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@Carpetrainman- I loved the photo and the little story.  I remember those tree prices in 1955 (I was 11) and going to get the tree with Dad.  Just went to our local H.E.B. (grocery store in Texas) and the tree prices ranged from $25 to over $100 and the $25 trees looked a lot like "Charlie Browns" Christmas Tree....

Happy Holiday Season to all

Don

Wow', Don, that seemed awful expensive for a tree in 55...  Were trees shipped in... Back east, $15-20 got you a nice tree........ Today, you're looking at $300.00 in NY, NJ, CT, area'....

Mike, I seem to recall a "dog" was .50 cents in 1965 at the Haven Brothers food trailer in Providence...might have been a quarter....the memory is little foggy on that.... The trailer pulled into a reserved parking spot directly aside the Providence City Hall around 5:00 pm and stayed until the wee hours of the morning.  An idea just came to mind to re-create the trailer and the cast of characters getting a late night snack there.  I already have the "customers" present on the layout...I just need to make the trailer!  Which do I start first, the trailer or my 100' square foot addition....lol???

Finally found an affordable model of the NYC Buses I rode in Brooklyn when I was a kid in the late 50’s/early 60’s. I can still hear the flapping of the bi-fold doors when they opened and closed!!! This is a 1/43 model from Iconic Replicas that I found when I got an email from Diecast Direct. Luckily, I didn’t hesitate - they were only in stock for a few days!!! The bus was listed as a GM TDH 3610.

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Snapped these scale shots for a request on a wargame forum and thought you all might like to see them.

Menards/Denver and CAIPO/ALIEXPRESS Transit Vans compared with figure for scale

IMG_20221209_064738643IMG_20221209_064701509IMG_20221209_064839008 Figure is 31mm from sole to eyeline which for a female figure is darn close to 1/48. A gentleman on the Wargaming forum confirmed that the van's length is accurate enough for 1/48.

Nice that we've now got good options for both cargo and passenger Ford Transit vans for around 5 bucks each

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Well its Christmas time and who does not remember Dad or Dad and Grandad getting the tree at a local sales spot (often an open field vacant most of the year) , then tying the tree on top of the car and bringing it home.  So I thought you might enjoy how the denizens of "Small Town", a whistle stop on my mainline, were coping with this ritual this year.

First we have old man Jones, still driving his '32 Ford business coupe (even though his business is long closed) headed for home and some of his wife's homemade apple pie.  The grand kids will be over for the Holiday and everyone is looking forward to the fun.

'32 Ford Coupe with Xmas tree on roof

Next up are the Smith family with their nearly new Ford "station wagon" using their summer travel trailer to move the tree to their new house in the suburbs...This will be a big Christmas this year as those "baby boomer" kids are really anticipating Santa's visit.  Rumor has it that their just might be a Lionel train under the tree this year (hope, hope).

'49 Ford Wagon with Christmas Tree on Trailer

Happy Holidays everyone

Don

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Wanted to share this one.  Lionel Peterbilt 352.

Just barely about 1:50 based on the wheelbase which puts it about halfway between the 1/43 Semis I used to use (way to big) and the 1/64 (mostly Lionel) Semi trucks I've settled on for my Christmas layout after not being able to find more cheap semis in this size.  It's nearly all plastic and is just a few details and some paint away from being a rather nice model.

Anyone know anything else about this and if any similar vehicles were produced?  All I've been able to find on google is a couple other colors and no information about the model itself or how it was sold.  I got mine in a partial train set at the resale shop.

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@Eilif posted:

Wanted to share this one.  Lionel Peterbilt 352.

Just barely about 1:50 based on the wheelbase which puts it about halfway between the 1/43 Semis I used to use (way to big) and the 1/64 (mostly Lionel) Semi trucks I've settled on for my Christmas layout after not being able to find more cheap semis in this size.  It's nearly all plastic and is just a few details and some paint away from being a rather nice model.

Anyone know anything else about this and if any similar vehicles were produced?  All I've been able to find on google is a couple other colors and no information about the model itself or how it was sold.  I got mine in a partial train set at the resale shop.

I know it came with a Lionel starter set. If I can find it before someone else, I'll update,

@Dave Ripp. posted:

I know it came with a Lionel starter set. If I can find it before someone else, I'll update,

Thanks Dave,

       There are two of them on Ebay in what appear to be partial "Republic Steel" starter sets.  Both have green cabs, but images search reveals a yellow and white cabbed version as well.

I don't have the box anymore, but the one I got came in a partial larger train set that had an IC crane, plastic accessories and such.

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@Dave Ripp. posted:

Here's the yellow on eBay I always liked these.

Lionel Tractor Trailer from" Trains n Truckin" set MPC Era

So that's interesting. I looked up "Trains n Truckin" and learned that "Trains n Truckin Steel Hauler" is the set I had found at Goodwill.  I think mine was mostly complete except for no loco and no gondola.  The color of my crane body was different, but looking at different set pictures that seems to be common.

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My son has had alot of fun with the various crates and such that came with it. This year the crane was replaced on the christmas layout by a nice die-cast crane and now I'm thinking about turning one of my flat cars into a crane car with it.

Seems like "Tractor Trailer" may be a search term I need to use more often.

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@Eilif posted:

Wanted to share this one.  Lionel Peterbilt 352.

Just barely about 1:50 based on the wheelbase which puts it about halfway between the 1/43 Semis I used to use (way to big) and the 1/64 (mostly Lionel) Semi trucks I've settled on for my Christmas layout after not being able to find more cheap semis in this size.  It's nearly all plastic and is just a few details and some paint away from being a rather nice model.

Anyone know anything else about this and if any similar vehicles were produced?  All I've been able to find on google is a couple other colors and no information about the model itself or how it was sold.  I got mine in a partial train set at the resale shop.

Good looking rig and I am sure it would look good on any layout!

@Eilif posted:

Wanted to share this one.  Lionel Peterbilt 352.

Just barely about 1:50 based on the wheelbase which puts it about halfway between the 1/43 Semis I used to use (way to big) and the 1/64 (mostly Lionel) Semi trucks I've settled on for my Christmas layout after not being able to find more cheap semis in this size.  It's nearly all plastic and is just a few details and some paint away from being a rather nice model.

Anyone know anything else about this and if any similar vehicles were produced?  All I've been able to find on google is a couple other colors and no information about the model itself or how it was sold.  I got mine in a partial train set at the resale shop.

Those measures out to about 1/53rd scale very odd scale. I have several of them. I also have a Mack U offset cab one also it’s red with a White Santa Fe logo on the door it’s also 1/53rd scale came with a Blue flat trailer. Unfortunately I tore it a part and pâtés it out. I’ll try to find a pic of it and post it.

@lee drennen posted:

0C73BADA-503F-4DC3-93B1-6FCCA5385AD0Here’s a pic of the Mack.

Oh, I like the look of that. One more thing to keep an eye out for.

1/53 is an interesting scale. That's close enough to 1/56 which is the fractional scale for 28mm (sole to eyeline measurement), arguably the world's most popular size/scale for wargaming miniatures.

When I first saw the green truck, my thought was that it would be suitable for my 28mm wargames.

Last edited by Eilif

Got my hands on one of the Dodge Sweptside pickups.   Unsurprisingly, these gorgeous trucks seem pretty popular.  I was only able to find 2 left at my local Menards, tucked in amongst the Ford Transit vans.  I chose the Aqua/Black model. If anyone wants to do their own math, as near as I can figure the wheelbase is 61.5mm.  Using the longer wheelbase measurements on Wikipedia, that makes it spot on for 1:48. 

It was suggested earlier that these are all plastic, but as near as I can figure they've got the metal body with plastic frame and details common to most similar Die-Cast vehicles.

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The Bed Cover removes.  Very nice!  Despite not having a pull-back motor (thank heavens) The bed is a little too shallow, but not bad.

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Compared to two other Menards pickups from years past.  The one on the left is a very nice truck with opening doors and good detail, but far too big, being probably larger even than 1:40.  It only remains on the Christmas layout because my son likes it.  The one on the right is the 1953 Ford that is now available in a lighted version (mine is unlighted from the $3 die cast bin a few years back) and it is also correct for 1:48.

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The lights at both end are trans plastic and appear to be accessible enough if opened up (body secured by screws) one could fairly easily add their own LED lighting.

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Last interesting note.  Unlike the Ford Transit Vans which are flat on the bottom and the other pickups which are unbranded, (all of which are sold in "Denver Die Cast" Packaging) This one has raised branding on the bottom identifying it as "Denver Die Cast".

All in all, it's a gorgeous die cast. Despite some paint imperfections that aren't really visible in the pictures, This may be the best die-cast you can buy for $5.  Formerly I would have given that title to CAIPO (and they're still the best for modern civilian cars) but the paint and detailing on the Sweeptside pushes it the top.

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Here are the latest additions to my fleet of vehicles most of which have been posted on Buy anything cool lately, so you may have seen them before.  First up all the way to the right, the Big Piggy BBQ food truck came from the toy car rack at my local Kroger's supermarket for around $6.  Look closely at the other four in the first picture and you'll see the familiar loops for ornament hooks that adorn all Hallmark Christmas Tree Ornaments.  I'm a MOPAR guy so this year was treat. New for 2022 a purple '70 Challenger and a red '21 Ram.  My son had a red '19 Ram, the year Ram put out the Classic body style while switching to the current generation.  His was a Classic, this is the current but hey it's close enough.  Dom's 1970 Charger from The Fast and the Furious is a 2021 leftover that I was lucky enough to find this year.  It was the first in a new series called The Car's The Star.  This year's addition to that series is the 1948 Ford Deluxe Convertible, Greased Lightning from the movie Grease.

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Here's the Hallmark line-up.

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Here I've used a couple of Hot Wheels for comparison.  I forget the name of the series these are from because I haven't seen any for a while.  While there is no scale on the bottom of these I believe they are 1:48 when compared to known 1:48 vehicles I have.  As you can see the Hallmark cars are smaller so they are  probably in the 1:50 to 1:55 scale range but I think they'll fit in fine at the MOPAR rallies.  All I need to do is remove those pesky hook loops from the roof of each.IMG_1673IMG_1674IMG_1675

So here is "Greased Lightning" with Kinicky and Rizzo added.  The hook loop on this one originated in the floor just in front of the front seat so with some work I turned into a shifter with a cue ball shift knob, visible in the second and third pictures.  They must be on a date because Kinicky's wearing a suit and Rizzo's in a dress.  He's apparently not getting anywhere with Rizzo because he's got his arms folded across his chest and she's clearly  giving him a piece of her mind.  Wait, maybe it's not a date and the just got married by an Elvis impersonator down at the Tunnel Of Love wedding chapel.

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Lastly is another version of the Kinsmart MB Sprinter van, this time in UPS, what can brown do for you?, livery.  These Sprinters are listed at 1:48.  This one came from Lowe's Home Improvement.       

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Sorry I didn't get this posted in amore timely fashion in case anyone may be interested in the Hallmark ornaments.

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I spruced up the Big Piggy just a little.  I photographically added Chef, grill, fryer and back wall and counter help waiting impatiently for an order to be ready.  The chef is bit larger than life so I checked my stock of Homies for a server but had nothing that worked and Flo was the best I could come up with.IMG_1745

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I am a truck guy as can be seen by my earlier post in this thread   A company called IXO out of Germany has started producing American trucks in 1:43 scale   They are a slightly bigger  than the other trucks on the layout but are awesome and well detailed  So far I have purchased a White Freightiner cab over day cab tractor and also a Peterbuilt cab over painted in the scheme of a local business here in Paterson  That is what drew me to these trucks   The company owner was a personal friend of our buildings owners and assisted us in transporting the Tom Snyder layout

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@coach joe posted:


Lastly is another version of the Kinsmart MB Sprinter van, this time in UPS, what can brown do for you?, livery.  These Sprinters are listed at 1:48.  This one came from Lowe's Home Improvement.       

IMG_1704IMG_1705

Sorry I didn't get this posted in amore timely fashion in case anyone may be interested in the Hallmark ornaments.

Just picked up the Sprinter van myself.  It was really cheap on Amazon.  It's a very nice model with opening doors and such.

I did not have a chance yet to photo this 1940-1941 Checker in 1/43.  I940 is my model year and this has to be the weird styled car for 1940.  It was available in Checker and Yellow cab, which last l chose as it was more generic than the obvious green Checker Cab Co. version.  A model that was apparently a scam was offered out of Canada several years ago but these are real models. . I have never seen a real prototype,  as a kid or in a vintage car show (dunno if any survive) but definitely unique, convertible, top can be on or off, in front of a city railroad station.  Would guess these were kept running in WWIl. Hope Yellow bought some of these from Checker who built cars into 1970's, when l sold one of their employees a pickup he was going to swap a Checker/GM diesel into

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