8-K

                                 UNITED STATES
                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                            WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549


                                    FORM 8-K

                                 CURRENT REPORT

                     Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the
                         Securities Exchange Act of 1934

     Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported)   August 31, 2001
                                                      ------------------

                          Atchison Casting Corporation
                        ----------------------------
            (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

         KANSAS                  1-12541               48-1156578
(State or other jurisdiction   (Commission            (IRS Employer
    of incorporation)         File Number)         Identification No.)


400 South Fourth Street, Atchison, Kansas                 66002
(Address of principal executive offices)               (zip code)


Registrant's telephone number, including area code    (913) 367-2121



                                 Not applicable
        (Former name or former address, if changed since last report)








Item 5.    Other Events.

     On August 31, 2001, the Company issued a press release announcing plans to
close its Empire Steel Unit.

Item 7.    Financial Statements and Exhibits.

      (c)   EXHIBITS.  The following exhibit is filed herewith:

      99.1  Press Release dated August 31, 2001.




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                                    SIGNATURE

      Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the
registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the
undersigned hereunto duly authorized.

      Date: August 31, 2001



                                    Atchison Casting Corporation

                                    By: /s/ Kevin T. McDermed
                                        --------------------------------
                                          Kevin T. McDermed
                                          Chief Financial Officer




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EX-99.1

EXHIBIT 99.1

[GRAPHIC OMITTED]

NEWS RELEASE
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                           CONTACT: Hugh Aiken or
                                                    Kevin McDermed
                                                    913 367 2121
                                                    NYSE:  FDY

                          ATCHISON CASTING CORPORATION
                           TO CLOSE EMPIRE STEEL UNIT

     Atchison, Kansas - August 31, 2001 - Atchison Casting Corporation
(NYSE:FDY) today announced plans to close its Empire Steel Castings facility,
one of the two steel foundries belonging to its Pennsylvania Foundry Group unit.

     The charge for the write-off of the remaining fixed assets is expected to
be approximately $1.8 million before tax, net of anticipated proceeds from sale
of equipment. In the fiscal year ending June 30, 2001, Empire Steel represented
a net loss after tax of $2.6 million on sales of $10.1 million. Many of the
remaining 138 employees will be affected.

     "As a result of several years of slow markets and poor financial results,
we will close Empire Steel over the next 60 days," said Tom Armstrong, Chief
Operating Officer -- North America. Armstrong added, "Many of the customers will
be encouraged to transfer their business to other Atchison locations, this will
increase the utilization rates of these foundries and should result in improved
profitability".

     ACC produces iron, steel and non-ferrous castings for a wide variety of
equipment, capital goods and consumer markets.

     This press release contains forward-looking statements that involve risks
and uncertainties. The Company's actual results could differ materially from the
expected results because of a variety of factors, including market conditions,
the ability to transfer orders to other Company locations, the value of eventual
asset sales, management skills, the economy and other factors described in the
Company's filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.