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Scenery - Vehicles Articles

1/64 Cars and Trucks from the 1940s and 1950s

The author breaks down what kinds of cars were common on the roads after WWII. He then reviews sources for these cars in S-scale. Includes several photos of many cars.

Adding Trucks to the Layout

The author describes how he customizes the Classic Metal Works pickup trucks. The models represent the way trucks would appear in 1950, which includes trucks that didn't change in appearance during WWII. He modeled a truck that picked up milk cans, one that delivers vegetables (shows how to model vegetables using clay), one that is used by the local telephone company, and modeling creates and bales of hay (for truck loads).

Another Type of Soil Drilling Truck

The author describes how he built a soil drilling truck starting with a Greenlight 2017 International stake bed truck.

Build a Soil Drilling Rig

Starting with an M2 stake body truck, the author builds a model of a truck he is familiar with from his career.

Building a Berkshire Valley Models 1934 Tank Truck

The author describes how he set about building three of these car kits.

Colorful Cabs for your S Layout

The author describes how he repainted and applied decals to transform a 1960 Chevrolet made by Racing Champions into a typical cab. Includes several model photos.

Complete Listing of All Hartoy AHL 1:64-scale Trucks

All known Hartoy American Highway Legends trucks are listed.

Delivery Trucks

The author describes how he kitbashed a number of Mini Metals trucks to make them all unique. Includes construction photos and a parts list.

Detailing a Classic

The author describes how he added details to the Classic Metal Works 1948 Ford "Woody" station wagon.

Detailing the Hartoy Trucks Part II

This installment covers adding details such as exhaust and connections for the trailer. Includes several model photos.

Easy-to-make Trucks

Modeling small trucks in less than an hour. Detailed photos, weathering, and design diagram for painting wheels are included.

Farming Tips for the S Scale Modeler

The author provides tips on how to improve the look of the steering wheels of Ertl's tractors, painting the tractors, and installing drivers for those tractors.

Hi-Rail Kits Part 1

In this installment the author uses a 3D-printed model from Custom Model Creations, printed by Shapeways. This company has a lot of parts for building your models.

Hi-Rail Kits Part 2

This installment covers installing a positionable Hi-rail kit on a Greenlight GMC pickup truck model.

Jeff's Junction

The author shares his thoughts about the past and current state of S-scale automobiles availability.

Jeff's Junction

Are 1:64 vehicles truly to scale, and why don't manufacturers simply make them exactly 1:64 scale?

Light Up Vehicles For More Fun

The author describes how he strips down a Racing Champions car, redecorates it, and installs fiber optics to simulate headlights.

Making Motor Vehicles Better Supporting Actors

The author describes the three things he does to every vehicle, at the least, before it is placed on the layout. Includes many photos of examples.

Modeling Cowl-Length REA Delivery Trucks

REA would use old, but functional trucks during busy times, so one would see Model T delivery trucks into the 1950s sometimes. This article covers how to kitbash a Jordan 1929 REA Ford. Also discussed are how to model a 1/35 Chevrolet truck, and an S-scale REA truck. The article includes lots of model photos.

Module Corner

The author is gradually shifting the modules column over to his new "Tired Wheels" column, covering 1:64 vehicles. This issue's column starts with covering the 1962-1969 GMC Double Bottom semi, which is labeled "Matchbox King Size No. K4 Fruehauf Hopper, Made in England by Lesney".

MOW Hi-Rail Truck

Follow-up supplement to an article by Jake Schultz in the September/October 1999 issue of N-Scale magazine. The article shows how to build a running maintenance-of-way truck.

Nastying a Tanker Truck

The author describes how he took a Matchbox tank truck, stripped it, and reworked it to become an old tow truck.

News from the North

The author describes some unique S-scale vehicles he created from kits in other scales. Includes several photos of the final models.

Oh #@*%, a flat!

In this brief article, which includes one model photo, the author describes how he modeled a scene where the Model T owner is looking on his flat tire, with emphasis on how to properly make the tire look flat.

Painting and Detailing a Rio Grande Motor Way Truck

The author takes a Mack BM truck with a 22-foot trailer, manufactured by Hartoy, and super-details and repaints them for the Rio Grande Motor Way. Includes several finished-model photos.

Perfectly Prototypical

The article discusses recent releases of N-scale automobiles, including photos of some.

Racing Champions Mint Edition Cars And Light Trucks

The author provides a listing of the Racing Champions collection of 1:64 vehicles released as of December 1999. What is special about this listing is that the author provides an approximate scale of the individual models.

S Lore

This column lists various farm and construction equipment that is available for or usable in S-scale, scale detailing parts at Walmart, and automobiles by Racing Champions.

Scale Scene

The author describes the current state of vehicles available to S-scale modelers, and how he and others modify them to look more realistic (such as using HO-scale truck tires for passenger car tires).

Short & Easy

This article covers the construction of a scratchbuilt motorized cart, such as found on freight stations. Includes a model photo, and construction diagrams for the individual parts.

Short and Easy

Converting a Hot Wheels Rescue Ranger truck, item #5145, into a modernday utility truck for the railroad. Includes one model photo.

Short and Easy

Bob Werre shares the idea of cutting a model vehicle in half lengthwise to make two cars when attached to a backdrop.

Short and Easy

How to make license plates for S-scale vehicles.

Superdetailing HO Automobiles

The author makes etched-brass parts to be able to super-detail his automobiles. Includes a brief pictorial on how photo engraving works.

Surplus Vehicles

The author took two vehicles, originally design as military vehicles, and repainted them to be used by civilians in every-day use.

The Lite and Narrow: Building an On30 Speeder

Using a HO-scale Bachmann San Francisco Cable car, the author built an On30 speeder. Includes a side-bar on the history of speeders.

The Manoil Coupe

A.C. Gilbert created an automobile transport freight car that had fancy Manoil coupes as their loads. The author describes where that name came from.

Tired Iron

The author delves into the question, which of the available 1:64 pickup models are actually 1:64? He specifically covers the 1956 Ford and the 1950 Chevy. Dimensions and photos are included. This also contains an addendum to the Hartoy AHL listing of February 1999 issue's article.

Tired Iron

The author delves into the question, which of the available 1:64 pickup models are actually 1:64? He specifically covers the 1956 Ford and the 1950 Chevy. Dimensions and photos are included. This also contains an addendum to the Hartoy AHL listing of February 1999 issue's article.

Tired Iron: 1965 Pickups

The author shares four 1965 pickup models that are available in S-scale.

Tired Wheels

A review of the Matchbox Kings K-4, K-12, K-16, and K18 trucks.

Tired Wheels

The author covers the 1950s Aurora tractor trailers. Includes photos of these rare models.

Using Vehicles Effectively

Using vehicles to identify the time period modeled, even for non-model railroading visitors.

Vintage Variety

The author describes how he scratchbuilds trucks seen on the highways pre-WWII. Includes prototype photos, model photos, and some detail drawings.

Weathering a Pickup Truck

The author describes how he dents a model, paints it, and then weathers it (using a Walthers resin kit of a 1941 Ford pickup truck).

Weathering Ertl Construction Equipment

The author describes (and shares a photo of each) how he weathered Ertl's grader, tractor, and backhoe.

What's Neat

Radisson McGuire shows off his HO-scale military equipment collection, the author interviews Bachmann's Larry Harrington, and he builds the Walthers Fire Department Headquarters kit.

What's On Your Workbench?

The author describes his process for turning a Woodland Scenic's model into something that looks more like a true model.