Does anyone know where I can find some HO scale, assembled USA 60's era coal/dump trucks?
Athearn made some Mack "B" and "R" dump trucks in HO that are pretty nice. My understanding is that the "R" is good for 1966 or later, but the "B" started in 1949 and were still in use throught the 60's. You still see a "B" on the road now and then.
You can almost always find an "R" or two on ebay. The "B" doesn't come up as often.
I'm assuming since you didn't say otherwise that price is no object. These usually approach $50.
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By the 60's most small coal dealers were still using equipment they purchased back in the 40's & 50's. Classic Metal makes some nice dump trucks.
Joe
Take a look at Woodland Scenics, part #5555 "Lumpy's Coal Company". Coal was starting some decline in the '60s as many homes converted from coal heat to natural gas, and trucks used by coal companies often were kept running for years after their normal service life.
Bill
Lumpy's will work for home delivery. Yeah, it was on it's way out, so little in new equipment for that.
However, for haulage, large coal trucks were a growing segment during the same time. This was partly at the expense of the RRs, as it no longer made sense to extend sidings to small mines, they wanted unit trains more and more. So coal hit the road more.
If you don't mind building, Sheepscot Scale Products offers a number of items you'd likely find useful. Good folks.
http://www.sheepscotscale.com/site/search/node/dump
Mike Lehman
Urbana, IL
Mike couldn't have said it better. Yes, home coal delivery declines, but large load increased. In my home area of western Pennsylvania, large load coal trucks and coal mining spiked in the late 60's and into the early 70's. Ti-Brook Industries was behind my house and they were busy as all get out putting their dump bodies on tandem and tri-axle chassis'. As a kid I remember the R Model Mack being real popular, but there were a few Diamond Reo's and some Autocars around too. Ti-Brook was bought by Trail King Industries, Inc. just to acquire the Ti-Brook dump body line.
Maybe Shapeways has something along the line of the tandem or tri-axle large load coal trucks.
Robert H. Shilling II
LVGuy,
While there are dump trucks RTR out there, they are usually of the European flavor or too new for what You seek. On the other hand...if You want to try Your hand at building some kits...there are many...not for the light handed modeler though, some require some skill and a lot of patience....also helps to have the proper tools, medium cut jewelers files for metal and diamond for resin, along with different size drill bits. Sylvan has a large selection of dump trucks, single & tandem axle, from the 40's to 60's era. They are Polyeurethane resin kits. Alloy forms, who is controlled by SS LTD now, has white metal casting kits, large selection of dump trucks, Macks, Fords, Autocars, Diamond Reo's. Don Mills also has some even different style trucks, that many of You probably never seen before....Bullnose Kenworth, as an example. Those are also Polyeurethane resin kits....not cheap though. Sheepscot also, but I don't care for them, mainly because, they are solid cast resin cabs, window's have to be painted on.
A couple pic's:
First with Br. Elia's Bros. Is a Alloy forms white metal casting dump truck 12ft tandem axle, with A-line wheels and tires with brass axles, A-line etched mirrors, full interior, that I scracth build.
Second is another Alloy forms kit of a 69 Diamond Reo tractor, pulling a old Lee Town tri-axle dump, which is also a white metal casting kit. SS LTD makes that dump trailer now. I have quite a few more dumps made, just showing a taste.
Some sites to view:
http://www.amerproto.com/sylvan.htm
http://scale-structures.com/af300/
http://donmillsmodels.com/product-category/187-scale-truck-construction-kits/
Need help with any info...feel free to send Me a PM.
Take Care!
Frank
Member ATHS Northwest IL. Chapter.
GCLaser makes a coal / grain truck body for a Classic Metal works R-190 truck. It probably would fit the Athearn Mack or most any tandem axle straight truck body as well. Basically, you remove the CMW body and install the dump body in its place. They also make a couple of kits that mount the old body on a platform as a storage unit or something similar.
http://www.walthers.com/exec/productinfo/292-12234
the platformshttp://www.walthers.com/exec/productinfo/292-12363orhttp://www.walthers.com/exec/productinfo/292-12362
I built of of these a few months ago, along with the Bulk Ice platform. They are good kits, with some fragile wood parts like the handrails
The basic message here and above is you probably will not be able to find much in the way of a built coal truck. Even if you see somethng like Hot Wheels, it will need some work to make it look like a real truck, not a toy.
George In Midcoast Maine, 'bout halfway up the Rockland branch
I am thinking of a little kitbashing project for my coal truck. I have a '23 Mack High-Lift from Jordan 360-227. which I am thinking of attaching to a CMW '41-'46 chassis. Haven't put the pieces next to each other, so not sure how it's going to work.
Just an idea.
Have fun,
Richard
Go for it Richard, it sounds like a neat project!
Thanks, George. I found this very helpful.
Frank, thanks for the info. I should have mentioned in my original post that I'm not too up for building a kit. Assembled is what I need. I appreciate your input.