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Eventually this will be on the back row (of three) in my tacky trailer park.  It is made on a solid poplar wood core cut to shape with Evergreen .030 styrene sheets cut and rubber cemented to the sides, Tichy windows, custom made doors, wheels and such from the spare parts/jump bin, etc.  Here is probably the only time anyone will see it shiny and "new" - it will get its paint faded, rust stains and a cracked window or two, some details like a bent TV antenna, a rusty window AC unit, etc. on its way to being part of my trashy trailer park.  It is a scale 50 feet by 8 feet wide.  That's an MTH trailer (scale 40 by 10 feet) and a 1:43 '54 Buick for size comparison.  I have two other trailers, a 45 and 48 footer that are 9 feet wide, that have partial interiors (there will be people inside looking out the windows) and skirts.  They are still in progress. 

 

This made for a peaceful fun afternoon. 

Trailer for Trashing

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  • Trailer for Trashing
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Lee, you don't know me, but I am a fan of you.  I just started back into model railroading, and watch/read all your posts.  I find them very helpful.  Because of your review of the ZW-L, I changed my ideas of how I am going to power my future layout.  Thanks for being so informative.  Can I rent the trailer, in case my bride gets fed up with my obsession?  

 

I like trailer very much.  Lot's of skill and dedication shown here.  Thanks for all your knowledge.

 

Lee

"Tacky", "trashy". May a strong wind rock your fancy park.

 

I resemble those descriptions since my wife and I were "tacky trailer trash" in a 8x28 [counting the 3' long hitch]for the first 10 years of our marriage. I was attending college on $60 per month GI Bill, she had $800 saved[and a job], I had 2 acres. We bought it new and we made trailer payments for 3 years[ugh]. No TV until B&W in 1957.

 

My last two [now dismantled] layouts at 14x32 and 15x25, were larger than the trailer and  my current  9x16 is in a 9x19 attic room with similar sq. footage.

 

Since I had recently served on a Navy Destroyer Escort the small space didn't bother me until one day she announced an upcoming event...in 9 months. I had to get out my carpenter tools and add on a bedroom and den that hid the trailer...a major upgrade to only "tacky".  Even back then the early Lowe's warehouse had crooked 2x4s that the squirels had just vacated.

Originally Posted by Jerrman:

great job, lee. when you described the method and materials, did you glue styrene to the wood after the shapes wercurt or did you cut them as one after glueing? ? and where is the rubber you referred to? 

 

looking forward to the weathering and reality details. 

 

jerrman

No rubber.  Rubber cement.  This project was the first time I had ever used the gel type (I've always insisted on the original, very odiferous stuff that can make you high) but the gel worked well.  Here are some slides on how I made it.   The photos don't show it well but the plastic on the sides is actually very slightly ribbed lengthwise as the siding on many trailers in the 50s was . . .  I will get four trailers out of this one piece of poplar that was a scale 9 by 9 by 144 feet long . . .

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Originally Posted by Frank53:

You can get some run down results from a Plasticville trailer as well. This one double as a cover for a #22 switch machine using a wooden deck with the trailer placed on the deck. It's used as a used car lot office.

 

 

LL-Fin-344

Fine looking weathered, beat up detailing.  I like it.  I have three of them that I will bash sort of like you have, to make something more distinct and detailed.

 

Like the Name on the Beauty Parlor, too.

Lee,

 

3 1/2 hrs to do - that is just plain scary.  It would take me 3 1/2 hours just to clean off the bench for enough space to think about building this.

 

BTW -  I really enjoy your superstreets vehicle projects.  I keep hoping to see you do an ice  cream truck (Good Humor) one of these days.  They were very common in our NYC neighborhoods growing up.  Of course, the truck would have to have the necessary jingle playing. 

 

As always thanks  for the entertainment, as well as sharing your expertise.

Ed

Ok, I'm reaching here, but the movie "the long, long trailer" comes to mind...you'd need the right car, the right type of trailer and 1 red head, 1 cuban and a bunch of rocks...hehehe.

An aerostream triple axle on blocks would be neat...use balsa blocks for the rough form and when rounded cover with filler to smooth...this could go on and on for a neat lil area that catches the viewer's eye...your layout, your call.

Burlington Route Bob, any chance you could send me a copy of your Shasta Astrodome Trailer plans? Looks very nice. There was one that stood in my town for years and I wanted to model it but I drove by the other day and IT WAS GONE!!!!!! Oh NOOOOooo! Now I'll never be able to get the measurements. I thought it was the cutest thing ever with that Mercury Wing on the back side. Thanks either way,

 

Paul Goodness

36 Stoneland Road

Shrewsbury, MA

01545

Originally Posted by paul goodness:

Burlington Route Bob, any chance you could send me a copy of your Shasta Astrodome Trailer plans? Looks very nice. There was one that stood in my town for years and I wanted to model it but I drove by the other day and IT WAS GONE!!!!!! Oh NOOOOooo! Now I'll never be able to get the measurements. I thought it was the cutest thing ever with that Mercury Wing on the back side. Thanks either way,

 

Paul Goodness

36 Stoneland Road

Shrewsbury, MA

01545

Sure, but remember these are in 1/24-1/25...I forgot which it is, and you'll have to "reduce them 50%" to get to 1/48th. I could scan and send them too..your call.

Originally Posted by paul goodness:

Burlington Rout Bob, Thank you so much! I realy appreciate it. I prefer a hard copy by us mail because my printer is down. Look forward to building the Shaste!

 

Paul Goodness

Ok, got the back and both sides scaled down to 1/48th for ya...my origonal was in 1/25th...I'll try and get those out tomorrow if I can find a large enough envelope...heck, given that I might have the correct scale siding I may have to build one myself! 

If you have the plans in a file you could e-mail, I would appreciate them, too.  I was looking at the Vintage Shasta site last night and trying to figure out where I would put another trailer, even if small, and it just won't fit in the trailer park.  But, still, I should have a Shasta.  I've decided a small Shasta pulled by a woody wagon could go well on the other end of my layout, set up near the shore of my mountain lake (all one-half scale acre of it) with a couple camping out - that's what they were really made for, I think.

Sure can Lee...anything to help. See my april 4th post, the "plans" would be both side views{now scaled}, a semi tilted back view for window placement reference{scaled} and a reference for the front window...have no straight on pic for that so it's only a reference. Lastly is a combo side view{not to scale} with door, window and possible storage hatch measurements if you would want open storage compartments.

These views are for the standard 16' shasta trailer, but my intent was to build the astrodome version that has an added sleeper section top/forward...easily adapted to the above buggy.

 

IF any of you don't mind the sheets being creased I can get them out today{given both of your addresses{got pauls}...I don't have any large legal sized envelopes on hand.  

Lee, yours just got emailed....Paul, yours is out in the mailbox.

Last edited by Burlington Route
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