Progress on my 'Streets 18-wheeler (pics, videos)

Hey Lee that looks really great, I must say a job very well done.

 

Alex

 

 

Very Cool!!!  After you start marketing them I'd like 1 in G scale.

 

Rick

Nicely done, Lee!

Nice! What type, size semi-truck are you using? 1/43 or ? Great job Lee!  Terry

I actually am not sure what semi-truck it is.  I've had the cab around my workshop for some time.  I think I will use it on this tractor but I also have a '53 Mack cab that will fit, too, and a Freightliner cab over I was thinking of using, too.  However, this looks really good, I think.

 

The trailer body is an unmodified New Ray trailer box from the ubiquitous offerings of 18 wheelers for about $20 complete. 

Got it. It does look great, especially while moving! Terry

Lee,

 

Again you prove to be the Master of SuperStreets.  Next I guess you'll come up with a street sweeper.

 

Joe

Lee....you are THE master of the "streets" for sure!  I have greatly enjoyed all of your conversions over the past couple of years or so and look forward to every one of your projects.  If you ever decide to do some custom creations (take orders), count me in!!!

 

Keep em coming Lee!

 

Alan

I always enjoy your latest creations, as has been said above you are the 'Streets Master'.  Thanks for taking the time to not only post the pix, but to show us all how its done!  I Love it!  Russ

Great work Lee!

 

 

Jerry

I have always loved that song! 

That look awesome! Next it will be time to go back and light them it is not hard to do just takes time for the first one. After that they become rather quick to do. If the trailer is plastic it is very simple to do.

I have to admit that I look forward to your posts. There both informative & at times entertaining.

Thank you!  I work to see they are both.

Nelson,

Where and how do you start on these. Is there info online for this? And also, where do you purchase the parts to do these vehicles? Thanks in advance.

Lee:  I've enjoyed following your work with superstreets and now your new modifications.  Nice job!  I wondered if you had seen some of the videos of that huge HO layout in Germany called "Miniatur Wunderland"?  i realize that this is a very professional and, I'm sure, very expensive system that they have going there.  But I've noticed that they have some moving vehicles on the layout that operate on complicated roads but without any slots or tracks in the streets.  I wonder how they do that.  The vehicles also have lights on while running but I understand that that is accomplished using batteries in the vehicles. 

 

I'd just like to find out how they power, steer and control those vehicles on their display. 

 

Paul Fischer

Nice job Lee...........

Don

Lee

Adds a lot of interest to the layout.

How about a big rig sound board next or loading dock annimation scene?

Lee, Am I correct in assuming the tractor pivots between the front wheels and the rear double axil power truck? (at the bolt head behind the cab) And does the rear double axil truck on the back end of the trailer also pivot on the trailer? I would guess that would be necessary to avoid binding on the tight Super Street curves.

 

Just wondering. Thanks, Paul Goodness

Yes.  I poisted a .pdf report with diagrams about a year ago that had illustrations about why that is necessary.  Only way an 18 wheeler will go around the tight corners. 

I promised to identify where I got the very nice 1:48 cab for this tractor if I could.  I bought this yesterday as soon as I saw it, from MB Klein (modeltrainstuff.com).  This diecast cab is put on a variety of truck bodies (mostly plastic) but I usually see it on this wrecker style.  I think it was $18.  The company on the box is "Realtoy."

Great. When are you going to start your production. That tractor-trailer Looks great. Always like your posts. Job well done!!!! Ed P.

Lee, thanks and great work.  I think that a lot of us have wanted truck traffic on our layout in addition to trains, and you are showing us the possiblities.  I can currently run two O and one On30 train simultaneously (with two other trains staged and ready to go), it would be very cool to add the action of a highway and have some 18 wheelers running at the same time. 

 

Now I have to figure out where I can add a highway to the layout!  

I really can't understand why someone - and I would much prefer to see Lionel do it, doesn't bring out a "Cargostreets" or some such name - a line that is nothing but big trucks.  I imagine a 'Streets with 18 wheelers, 14 wheelers, 10 wheelers, etc. even down to just big single box trucks, maybe cross country buses (the truck equivalent of passenger trains), too.  

 

The possibilities and market would be big, I think, and very close to home: run on a track like locos, different wheel combinations just like in locos, different types (Kenworth, Peterbilt, Freightliners, Mack , White, IH, Ford, GMC) just as there are ALCo, Baldwin, EMD, etc.  You could even make nifty operating accessories (log loader, cattle truck loader, etc.  I can't imagine it would not make a ton of money - so many people would buy them (me included - I'm only making mine b ecause not one will sell me some). 

Really great, Lee. This just might me tear up my layout!!! OH NO !!! 

Lee,

 

I would also like to see someone bring out a system as you described "Cargostreets".  Thinking back, my son had quite a setup of Tyco US-1 Trucking.  We did not set them up with HO trains but looking at what they offered for vehicles, track, and operating accessories it pretty much illustrates what we would like to see in O.  Here's a link that shows what was available.

 

http://www.ho-scaletrains.net/tycous1trucking/

 

Larry

 

 

Wow!!!  I never knew about it.  Very nice.  Amazing, isn't it, how much the picture on the lower right, of the tractor leaving the airport, looks like it is on Superstreets track - a thin slot and two electrical rail looks just about like three rails, doesn't it?

Tthanks!

Seemed to be a fairly good system.  Basically a slot car track.  Vehicles had guides front and rear to allow backing up.  Semi trailers also had guides and pivoting axle sets to follow around the curves.  Vehicles were driven by the tires.  Electrical pickups rode on the embedded rails and were the touchy part of keeping a vehicle operating smoothly. 

Lee; do EZ Streets connect to superstreets??

Lee,

   Nice job very nice!

PCRR/Dave

Lee

Like the catenary thread regarding the unavailability of useful potential products, your homemade creation of semi-trucks certainly fills that gap in what else to run on Superstreets and should demonstrate the appeal of the concept. In my case, you certainly did. 

I have a fair amount of Tyco US-1 Trucking items. My kids loved them when they were young. They are VERY reliable and run flawlessly. They run on standard 'HO' track but have 6 volt motors. They also have two guide pins, front and back, and two sets of pick up shoes......making them stall free and speed correct!!! This is kinda what I'd do in O scale using the 1/32 scale SCX track and components.

Lee your work is outstanding and provides us with another fasinating aspect of RR.  Would it be possible to repost the .pdf report on the 18 wheeler mods?.  Also what are you using for motive power?  Please keep your updates coming - can't get enough of seeing your creations.  Thanks for sharing with us.

Lee. Thank you very much for sharing your attachments. They are super helpful.

 

All. Just FYI, a company called Carrera (lesser known than Scalextrics) makes slot cars in 1/43...Yes, one of Lee's posts got me hooked on 1/43. There aren't a lot of choices but I thought I'd share since there were several posts about HO scale for use on streets.

 

Terry

I  bought some Carrera about four years ago and experimented with it a bit, but decided to go with Superstreets.  they were good slot cars, but like you said theirs was a limited range and I decided that if I had to work with something I'd go with the other.  They were the best alternative though, definately.

Great job Lee.