Early Piggyback project (1940-1957) late steam early diesel & some of the very first 85-89' cars in 1957-1959!

Coming up next open top trailers and tarps. This will be interesting. It's too cool to pass up.

my dad worked for Eastern Express in Metuchen, NJ as a dispatcher

Erik, the canvas tops could be modeled right over the hard roof. who's to know except you.

 

Bob, where did you live when your father worked at Eastern? I've lived in Metuchen my entire life.

       
       


I am planning on doing styrene humps on a piece of styrene that exactly matches the size of the roof footprint. Airplane silk or silk will do nicely saturated with Matte Medium. And after it dries trim the shape and install the tack strip and ropes.

I am checking out MTH's pup trailers. They also are near Lionel quality. I ordered one and I am eagerly awaiting the model for inspection. The flat car looks terrible however.

;-)

They look beautiful and add that variety we need so desperately in early era piggyback. I think these are Trailmobil vans roughly late 40's vintage.

 

Speaking of early piggyback "variety" the models in the photos I attached could be some further options for consideration. Dinky produced this Mclean very common van and the Corgi 1/50 Mack combo is really the nicest early tractor trailer set produced in 1/50.

I refuse to bring those over-sized for 1/43 New Ray tractor trailers into this discussion. I got into it with a "trad-3 railer" over in the O-27 forum about these. He stated they look great on a 42' flat car. A 34' van hanging over the edges on a 42' flat. Never mind the 5' tall tires. I love these beautiful models however like the beautiful stuff in 1/64 they are unusable a no issue. Sadly

Excellent thread.  Great modeling and I love the vintage truck pics. (What can I say? I like old trucks!)

 

My next layout (HO) is going to be set in the early 60s, so much of this information is relevant.

 

Oh... and here's a pic of an '83 Freightshaker I owned for a spell a few years ago.  In this pic its earning a living helping a friend haul his track hoe to a job site. (I told 'ya I like old trucks!)

 

 

Excellent area of interest.  Nice train!

 

One of the nicest piggyback paint schemes that I have yet to see done, was the Missouri Pacific Eagle trailer scheme.  This picture does not do it justice.  I haven't been able to find a color picture yet.  The blue was NOT as dark as the B&W photo would infer.  Colors were Blue, White, Yellow stripes, red emblem, and that top area in the front of the trailer was silver.  Colorful, just like Colorado!

 

 

@ Erik;

Where do you get the train display cases? I am looking for such cases for O scale. Thx!

I took your suggestion Andrew- what do you think now? I took Fred Gruin's decals out of the equation and went direct from the photo. I believe either way would work. But most of the Grande I see the G is brought clear around.

Beautiful B Model.  Out here in the east it wouldn't have aluminum Budds but manure spreader wheels.

 

I'm just a hop skip and a jump from the Plant #4 where most of those were made.

 

IIRC I overheard you in (Chicago??) a few years ago standing just inside the entrance and  talking about your antique car interest and saying "I love fussy old junk"? 

 

Me too. That's why I love old B models.  Nothing like the bark of a Mack 673 Thermodyne... and real trucks have two sticks.

 

THIS is the place to see old bulldogs:

 

http://www.antiquetruckclubofa...macungie_photos.html

 

https://www.flickr.com/photos/...s/72157624165648533/

 

BTW the actual show has probably 75-100 B models in attendance... along with everything from Chain Drive AC's to Walter Snow Fighters that you'd see in the Rockies.

The later Ringsby design is also on the list.

Looking at the Fred Gruin reference I find more overlooked issues. The use of the font set from the earlier non-rocket design is erroneous. I adjusted this to the photos of the "Rocket" design.

I still believe once the model is decorated nobody will ever be the wiser that it may not be absolutely perfect. Also looking at the other reference photos you can see slight variation from one design to the next. A typical issue with custom hand lettered paneling used in the good ole' days! No vinyl cutters and plotters back then. Also note these are separately applied panels on a trailer with fluting or ribbing. Neat effect worth doing as Trinkle Trains told me this afternoon.

This a great replica for sure. Custom built of resin by a master truck builder from New England he made all of his own molds. The Mack's both these and the 1940's era are a must for over the road trucks on the layout. I'm begging him to build me a Kenworth of Peterbuilt 1950's bullnose. ;-)


       
       

Bullnose KWs or Petes would be nice... but nothing says Rockies like a Ringsby or PIE rig with a drom box!

Further work on Ringsby "Rocket"

The tail fire is great! I am sure there was more refinement being likely hand painted and working from black and white it is difficult to tell just how far the detail went on this graphic.

Great looking trailers, Eric but what about the multiple tracks. It looks as though you cound run another gauge on some of the tracks.

 

Thanks

 

Dick

Photo Courtesy: Robert Meyer

Robert sent me photos of his really cool US Hobbies Max Gray PRR F series purpose built flat. These are late 50's but really really awesome. I used to have several and sold them bummer. For my train they are a little too modern.

A great transition piece between the 52' era to the 89' TTX!

Thanks for sharing Robert!!

Jeff MacDonald reminded me and I am not sure why I overlooked the Berkshire Valley resin trailer kits. I've built many for clients over the years. Most of them are same prototype as the Lionel trailers however in longer versions. Worth a look