Anyone have a Rte. 66 scene or module on their layout?

[bogaziddy]

I'm thinking of putting an extensive run of old route 66 along side the far wall of my garage next to my main line. What accessories and vehicles do most of you use for highway scenes of motoring back in the 50's. I've already got a neat set of Burma Shave signs, telegraph poles etc. ,but I would like to add a mom-and-pop roadside diner and gas station (You know, the kind where people actually came out and serviced your car and pumped gas for less than 20 cents a gallon). What's the best source for autos of that era?

I fondly remember trips across the country in our red and white1955 Ford Crown Victoria back in the fifties. Although not as cool as traveling Route 66, I loved it when we drove highway 40 across Wyoming along the UP's overland mainline. You could see those Big Boys coming at you for miles and miles with their distinctive low headlight on the rails. I tell ya' I can smell that coal fired smoke right this moment. Let's pull over for a fill-up and a cheeseburger and fries at the diner. We'll wash it all down with a slice of home made apple pie and a cuppa Joe.

TIA for any and all suggestions,
The High Bogaziddy Mehesh Maserati Top Ramen

[csxt30]

Hello, I only know about the diners. K-line makes a couple, one is like mine here & they have a stainless steel looking one also. They smoke & light up & have some interior details. Lots of 1:43 and 1:48 scale cars out there too. Hope this helps, John

[dougdagrump]

Don't forget the Route 66 motel, that would have to be the there. [:D]

[Dave Farquhar]

For cars of that era, you can get anything you want from Diecast Direct (www.diecastdirect.com). For filler, look at toy stores and the like. I know Toys R Us sells 1:43 cars in packages of five or so. Usually only a couple of the cars are appropriate for the '40s and '50s but the sets aren't terribly expensive. New Ray and Maisto cars are fairly easy to find too. Maisto has a blue Ford Pickup from the late '40s that's close enough in size, and New Ray has a large line of '50s cars, mostly convertibles. The New Rays and Maistos run $2-$3.

Modern-era cars are the easiest to find in 1:43, but '50s cars are the second easiest.

[Anonymous]

Closest I can come is my daughter's poster on the wall of the train room:



Mother's Diner -- or was that Mother's Dinner?

[bogaziddy]

Thanks guys for the suggestions ...

Yeah John, I'll have to order one of those K-line diners and put the 'bacon and eggs' scented smoke in it.

Hey Doug! I completely forgot about that Route 66 motel from Walthers. Maybe I'll put the name 'Bates Motel' ( from the movie 'Psycho' ) below Route 66 on the sign.

That's one cool poster Skyray. I remember a line from a song I heard years ago about 'never eat a place called Mom's'. Can't remember any of the rest of the lines or the name of the song. That's how it is when you get to my age ...

Thanks Dave for the car ideas. Nice to know there are some less expensive options out there. I have a couple of toy pull-back cars from Rite Aid (the local chain drug store out here) but I think they're about 1/32 scale so are a little bit too large. I'll check Die Cast Direct. I know Spankybird has lots of cool cars on his layout.

Thanks again boys,
John

[dougdagrump]

If you put the "Bates Motel" on it you'll also have to put a rikkity old victorian house up a hill behind it, not to mention a pond with a car being fished out by a tow truck. [}:)]

[Dr. John]

K-Line now offers their own version of Burma Shave signs with six different messages.

[Anonymous]

St. Louis Lionel Railroad Club has a model of the Coral Court Motel on their portable layout.

[Anonymous]

I have the motel, but changed the sign to "Flamingo" (using a Miami Beach refrigerator magnet and new lettering). I buy most of my 50's cars from Diecastdirect. I'm a fanatic on quality with these, and MOST of the time you get a level of quality that matches the price...but they don't sell any junk. I tend to get "nuts" if I see a 50's car with thin-stripe whitewall tires!
I've gotten SOME $6. cars that are very nice, but generally the best I have are Mini Champs and eBay-bought Franklin Mint, both running in the $20.-$30. range. These go UP FRONT on the layout. Joe

[Anonymous]

Re cars: I have just purchased about a dozen 50s cars from Walmarts toy department ... really nice diecast 1:43 for - believe it or not - $1.97 each! Normal price, not closeout...Always in stock here.... usually stacked up in individual boxes within a larger container buried on a shelf - not hung on displayed racks... the cars are in individual boxes, mounted on a display platform with the year and model inscribed... hated to take them off.... amazing price for diecast - made in China of course.....

I live next to 66 in MO....

[spankybird]

This is the old plasticville gas station and I added K-Line service people to it.





tom

[underworld]

I'm thinking about it since part of the layout I'm designing is going to include part of Chicago. I'll have to find some appropriate 1:32 buildings.

underworld

[:D][:D][:D][:D][:D]

[bogaziddy]

Thanks Guys. I've just bookmarked Diecast Direct's website and I'm on my way out to check out the local Walmart ( well, sort of local ... It's 35 miles away ).

Great gas station scene Spank. I'll be trying for a somewhat older thirties to forties look with the older style pumps. The kind with the glass vessels on top that you had to pump the gas up into and then gravity fed the gas into the car's gas tank. I think Walthers has 'em. I'm looking for that off-the-beaten-path, dilapidated look one might have found traveling Route 66 during the fifties.

Incidentally, gas just hit $2.48/ gal. in this small I-5 town of Mount Shasta (located about half way between Redding and the Oregon border ) Warning to everyone! Gas up in Redding ( $2.19/gal. ) or push on toward Oregon ( Ashland/Medford ) before fueling up.

[FJ and G]

my entire RR is seen as if driving from Rt 66