I have begun a project of detailing or upgrading semi trailers on my layout. I will eventually upgrade the cabs/tractors, too, so this thread also applies to them. What details should I add? I have noticed that the Atlas Pines trailer is very nice, but others seem to be less detailed. I can't add rivets, but I am adding proper mud flaps and painting all the under carriage and tires/rims. I have tried to add a few lights along the side. Hoses? Bumpers? I know that lights on the rear are red and there are no back-up lights on a semi trailer. The time period is 1965 to 1985...or so. What else do I need to know to improve these trailers? How have you improved your trailers and tractors? Pictures? Thanks for the help. I saw the trailers in the GreenLightIntermodal contest and I decided I could do better. Maybe not that good, but better. Here is my first attempt. Atlas Pines 45' trailer on the right; Brand X on the left (old Atlas TFC trailer). Home made decals.
Flash, it looks like you are way ahead of me. I want to do the same time period, the earlier the better. Photos are pretty scarce. I assume you have visited http://hankstruckpictures.com/trucks.htm Good for modern modeling and a few earlier photos. Decals are limited but that won't be a problem if you are doing your own. There may be a market for yours if you are so inclined. Even the earliest TOFC period is later than my normal modeling period but the early pig trains hold some interest. The container trains of today don't provide much interest to me. And the length of contemporary trailers is longer than any freight car I own. If I can assemble an early TOFC train I will probably quit with that. Ben
Flash One of the easiest and best looking thgings to do to a trailer is to paint the roof and the frame sills aluminum. Here's a pic of the truck I drive with a black trailer that illustrates my point very well. grant
Nice trailers Flash. Most trailers before the mid 80s had steel wheels.Most wheels were painted white. Consolidated Freight Co and some others painted thier wheels red as you have. Buy 85 aluminum wheels wewe becoming fairly common. Also a lot of trailers were referigerated the refer units are on the front of the trailer Also all trailers have two glad hands on the lower left of the front of the trailer. those old square box reefers are getting scarse now but can still be found in freight yards as storeage trailers. a drive around older shipping warehouses should find you some should you wish to model them. The glad hands are painted one red one blue. there are two coresponding hands on the hoses from the tractor. All trailers have rear bumpres Buy 85 allwere being produced with "D.O.T." bumpers of whitch there are several variations. most trailers before 85 had these or similar bumpers also so they wont look out of place on any of your models. there are some trailers of the age you are modeling still doing local freight duties near where you live. So a little detail finding trip around town should answer more of your questions. Most truckers will be happy to talk/visit with you. Happy Hunting! Mike :cool6xb: P.S. Grant's trailer is a very modern one. some older trailers were as NICE, but didnt have much Aluminum on them. I wish mine looked as good as his!
As Grant suggested, painting the roof and side sills aluminium will go a long way, as will painting the tyres and hubs....a little paint in these areas makes a big difference.
It does make a big difference. This is exactly the type of information I was seeking. Right now I am working on two old Concor 45' Golden Pig trailers; I haven't painted the sill yet, but it was easy to paint the roof as the roof comes right off. I believe I could make the alternating stripe decal for the sill, too. Those Atlas Pines trailers are much better than the older trailer models. I may railfan at one of the big truck stops here in San Antonio this weekend. There is a big one on IH-10/Loop 410 on the east side of town. I guess I will just park and look in one section of the tarmac. I don't want to get run over.
Just remember to be as careful around the truck stop as what you are trackside. Truckers can be as protective and suspicious of people taking photos of their rigs as what the railroads are with railfans. You may find some inspiration here too - http://www.hankstruckpictures.com/
Flash, below are front and rear views of a trailer modeled in HO scale by Gary Walton that may be helpful in some details. http://www.1-87vehicles.org/photo73/great_dane_reefer.php http://www.1-87vehicles.org/photo99/great_dane_reefer.php Ben
Here is my first attempt with some minor changes that make a big difference (to me). Original Concor model, pad printed on the sides, nothing on the ends. Here is the same model (even the same number) that I modified. Moved the wheels to the rear, painted wheel rims, roof and top, rear lights, undercarriage and added mud flaps. I think I can make "We are hiring" and "wide right turn" signs, change the number, running lights and a few other things. I think it should have a Golden Pig logo on the ends, too. Great model by Gary Walton. What is that big tank hanging under the trailer? Thanks.
I'm not sure but it may be for fuel for the refrigeration unit. I don't know about you but I'm finding trucking, tractors, trailers, etc to be a whole new area. Edit: This page shows some close-up photos of a diesel "reefer fuel" tank, also "glad hands" and "pigtail" electrical connector: http://www.truckerphoto.com/62704.htm Note: A-line sells both large and small reefer tanks for HO models. The tank on the Gary Walton model appears to be the large. Too bad A-line does not sell N scale. They have quite a few detail parts. Ben
I went out to the [edit] Petro Truck Stop/ Iron Skillet Restaurant this afternoon. It was certainly an eye opening experience. Here is what I observed: You don't have to wait long for a truck to show up. There is one about ever 15-20 seconds at the intersection. It is not like waiting for trains. Be careful. It is a busy, busy place and you are the only one who is confused about what is going on. Trucks going in, out, to repairs, scales, wash rack, etc. Keep watch all around you for trucks. I wouldn't go out there at night. Best position for pictures is near the scale entrance. Trucks have to "take turns" to get on the scale and thus they form a line. You can stand along side the line and take as many pictures as you wish. The wash rack may be a good place, too. I didn't really talk to anyone; I just stood on the side and took pictures. There are plenty of opportunities and trucks everywhere. I saw a lot of the things that have been discussed in this thread. There are many, many logos. I wanted to get some pictures for layout models, but eventually I began taking pictures of loads, too. There are a lot of different types of loads, too. I didn't see any railroad trailers. It was a very instructive day.
Petro Truckstop. Yes,I remember well. My favorite was Flying J's,then Petro's. I'd go from the Flying J in El Paso to the Flying J in Orange,Tx. 880 miles across I-10 in Tx. I'd stop for dinner somewhere between Kerrville & San Antonio. I'll say this,I miss trucking just as much as RRing.:tb-hissyfit::tb-confused:
Being how I'm out trailer-trucking everyday........ The biggest thing I notice on ALL these trailers I've seen in this thread. The trailers are too clean! Too many bright trailers. Try dulling the finish down to simulate some road dust and dirt. Trailers don't get washed very often, and if a trailer is clean the first rain storm will dirty it up. If a trailer has been on the road for awhile it will have EXHAUST SOOT running down the top side from the front to the back(usually on the right side). On thing: If you are going to run out to the truck stop and take pictures, be prepared to answer when asked what are you doing? Certain trucks and load should NOT be photographed. Any truck with a DOD(Department of Defense[Army, etc.]) load will most likely ask that you delete your images or maybe even destroy your film. The DOD loaded trucks can have undercover escorts, who can/and will call the local Police about some guy taking pictures of a DOD load.
Also they were all 53 feet. I guess that is the case today. Good advice on the DOD stuff. We have a bunch of bases around San Antonio. Wonder why they were all so clean? No rain here lately?
Home of the brave, land of the free?? There is _no_ legal basis for _anyone_ to stop you from taking pictures from public property. This is not to say that there are not A-Hs who will try to intimidate you, or worse. See http://WWW.ACLU.ORG for "What to do if you're stopped by the police". Also Bert P Krages II : Your Rights And Remedies When Stopped or Confronted for Photography. There is way too much emphasis focused on citizens enjoying their constitutional rights, pretending that restrictions make us safer. Hey, you have a cell phone w/ photo capability? Want to take a photo of ANYTHING? Who's to know. But have a Digital SLR and you're a security risk? BS. Bob in IDaho
One more link of interest showing trailers of the 1980's is Gregg Fuhriman's photo album of AT&SF TOFC/COFC cars. http://www.qstation.org/Intermodal_ATSF/TOFC_COFC_Cars/ These trailers (and cars) are certainly not in pristine condition. They evidence grime and weathering, repaired damage, even parts of decals/logos missing. The roof of the Availco trailer on page 2 is shown, something rarely photographed. The Martrac trailer on the same page shows alternate placement of the refrigeration unit and the wheels look like one of my paint jobs. As a bonus, just about every one of these trailers is/has been available commercially on Atlas or M-T 45' trailers leaving only the details, weathering and patching of damage to the modeler. I've just about worn out my mouse going to these two pages just to look. A great resource. Ben
Flash,on that last pic of the C.R.England trailer, there is a very good chance that I helped build that trailer. That is a Wabash National Artic-Lite Reefer, which we build at the plant that I work at, the Crete trailer is one of our Standard Dura- Plate dry freight trailers built at our main plant about 6 miles from where I work. BTW, I make the Alum side sheets that make up the trailer sides (reefers)
Flash, This is a neat topic to bring up. Will have to dig up some trailer shots and post here. RS27, Your right about posting the stuff about photographers rights. Two things to remember are that the rights don't apply on private property if the property owner did not give you permission to be there and that it IS against federal law to photograph any US military equipment that is damaged. Undamaged equipment is still fair game though.
