1/18 Car and Truck Test

[Anonymous]

Brother and Sister Railroaders,

I have taken some pictures of some Die Cast metal 1/18 cars and trucks that I barrowed from my father's collection next to my Bachmann Passenger Coaches. Please let me know if they are aesthetically pleasing. If so, I will make some investments for my layout. View the following link for details…

http://oddeseana0.tripod.com/Tests.html

Thanks for the advice in advance.

[bman36]

Capt. C.,
Look fine to me. I have a few 1/18 from American Muscle. The oldest though is a 58' Impala. What make is the police car? I have put my cars next to my Shay and they look fine in comparison. For my 1/29 stuff I use 1/24 scale cars. Found a bunch of those at WalMart. Very reasonable. Lastly where did you purchase your coaches? You mentioned you were buying closeouts on another post. Later eh...Brian.

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by bman36

Capt. C.,
Look fine to me. I have a few 1/18 from American Muscle. The oldest though is a 58' Impala. What make is the police car? I have put my cars next to my Shay and they look fine in comparison. For my 1/29 stuff I use 1/24 scale cars. Found a bunch of those at WalMart. Very reasonable. Lastly where did you purchase your coaches? You mentioned you were buying closeouts on another post. Later eh...Brian.

Eh...(I told you I've really taken to this word, the kids in class are also picking it up form me...They say, "Eh, y'all") The police car my Dad got from QVC the cable shopping people, it is a MIRA made in Spain. He also has a taxi and about 30 cars of various makes all classic. They look really good with the coaches.

As for the Coaches, they cam with the Bachmann Denver and Rio Grande Set I got from Trainworld. The close out coaches are at Trainworld.com in the Bachmann blowout/close out section. ($19.99 US!) I am going to buy one and repaint/letter it for my N&MRR.

I believe the one I am getting is CANADIAN! The combine of the set of WP&Y passenger coaches says ROYAL MAIL on the side.

Back to the 1/18 cars, they are highly detailed even under the hood and in the trunk! I'm gonna have fun with these. Sorry Dad, your going to have to sell them to me! HA!

Later my Northern Friend,

[bman36]

Capt. C.,
Glad to see I am having an effect south of the border. Gotta' be carefull when we go to Denver in August not to pick up a drawl in my voice. I like the 1/18 die cast for detail. My son has the F&theF Dodge Charger. Stays in the box so there's no dust on that black paint. Also has a 1/18 Dukes Charger. Ben Jones (Cooter) autographed it for him at our annual car show this year. My son was thrilled to meet him as was his little sister. Only thing with 1/18 is it sure can get expensive. Thanks for considering me a friend. Right back at ya'. Later eh...Brian.

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by bman36

Capt. C.,
Glad to see I am having an effect south of the border. Gotta' be carefull when we go to Denver in August not to pick up a drawl in my voice. I like the 1/18 die cast for detail. My son has the F&theF Dodge Charger. Stays in the box so there's no dust on that black paint. Also has a 1/18 Dukes Charger. Ben Jones (Cooter) autographed it for him at our annual car show this year. My son was thrilled to meet him as was his little sister. Only thing with 1/18 is it sure can get expensive. Thanks for considering me a friend. Right back at ya'. Later eh...Brian.

Ha, South of the Border for me is Mexico. Yeah, 1/18 is pretty expensive, but its detail (in my opinion) is worth the extra dollars. I have no words to describe the anticipation I am having waiting to save for my fence. I am using this time to do all manners of preparation. You guys are the greatest, your advise is outstanding!

Ben Jones was once in our U.S. Congress, I think he lost his seat to Newt Gingrich. Strange, eh?

[Anonymous]

Hi Captain,
Look good to me. I use 1/18 cars, we have a large retailer in the next town - 10 minute drive away - and the cost anywhere between £15-00 to £30-00. Nice police car, not seen that one before.
Cheers,
Kim
[tup]

[Anonymous]

Hi Captain Carrales
Some one has to say no so it might as well be me.
I think we have a problem in this area too me 1/18 looks too big and 1/24 looks too small.
Even though the size difference is not that great you would have to see
a 16mm scale 2' gauge train with the 1/18 car next too it that really looks right given the train is 1/19. not many 16mm lines in the US there are a few though.
I think we need to give the manufactures a good talking too and see if they will manufacture cars and truck to suit their trains after all a number of them produce buildings.
Given the choice I am not sure which way to go on this one as I think both are wrong
regards John

[bman36]

John,
Using 3' narrow gauge along side these cars is what we were comparing. In 1:20.3 scale the 1/18 cars are decent. In real life these were not huge locos so some of these old muscle cars were almost as long. Yes I agree with you that they are not bang on but they are affordable. Aristo has come out with Tractor/trailer combinations to accompany their 1/29 trains. They are also way more than I would pay for one. 1:24 is definately too small but still looks OK with Aristo's 1/29 trains. I'm thinking Capt. C. was wanting to know if these will pass. Sure would be nice if everyone made autos to go with their trains but I bet they would'nt be cheap. Thanks for your input. Later eh...Brian.

[vsmith]

Capt C

Check out my tread "Its official, i must be going insane, is anything in scale anymore?"

I had a similar cunundrum when I tried to put a 1/24 scale figure into a 1/24 scale vehicle and it was like trying to shove Shaquel O'Neil into an '63 Austin Mini-cooper!

I decided to go with 1/20 trains and 1/18 cars, they look far better next to narrow guage trains than the 1/24 cars which are too small.

Toenailridgesl is the only person I have seen that makes his own cars AT 1/20 scale, Phil's Model T's are really well done, but I dont want to scratchbuild a '51 Ford pick-up for my layout, I'll stay with the 1/18 die cast cars, the selection is terrific and right in the era I want. So far i have a weathered '55 Chevy Bel-Air, A '51 Ford Pick-up, a WWII Willy's Jeep, a '56 VW Bug, and two HD motorcycles. As my layout is small, there isnt much room for vehicles so I am holding on any new cars until I get a better grip on the structure layout, well see, right?

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by John Busby

Hi Captain Carrales
Some one has to say no so it might as well be me.
I think we have a problem in this area too me 1/18 looks too big and 1/24 looks too small.
Even though the size difference is not that great you would have to see
a 16mm scale 2' gauge train with the 1/18 car next too it that really looks right given the train is 1/19. not many 16mm lines in the US there are a few though.
I think we need to give the manufactures a good talking too and see if they will manufacture cars and truck to suit their trains after all a number of them produce buildings.
Given the choice I am not sure which way to go on this one as I think both are wrong
regards John

Oh please, John, don’t hold back. I too have come to this conclusion, but our choices are quite limited. I find that 1/24 is too small and 1/18 is too big (just look at the distance between the wheels, no one will be making a track truck out of a 1/18 scale car).

Here are my well-pondered solutions…

1) Construct automobiles (as many of the people on this forum have done) from scratch.

2) Convince manufactures to come out with appropriate scale vehicles (which is not likely to happen without a standardized scale (see the post on this issue at...
http://www.trains.com/community/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=14374 )

3) Use of “forced perspectives,” you will notice that all the automobiles I am using are lat models that were from an era of large cars. By placing 1/24 and 1/18 automobiles at varying distances, one can create the illusion of proper scale.

4) Grin and bear it, I may have to just adjust my eyes and mind to accept it. After all, it is my universe. If one can create an elaborate history for their railroad, there is no reason why one cannot make such “adjustments.”

I think the answer is one, some, all or a combination of such things.

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by vsmith

Capt C

Check out my tread "Its official, i must be going insane, is anything in scale anymore?"

I had a similar cunundrum when I tried to put a 1/24 scale figure into a 1/24 scale vehicle and it was like trying to shove Shaquel O'Neil into an '63 Austin Mini-cooper!

I decided to go with 1/20 trains and 1/18 cars, they look far better next to narrow guage trains than the 1/24 cars which are too small.

Toenailridgesl is the only person I have seen that makes his own cars AT 1/20 scale, Phil's Model T's are really well done, but I dont want to scratchbuild a '51 Ford pick-up for my layout, I'll stay with the 1/18 die cast cars, the selection is terrific and right in the era I want. So far i have a weathered '55 Chevy Bel-Air, A '51 Ford Pick-up, a WWII Willy's Jeep, a '56 VW Bug, and two HD motorcycles. As my layout is small, there isnt much room for vehicles so I am holding on any new cars until I get a better grip on the structure layout, well see, right?

Vic,

I've been telling the students (8th Graders) about what my plans are for my layout, you know in the few spare minutes we get between the bells and lessons (By the way here's a little joke or quote that people attribute to me, "The only difference between being in hell and teaching the 8th grade is that they don't ring bells in hell!" I don't really believe that, but it made for a good qoute.)

Anyhow, yesterday they pitched in and got me a Harley-Davidson motorcycle (1/18), 1958 I believe, for the layout. It looks awasome and I think, one I get some boxcars and flat cars, I can ship 'em between cities on my line.