jarrett Schaffan Haedrich, great-grandson of Atlas founder, was promoted from vice president of marketing to chief operating officer.
Dr. Güntürk Üstün
You’re on the Right Track…with Atlas; but with NJ Transit too.
Dr. Güntürk Üstün
Modeling in 12″:1′ scale…
For decades the Lionel factory was in Hillside. Didn’t realize that Atlas was a neighbor.