| Much like other companies in the model train | | | | Little did he know that these old railroad tracks |
| industry, the story of Atlas model trains is a | | | | and models that he discarded so easily would |
| story of vision, entrepreneurship, and hard work, | | | | eventually become what today is known as Atlas |
| combined with a passion for a hobby that resulted | | | | Model Trains. |
| in a company that grew bigger than what anyone | | | | Stephan Jr. went back home and worked on |
| would have imagined at the beginning. | | | | those trains. Being an inventive and intelligent |
| The origin of Atlas Model Trains goes back to the | | | | young man, he designed a switch set, which |
| first decades of the 20th century, when Stephan | | | | would become the staple of Atlas Model Trains, |
| Schaffan Sr. founded what would become Atlas | | | | and that allowed the user to start and stop the |
| Model Trains. Back then, it was a tool company, | | | | trains by controlling the voltage on the tracks. |
| not a model train company and Stephan Schaffan | | | | Later on, Stephan Jr. invented more products |
| Sr. was so undermanned that he had his son | | | | which made the company grow even more, while |
| Stephan Schaffan Jr. come and help him with the | | | | his father's business started to look small in |
| business. | | | | comparison. Somewhere along the line, the original |
| Stephan Schaffan Jr. wasn't happy with the | | | | name was dropped and the company took the |
| money that he earned at his dad's business (if he | | | | name of Atlas Model Railroad, although most |
| earned anything at all). He was a young and | | | | people know it by the name Atlas Model Trains. |
| inventive man who liked machinery. He would go | | | | Now with Atlas Model Trains officially existing, |
| after work and built model airplanes at his house. | | | | Stephan invented several devices that saved |
| There was a local airplane model shop where he | | | | work for the people who enjoyed the model train |
| lived, and he would visit it often. He used to | | | | hobby. For example, he invented pre-assembles |
| pester the owner by asking for a side job that he | | | | tracks, that saved his customers the problem of |
| could do to earn some extra money, to which | | | | assembling it themselves. In general his inventions |
| the owner would always refuse. | | | | made track assembling much easier. |
| However, one day, the owner of the store grew | | | | Today, Atlas Model Trains is one of the biggest |
| so tired of Stephan Jr.'s requests that he gave | | | | names in the industry. Although Stephen Jr. is no |
| him some old railroads and model trains that he | | | | longer alive, the company and his legacy made |
| didn't want to use anymore, in the hopes that | | | | model trains a much more accessible hobby for |
| Stephan would go away and leave him alone. | | | | train lovers. |